Evening star., 1915-01-12
DANTE ENDS TESTIMONY
IN HUTCH|NS WILL CASE
After Seventeen Days, Longest
Period on Record Here, Wit
ness Leaves the Stand.
Affairs Of Fischer Art Company
Probed by Attorneys in Elicit
ing Information.

William j. Dante, man of affairs for
the late Stilson Hutchins and trustee
of the Hutchins estate, today COM
pleted his testimony in the will con-
test case before Justice Anderson and
a jury in the Probate Court, in which
Lee Hutchins is endeavoring to break
the will of his father the ground
that the testator was mentally 1ncom-
petent at the time the will was exc
cuted.
The direct examination of Mr.. Dante,
his cross-examination, redirect eNaml-
nation, etc, consumed seventeen days.
This, it is said by old attaches OF the
courts and by persons familiar with
celebrated cases that have been heard
before the courts of the District, is the
longest period ever spent by a single
witness on the stand in the history OF
the District courts.
r. Ross Perry. of counsel for Walter
Stilson Hutchins, caveatee in the VIII
contest case, finished his cross-examl-
the affairs of the Fisher. Art Company
in the effort to show that Mr.. Dante
as trustee of the Hutchins estate aad
not exercised due diligence ip protect
ing the Hutchins investment in the art
company.
In his questioning Mr.. Perry inter-
rogated the witness as to the bank
balance of the art company in 1910. Mr.
Dante replying that the art company
had at that time about $4,000 in bank
Attempts on the part of Mr.. Perry to
induce the witness to set a value on
such assets of the company as pictures
by 'old masters, etc, met with oo-
lection on the part of Frank ]. Hogan
of counsel for Lee Hutchins, the
caveator. based on the ground that Mr.
Dante was not qualified to pass judg-
ment on old paintings and such arti-
cles
Mr.. Perry concluded his questioning
with the inference that Q concern pos
sessing bank balance of approxi-
mately $4,000 was not such bad
concern in which to own stock.
Owed More Than Bank Balance.
AS soon as Mr. Perry had completed
his questioning, Mr.. Hogan fired a few
questions at Mr.. Dante, elicitlng the
information that while the Fisher ART
Company in 1910 had a bank balance
of about 100000, the company tnen
owed to various persons large amounts,
and that the company was indebted 70
Washington banks alone to the amount
of at least $4,000
DANTE said Attorney Hogan, what
you did to protect the Interests or Mr..
Hutchins in the Fisher Art Company
matter, and what part you took in the
management of the company. l VIII
ask you what part you ever took in
the management of the affairs of the
Riggs National Bank, of the Lacka-
wanna railroad. or what part you ever
took in the management and control
of the affairs of half a dozen or more
of the companies and corporations in
which the late Stilson Hutchins held
stock?"
While the. jury grinned. the specta-
tors laughed, and even Justice Andef-
son could not suppress the ghost of a
smile Witness Dante replied that ne
had never had even the slightest voice
in the management of the affairs of
the concerns enumerated
Much of the time of this morning
session CT court was devoted to argu-
ment at the bench in regard to the adj
instability of certain documentary evi.:
dence. This argument was continued
when court reconvened after the mid
day recess.
Valuable Autograph Album.
At yesterday afternoons session of
court an autograph album containing
the autographs of Napoleon, Washing
ton, Lincoln and other noted men and
Il he n~th