Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-15
MRS. WELLS TROUBLED
by SYKES ATTITUDE
So Witness Testified in Contest
ed Will Case, Now on Trial in
Chittenden County Court--In-
cidents Connected With Mrs.
Wells Last Illness

Tba, Mrs. ENie T.. p. Wells was much
Troubled over the attitude taken toward
her by her step-daughter, Anna Wells
Sykes and James Sykes, Annals hus-
band this attitude being ms nifested in
the failure of Mr.. and Mrs. Sykes to visit
Mrs Wells often during the last years of
her life. was the testimony Of Mrs. Frank
n. Parker. who was on the sand for
cross-cxamination i'm the contested will
case Friday. following the direct ex-
animation of tho preceding day.
Mrs. Parker aid that She saw very
little of the sykes family during the last
two or thr,n ,,ars Of Mrs. Wells life.
on the Friday morning before Mrs. Effie
Wells died. Mis-. Charles Wells. her half
sister. talked with Anna over the tele-
phone in New York. and Mrs. Parker.
who was in the hoCsu ~ the time, heard
Mrs. charles Wells a1H: II think you
had better come.
Later, Mrs Charles Wells told Mrs
Parker that Anna and Martha were COM
ing to Bu~inC on. Mrs. PaTkcrs remark
at that time was ~ pretty time to come
when woman Is dying.
Some more diarics entered Tho case
Friday morning. Nj. farker had used
her diaries to make notat9ns OF the var
ious times when she had been to the
Wells home. also of the people whom she
had met there for cards in the evening.
'rhis paper was introduced as evidence by
The contestants, after Mrs. Parker had
been questioned about it on the cross
examination. hrs Parker was questioned
: also regarding certain dates in her
diaries and the contestants then asked
, that the diaries Themselves tee admitted
as evidence The proponents offered SER
,f,t.. a, de hlt
only certain dates of the diary had been
referred to. and that the entire books
should not be entered to allow the pro
pOncnts to look over Mrs. parkers per-
, sonal entries. The matter was finally
e. compromised by allowing the diaries &c
| De entered, but allowed to remain in the
s hands of the witness. and she will meet
c the attorneys for the contestants later
e. and go through with them the entries
t under the dates in question
n , Mrs Parker, on cross-eXamnation
e. enumerated the names of the people who
. were most often at the Wells house
Among those mentioned were General ano
- Mrs Jocelyn. Mr.. and Mrs. r. +. Kimbal
o Mr.. and Mrs. H. L. Ward. Or. and Mrs
{ w. II. f,nGlcsby, DR.. ana Mrs. Lyman
Il Allen. Judge and Mrs 6. II. Darling an,
:. Mr.. and Mrs. \. y. Buell.. The witnes!
t was asked to tell as nearly as possible tn,
number of times she had seen some o
these people at the Edward Wells house
e Questioned concerning meeting mem
\ bcrs of the Wells family at the Edward
Y Wells house. she said that she had ncve
c seen Major and Mrs II. Nelson Jackson
=. Mr.. and Mrs Frederick Wells. Mr. an,
+ Mrs. Charles Wells Mr. and Mrs. Franl
r Wells, or Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Wells Their
" during the evening. hut that she mad seei
e l.. ,.;x,,
" the day time
- Mrs. Parker was closely questioned ii
the ss-oXamnation regarding the bon
% which it was said Mr.. Ward lost for tn
Edward Wells estate The witness knew
nothing about this. except that she ha
=. once heard il mentioned.
Two other witnesses besides Mrs Par
= kcr were on the stand Friday. Thes
- were Frank H. Parker and Charles i
Heath The afternoon session wa
10 shortened to some extent. recess bein
:, taken shortly after four o'clock. so tina
ii iurymcn were able to get late afternoo
- trains out Of the city.
l., MIR. Parkers testimony was along tn
Is lines of the mentality good judgment an
Il memory of Mrs. Wells, gained throug
N along acquaintance with her, dating bac
before her marriage to Edward Wells
N Mr.. and Mrs. Parker have been intimat
Is with thc Wells family for many year
d and have been frequent callers at tn
1t Wells home. especially during the las
G. five years. They also belonged to man
a. of the same clubs as Mrs. Wells.
ID Mr.. Parker characterized Mrs Wells n
Id woman Of excellent judgment, SCUM
|. mentality and unusual memory.
ON the cross-eXamination, Attorno
re Billiard, for the contestants. tried
,.t,, Do, H.,
3, very unfriendly feeling for the Syke
er family. which feeling she had impressc
o. upon her husband. Mr.. Bullard eve
"A. started TO ask the witness if his wit
o. were not decidedly asscrtive in her view
lie finally withdrew this question, how
p ever, after Il tilt with the opposing coui
he sci. Another tilt occurred between couI
pr sol when Mr.. Billiard referred to thos
C. people who were I'm tbs habit Of visitin
e. The Wells home often as the Enie Wei
ed set" This term was finally amplified
IN Mr.. Dul,lrd before the witness answcrc
re u" question.
70, MIR. Yarl.c' 're,r'rcG the symptom
hc which appeared .,t tho time Mrs. Wei
a." was taien ii about 4, week befor- 81
died. Mrs Wells MI and Mrs. Ward al
Ell Mr.. ana Mrs. Parker We're at the hon
8 Of the Wards. and card game was
H. progress. Mr.. Parker notices. that Mr.
''- Wells was not playing as crcd a gan
10 as usual. He looked rp and saw H.
"a shiVerinr He asked If sho wore cold. ar
~" she said WINS was. Mrs. Ward got a vyrf
and put over her, hut she continued
M shiver. + little later she was taken wi
M 4 nausea and lay down upon the couc
He DIR. Sahin was called and Mrs. Wells w
W. removed To home "A little later
he Charles f. Heath who was the la
Ter witness OF the day, was formerly wi
- the Burlington Trust company. and
ed, row assistant manager Of the brush fih
iee factory. He testified as an accounta,
to the finances of MIS-. Wells in her dcaIin
SO, with the Burlington Trust company bel,
s. taken w AZ some length.
. Is VERMONT CEMENT BRICK