New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-13
ACCUSE HUSBAND
OF MAKING WIFE
A DRUG VICTIM
Sister-in-LaW Calls DIR.
Oglesby "Villanous
Devil" at Hearing
SHERIFF'S JURY
UNABLE TO AGREE
Matrimonial, Financial and FAM
lily Tangles Too Deep a Puz-
zle for Prominent Men.

Zle LOT PTOIlll1tnt UhSh'
After listening TO testimony TOT
three hours yesterday a Sherif's jury
including Felix Warburg, Henry Sellg-
man, William NJ. Merrill and Joseph ).
ODonohue, Sd, after a deliberation oil
an hour was unable to agree in the pro-
ceeding over the incompetence OF Mrs.
Mabel Clare Oglesby. Much bitterness
was displayed during he hearing by
relatives of Mrs. Oglesby toward Dr.
James Van Pelt Oglesby, her husband
who had her committed to the state In
sane Asylum on Wards Island and 70
whom his wfe's family object as a
committee of her property. They al
leee that Mrs. OgIesby's condition is
due TO her addiction to morphine taken
on the advice of her husband, who, IT
was charged. also supplied some Of the
drug to her Dr. Oglesby was the petit
toner in the proceeding.
While the physician was on the stand
trying to prove that brother OF his
wife had died insane a sister OF Mrs
Oglesby shouted at the witness; you
villanous DEVIL" This outburst was
followed in a minute by the threaten
ing attitude of one of the male ad-
herents of the Oglesby family, who
stepped up to william A. White, attor-
ney for DR.. Oglesbv, and, shaking his
forefnger in the lawyers face, told
him he had better not go into the mat
ter of the alleged family faint.
Brother Against Brother.
The proceeding, which was held be-
fore Daniel P. Hays, former Congress
man Henry NJ. Goldfogle and David
Welch. commissioners appointed by the
Supreme Court, revealed a peculiar
family situation. DR.. Oglesby and his
brother, Representative Wilson r.
Oglesby. of Westchester County, arc
married to two sisters whose name be-
fore marriage was also Oglesby, al
though there was no relationship. KEEP
resen.ative Oglesby was witness yes
;erday, testifying for his wife's family
and against his brother. He IS one oil
the executors of the will of Zenas W.
Oglesby. banker and railroad man, OF
Ouitman. Ga, father of the alleged in
competent woman, who left fortune
estimated at S420,000, in which Mrs
James Van Pelt Oglesby, the woman IN
the public asylum for the insane has a
one-seventh interest. Her family want
one OF their number appointed as the
committee for Mrs. 0glesby. DR.. Ogles-
Mrs. Zenas w. Oglesby, the gray.
haired mother of the alleged incompe-
tent. was impressive as she told of her
daughter using morphine, which she
sal dhad been given her by DR.. Oglesby
Mrs. Oglesby said that since June
| 1913, she had seen her daughter under
the influence of morphine, and thai
several hypodermics were given TO he'
1 by Dr. Oglesby. The mother said she
pleaded and begged with her son-in'
| law tina. her daughter should not be
I longer permitted to use the drug. YOU
/ do not seem to realize what you are
doing" Mrs. Oglesby said she told the
/ doctor His reply was, she testified:
81 could have only one motive, anc
that would be to get possession OF hei
/ property"
Denies Family faint.
"Has there been any prior faint OF
! insanity in your family?" asked Mr.
| White. "Never," replied Mrs. 0glesby
/ Here il was that White saw a finger
/ shaken in his face. However, he re-
/ called Dr. Oglesby to the stand. The
physician said he had taken Zenas W
| Oglesby, jr., brother of his wife, from
| Quitman to the Rivercrest Sanatorium
on Long Island, and added that after
his brother-in-law was taken from the
| institution, he died insane.
The Oglesby family, led by the elder
Mrs. 0glesby and Representative
Oglesby, challenged this statement, the
/ latter insisting that the cause Of death
was alcoholism.
at is not true, you villanous devil!
shouted one of the young women at DR.
Oglesby, while Mrs. Oglesby, thu
mother, shouted, "Neyer!" to which
although not on the witness stand, SHE
was permitted to say that DR.. Oglesby
told her the son died from alcoholic
/ pleurisy.
/ DR.. Oglesby was questioned abou
. several notes given to him by his wife
] lot WHlCHs dppdl SHblgs bHtAS "do Nv
| other consideration than Glove and af
fecton," recognized as a valid consid
/ Grafton as between husband and wife
/ The proceeds from the last note, fol
/ $4,000, were deposited by the physician
/ on November ), 1914, to his account IL
/ the Equitable Trust Company. Vincent
/ l.. Leibell, counsel for the family, asked
/ several questions which DR.. Oglesby''
| lawyer advised him not to answer
/ They were whether he had invested am
money in stocks or other securities, Mr.
Leibell explaining that he wished t
| know whether any of Mrs. Oglesby'!
/ property was alienated while she wa!
! incompetent The witness finally an
swered on order of the commission, tina
4 he had not made any such investments
Or. Oglesby said he spent all thu
! money that came to him in the supper
| OF his wife and children, with the ex
/ cept:on of $4,000 which he lent to hi.
] brother
RanE Rooka MisainO