Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-05-12
DEFENSE CLOSES CASE
IN SUPPORT OF
TESTAMENT
CONTRACT IN COURT
SIGNED BY TESTATOR AND
WIDOW PRESENTED IN EVi-
OENCE DURING COURT TRIAL
THIS MORNING.

Interest grew during the day in the
Hartshorn will contest, which Is now
being thresheG out before Judge DaviC
in the Circuit Court, when the sons
Fred and George were given their
first opportunity to present their eVi-
dence. In spite Of the heavy rains,
the crowd in the court room who gath
cred to hear the case, was probably
greater than at any other time during
the two and one-half weeks the trial
has been In session.
The attorneys. II. NJ. Kelly John
Coleman and Emmett Kelly, for the
defendants and A. j. O'Conor and
George Glenn for the contestants,
were using extra precaution in exam
ming the witnesses. and prepared to
see that their clients had the advant-
age OF every benefit their legal knowl-
edge could give them Aside from iln
subject matter of the trial the skir
mishes between the two sets OF at
tornevs are very interesting.
The suit was started by George and
Fred Iartshoru to set aside the Will oI
their father The late Alfred lIlarlshorh
who under the terms Of his VIII lett
the principal part OF his large estate
to his widow and her son Asa, leaving
the contestants bequeSts OF 5000
apiece
This afternoon County Recorder
John Buchner. was called to the stand.
He brought his records and testified
to the holdings of the testator, and
the deeds executed by him.
He was proceeded by eXDeputy
Sheriff William Mischke who told oi
going to the Ilartshorn home on
March l. 1907 to serve Mr.. fiartshofn
with a court summons of Il chanc"ry
case. He stated that he could not
make Mir. Hartshorn understand what
he had for him on account OF his de-
fective hearing, but that Mr5. tiartS-
horn explained his mission. His direct
examination was conducted by A. j,
O'Conor and his cross examination
by H. NJ. Kelly.
Just before noon George Runaway,
president Of the Utica elevator was
called to the stand to identity some
checks made payable to the late Al
fred l. Hartshon. The checks were
made by the company for grain pul-
chased from Mr.. Hartshorn.
Before Mr.. Dunaway Thomas De
laney, who served as a juror in case
tried before Justice Dauber in La
Sale. in 1912, when the testator Suea
his son George to get possession al
a farm on which he was living. TOOK
the stand Mr.. Delaney is Peru team
s,er told of attending the trial aud OF
the aged and infrm physical condition
of Mr. HartshOm at that time
Read Pre.Nuptial Contract.
Yesterday afternoon Attorney A. D.
O'Conor. who with Attorney George
Gleim is representing the sons reao
an anti.nuptial agreement when was
drawn by Mr. and Mrs. HartShorn be
tore their marriage. which stated what
portion of his estate she was to re
ceive in case of his death. lie also
read a trust deed made December y,
1911 which conveyed to Mrs. Harris
horn and her son Asa, a hall section
of La Sale county land.
Attorney John Coleman. who with
Attorneys II. NJ. and Emmett Kelly
is, representing Mrs. Hartshorn ana
her son Asa, was the flrst witness cdl'
ed by the contestants. lie was aShru
concerning an inventory he hleu III
the Probate Court, at the time ME-
Hartshorn's estate passed thfu the
process of probation. He identlilea
this paper. after whcn q description
of the estate vas read from the III
yentory, although no amounts as TO
the value of the property were read'
The inventory showed that at the
time of the demise of the wealthy La
Sallean, he had S55 in cash, ana a
large amount of La Sale county lahd'