The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-05
COL GAN AGAIN PLACED UNDER
 CONSERVATOR Judge Miller Rules That He Is Incapable of Managing
 His Own Affairs. TRUST COMPANY
 NAMED BY COURT Relatives In Disagreement Over Proceedings in To
 cal Probate Court.

!
 cal Probate Court. In the probate court today Judge Paul L. Miller named the American Bank 6 Trust Co. as conservator for William C. Co1gan whose mother. Catherine Colgan recently petitioned for such action. The, Judge in his finding today declares that in his l opinion sCoIgan is incapable of hand ling his own affairs and t that he ought to be in charge of an officer l of the probate court. Colgan is the ] owner of considerable real eState on the East Side including the building where the East Side branch of the BridSeport Public Market is located 1 He has been twice committed to the Norwich hospital for the insane. The petition for the conservator invoked a legal battle that has lasted a month and attracted much attention Col egan's counsel declared that he was 'trai1roaded" to the insane asylum. | Colgan makes his home with his brother-in-laWyf Dr. w. J. A O'Hara. Another brother-fn-la5w pr. Joseph L. Egan was his conservator at one time
 coIganss relatives are in { fdisagree- ment over the conservatorship. Not long ago he made over piece of prop cray fn East Main street to Mrs O'Hara, a. sister, and this spured oth- | CT srSlAT1V0S 70 aCuOn.5 N1IS. OOlSans the mother, was allied with another daughter Mrs Egan, in applying for the reappointnent of a conservator Proceedings were begun, following the fling of, Mrs. Colgan's petition, re- strain1ng Mrs. OsHara from disposing of the property conveyed to her by Coigan. This action still is pending. Ju1fe Mi1Ier's decision. in part, fol- lows:
 sHTHe prayer of the petitioner was first made to this Court, Feb. 18th, 1915, at which time hearing was set for March Srd. 1915- Due service was made upon the respondent and the attorney in charge of his affairs. Both petitioner and respondent appeared in court repEesented by counsel Several hearings have been held and the re- spondent has been amply protected in his rights by counsel.
 '"Ehis Court does not wish to com nent upon the relationship of the re- spondent with his mother, sisters, or brotheFs-in-law.e It\ concerns solely | and simply with the question whether | oR not the respondent is at the present time capable of managing his affairs
 ITO aid the court in determining this question counsel on both sides have called many witnesses and have fargued the cause at considerable length
 According to the testimony of Dr. l lDiefendorf. expert witness for the pc titioner, the respondent was found by him at St. Vincent,s hospital on March 3, 1s15s in condition of deliriuTn, emo l tionaI without apparent cause, ana with seeming hallucfnations in which l the thought of persecution centered. He also found his teeth to be in de- fective state which might have had something to do with his high tenn perature. In the opinion of the wit ness, the state of the patient was brought about by an acute alcoholic condition induced by over-indulgence in strong drink.
 ''He also testified that 1t would take from six to seven weeks before the acute stage would be cleared up, with then 8 possibility that it might be- come chronic. The witness further testified that the acute condition was I apt to come back upon slight provoca- ton and that in his opinion as an ex- pert in mental diseases, he did not think him capable of conducting bus- mess. He further testified upon cross- lexannination, that if Colgan refrained absolutely from intoxicating liquor, he could probably become capable
 ID. John c. Lynch, expert for the respondent, differed very little from pr. Diefendorfs medical diagnosis. He did state, however, that he had exam ined the resbondeht the evening be- fore, and had noted an improv vement I to a remarkable degree.
 He stated in response to a query Of counsel that if Colgan should refrain form the use of alcoholic stimulants absolutely, he might be able to man age his affairs On cross-examination he admitted that the probabilities were that he will relapse into his previous condition, although he could prove to be an exception.
 s.Tne court has also considered and weighed the value of the testimony of the lay and family witnesses
 Counsel for the respondent, in ar gument, admitted that the two expert medical witnesses practically agreed and that Colgan if he drank even to moderation again would relapse into another acute state of alcoholic incon- tpetency.
 ''The respondent himself in testifying stated that he intended to leave drink alone, but that he believed the perse- cution would continue. It is unneces- sary for the court to determine wheth- Ter the alleged persecution is real OF fancied. In either case Colgan should be under the care of an officer of this court. whether this thought is induced by the domination of a stronger will } than his own which he is unable to combat. or whether it is an haIIucina- } ton brought about by diseased men tai condition
 FIREMAN SUSPENDED ON
 CHARGE OF INTOXICATION.