Evening star., 1915-01-28
LEE HUTCH|NS REVEALS
/. AM|LYD|SAGREEMENTS
Declares He Remained Silent About
Fathers Mental Condition to
Conserve Estate.

Lee Hutchins, caveator in the effort
to break the last will of his father, the
late Stilson Hutchins, finished MS
three-day testimony at noon today.
During that period he has faced Frank
7. Hogan in direct and redirect examin-
alton, and r. Ross Perry Of counsel for
the caveatees, in cross and recross e1-
animation. He has told the jury OF his
intimate business relations with his
father; has fatty contradicted certain
testimony ELECTED from his stepmother,
Rose Keeling Hutchins; has expressed
the belief that his father was mentally
incompetent since 1904: has barred GER
tain tangled domestic relations when
existed in the Hutchins family. and
has directly asserted his bellef that un-
due influence was exercised by MS ell.
der brother in procuring the last VIII
and testament Of his father. in which
he, the witness, received smaller per-
centage Of the estate than had been be-
Queathed him in an earlier Will.
Cause Of Brothers Esrangement.
This mornings testimony dealt prin-
cipally with the causes for the strained
relations which have existed between
Lee and Walter Hutchins during re-
cent years. and with the establishment
and subsequent explanations OF the
fact that, while believing his father to
have been mentally incompetent since
1904, the witness had never seen fit to
make this fact known to anybody at
any time.
Speaking of his brother Walter, who
was in court with his attorneys, the
witness testified that he had consld,
cred him as stranger for several
years, owing to an attitude OF hostility
of which, he said, he had been con-
scious. through various sources, during
that period. He stated that he had oeen
informed by several mutual business as
sociates that Walter had expressed the
conviction that if he. Lee. used the
power of attorney which he held for
his father, he would be guilty of COM
rnitting a criminal action.
He stated that both he and his
brother held similar powers of attor-
ney for their father. and that ne nad
answered, IF that is so, tell him 70
make the most of it." He stated that,
having heard that his brother had &C
cused him Of crime through the
sources referred to. he felt that it In
no wise devolved upon him to go to
Walter for an explanation.
Law Vaccination Didn't Take.
Questioned by Frank ]. Hogan. the
witness admitted that he had been
"vaccinated for lawyer in 1885, and
that lit didn't take" He also an
swered. smilingly, that if Mrs. Hutch
ins had stated in testimony that he
was a "broken reed" she must have
been referring to the fact that, since
they had known each other, "she had
leaned a little too hard" upon him.
The witness testified that though he had
believed his father mentally deficient since
1904 he had acted for the best interests
of those to whom he believed he owed
this duty and had never divulged his be-
lief He said he had difficult problem to
handle and that he did his best He ex-
planned that. according to his belief. a
revelation of his estimate of his fathers
mental condition would have had a dis
astrous effect upon the estate and that
wishing to serve the best interests Of his
family he had remained silent concern
ing his apprehension, and had allowed
his father to sign various deeds, which
he stated were drawn up by Mr.. Dante
as trustee of the estate.
Under cross-examination by Mr..
Perry he told of various gifts of real
estate and stocks given him by his
father at different times as late as 1909.
Under redirect examination by Mr..
Hogan he stated that for several years
prior to 1910 stilson Hutchins, whose
estate is today estimated to be worth
$4.000.o00. believed himself to be poor
man, in spite of all assurances to the
contrary, and that, in his last illness,
he constantly cried out: II want to
pay my debts"