The New York herald., 1920-01-30
MRS. SPANG VAIN
OYER FADED BEAUTY
DR.. Mackenzie Says Wealthy
Woman Was Irrational IT.
Her Declining Years.
HUSBAND SKINNY THING"
Believed Steel Manufacturer Was
Feigning Blindness When He
Was an Invalid.

That Mrs. Rosa e. Spang was con-
short time before she executed VII
setting aside her residuary estate OF more
than s. o0o,0J in trust for charity. featured
testimony brought out yesterday at the
will contest on trial before Surrogate
Cohalan and a jury in the :.rogate's
Court. The expert opinions were based
upon Mrs. Spang's mental and physiost
condition and the eccentric notions Of
the seventy-siX-yea ear-old woman whose
daughter, Mrs. Mabel Crome Ancker, OF
Copenhagen. Denmark Is fighting TO
break the will.
DR.. L.. e. Mackenzie, OF No. 6S West
Fiftyfifth street, who attended Mrs
Spang up to two months before her death
last June. said his views as to the
womans irrationality coincided with
those of DR.. James +. Nagle. for many
years her physician, that the aged woman
was irrational. Her actions convinced the
physician that she had become, serfe. he
testified.
In her youth Mrs. Spang was possessed
of remarkable figure and noted for her
beauty. AS she approached the last span
of life her thoughts constantly reverted
to her girlhood days, and she wanted the
same adulation from her friends as was
bestowed half a century ago. Ills under
which she suffered changed her sprightlt-
ness into shuffling gait. but the illusion
of her past fingered and she would solicit
DR.. McKenzie's opinion of her figure when
he called on her at ker apartments IN the
Waldorf.
The physician testified that Mrs Spang
bought a spring bonnet which she tried on
before him and. after admiring herself in
the mirror, addressed him. saying:-"l
~ ,.,.It IL l. 1.e-s Tat-
display of vanity took place soon after
her husbands death.
DIR. Mackenzie said Mrs. Spang spoke OF
her husbands death in a serio-comc vein.
and she informed him that one of her old
beaux was stopping at the hotel and had
become extremely attentive TO her. as was
shown by his gifts of flowers. She dis
cussed with the physician the fortune she
was to inherit from Mr.. Spang's estate and
announced her intention to spend it freely
so that her friends would not fight over
the fortune when she died. She promised
TO give an automobile to each OF her
physicians.
These ideas gave way to a fear of pov-
lerty. Mrs. Spang almost became penurious
and told Or. Mackenzie that she could no
longer afford to live at the Waldorf,
though her fortune exceeded 100000 She
urged the physician to find her a place
where she could live within her means.
DR.. Mackenzie told of visiting the Spsng
apartment at time when Mr.. Spang was
blind and an invalid. Mrs. Spang took him
by the sleeve into her husbands room,
saying she wanted to find out If Mr.. Spang
was really sightess. The physician vas
reluctant to enter. because the steel manu-
facturer was under the care of another
physician. but Mrs. Spang was obdurate.
She passed her hands several times in front
of her husbands face TO see II there was
any muscular reaction by his eyes. ex
pressing belief that he was feigning blind
ness. Then she drew back the coverlets
of the bed and pointing to her husband.
said:"Isn't he the skinny old thing.
! The witness told Senator Edgar T.
Bracket. for the contestant. that Mrs.
Spang had a shifting opinion OF her
! friends. at one time commenting them for
their honesty and again accusing them of
having designs on her fortune Though
severely cross-questioned by Henry W.
Taft. counsel for the proponents. DR.. Mac
kenzie stuck to his assertion that Mrs
Spang was irrational.
! The trial will be resumed today.