The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-08-09
Experts Testifyine for Mrs. Abbie S.
Bisbee, File Their Opinion That
Mrs. Tyler Was Mentally
Incompetent.
HYPOTHETICAL QUERIES
One Of These Questions Is 5000
Words Long-Other Side Will
Produce Expert Testi-
mony, Too.

Al1en1stS test1fy1ng in Los An
geles court in the Tyler will contest
are Of the opinion that Mrs. Loren S.
Tyler was mentally incompetent when
she made her will. The contest has
been instituted by Mrs. Abbie S. Bis
bee. sister of Major Tyler, and former
resident here. Testimony opposing
the opinions offered by the Bisbsc
alienists will be introduced by the
women to whom Mrs. Tyler left her
money.
The Los Angeles Examiner says:
The contest in which Mrs. Abbie s.
Bisbee Of Oklahoma, sister-in-law IT
the late Mrs. Georgia w. Tyler, is
seeking to break the will made by the
latter in October last year, yesterday
developed into battle of opinions of
alienists, with DR.. D. G. Barber as the
first witness.
The trial, the outcome of which i'll
wolves the disposition of a fortune
estimated at about 100000. is being
held before jury in Judge McDana-
iel's extra sessions court
Virtually all the testimony that has
SO far been introduced on behalf of
Mrs. Bisbee was incorporated yeste--
day in hypothetical question, which
was propounded to DR.. Barber and met
with the response of the witness, that
basing his testimony on the facts stat.
ed in the question, he believed Mrs.
Tyler was mentally Incompetent when
she made her will.
5000 Word Question.
The hypothetical question, contain.
Ing approximately 5000 words, was
NV Mrc Piahoo'c off0rn ay,S
John E. Bisby and Ward Chapma :.
1T related the facts that Mrs. Tyler
was married to Loren S. Tyler, re-
tired army officer, in 1907, that they
moved to Los Angeles in 1908. and
took up their residence in home on
Kingsley drive, later moving to more
elaborate quarters in Wilton place.
Mrs. Tyler is remembered by man.
as leader IN social affairs in Los
Angeles. The question recited this
fact and also that she was fond OF
auction bridge whist In May, last
year, she suffered cerebral hemoc
rhage and became partially paralyze
as a result. Tyler passed away Octob-
er IA, last year. and 1t was on the
same day that Mrs. Tyler made the
will now being contested. This will
bequeathed 10000 to Harriet r. Har-
rinEton, sister; $4,000 to H. D. Wilk-
ms, a brother; $4,000 to her father;
$4,000 to Mrs. Nellie Purcell of Min
neapolis and the remainder OF the es-
tate to Mrs. U. J. Tarbell, friend, OF
Minneapolis.
1t is the bequest to Mrs. Tarbeil
that is the chief point Of attack. At
torneys for Mrs. Bisbee in their ques-
ton yesterday pointed out that, al
though Mrs. Tyler remembered Mrs.
Tarbell to the extent of about $4,000.
she did not mention Charles HarrinS-
ton, a half brother, for whom she had
frequently expressed affection.
PecuIiaritIes Alleged.
Testimony of other witnesses In
Guided in the question was to the ef-
feet that Mrs. Tyler had declared to
them that she intended that her prof.
erty should so to relatives. Also it
was stated, Mrs. Tyler had made three
preyious wills in which she bequeath-
ed less than 1000 shares Of Pullman
stock to Mrs. Tarbell. After the de-
mise of Tyler, the testimony contin-
ued, Mrs Tyler labored under the Idea
that she was practically without funds,
complained that she could not afford
to keep the furnace burning at $50 a
month expense and also objected to
the purchase OF dishrag. Furthe:-
more, the question stated, Mrs. Tyler
mistook chrysanthemums for carna-
tions and carefully guarded a bag
containing a IS bill, wearing it pinned
to her waist.
Mrs. Tarbell and others opposing the
contest are represented by Attorneys
C. Hugh Jordan, Eugene Williams and
Senator John D. Works. They will In
troduce witnesses to prove that Mrs.
Tyler's mental condition was sound,
that this testimony will be by attend
ing physicians and that 1t Will be shown
that what are alleged to have been
regarding money mat
ters were merely the natural acts OF
a person who wished to economic.