Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-01
MANY WITNESSES SAY
MRS. WELLS WAS SANE
They Testify to the Strength of
Her Memory, Her Business
Judgment, and Her Interest
in Affairs of Household and
Church

Whether or not Mrs. Effie II. T. Wells
was OF sound mind and judgment dur
ing the later years of her life. ana espe.
cally IN 1917. at the time she made her
asst will and testament, dsinheriting her
step-daushter and leaving a large part
Of her property to Henry l.. Ward. was
the point OF which the proponents in the
Wells viii case centered their attention
in county court yesterday. During the
day, 10 witnesses took the stand for
the proponents. Their collective Judgment
based on personal associations with Mrs,
Wells seemed To be thgt she waR o. sound
mind and showed keenns.s ana Judgment
in all her affairs.
The following witnesses .avo evidence;
Hobart j. Stanley Mrs clarence l..
Smith, Dr.. j. l.. Taggart. Louise Jooelyp
Clark. Mrs. J. r, Taggart. Mrs Charles
J.. Woodbury.. Mrs. Frances Woodbury.
Hay. Q. L. Woodbury. Mrs W. Ii.
Englesby. A. r. Buell., Guy w. Bailey,
Mrs. Frances II. Sparhawk. w. FL BUCK
ley. Mrs. II. c. Humphrey. DR.. Lyman
Allen, Miss Patue L.nscy. Dr. W. Ii.
Englosby. Mrs Howard Shufelt and Mra
Lyman Allen.
social relations with Mrs Wells, telling
of her various activities including rer
work as a member Of tho board OF the
Old Ladies' Home. 40 president OF the
Woman's Alliance Of the Unitarian
Church. as prominent In the Klifa club.
as a Red Cross worlter, as prssident OF
Ito Anti Suffragist League of Harrington.
as Interested in the game of auction
bridge, as u reader Of the current maya
limos ai,d the latest books. as an exeop-
tionally good conversational,st. and as a
woman OF sound Judgment and pro-
n0unced opinions These witnesses had
known her for periods veryins from Is 10 40
yaars and all testifjed thar from THAR
observations oh. was nerfActlv sane
throughout that time. Including the date
WHOM Ter will was made and no TO tha
tims Of her death last Oct obar
AS sane rs was." was the wav Mrs.
II. G. Humphrey ont Il In answer 70 tia
question 40 to Mrs Wells sunit. Tho
contestants objected 10 this connar,sn,
and IL was struck from tha r.oords
Another point stressed nv the rrororspts
was The memory of Mrs Wells az hear.
ing on her mental condition sayer-,,
witnesses testified that she had ra,na,,-
hered them. or friends of tbs,rs ,,,,b of, =.
on their birthda,s Her sk,,l q. a., ,,,o,o, -,
auction bridge a esp,e eaid 70 raou,,a
a good memory was sI.o ta,,ie.a On
Two photngra,hs 90 mr m,,, .
entered in rho Gus. ,o,,,rda, rh-. ,...
so,ro diffara,,oo -. ,,,.,ro ""o
or M, r..
and ,a,,i,. ,.',
during ,b. io,, - ,,s
ruo ,,,tou,a,,;,a -
,,hiln NJ % " Noo" Ike
- ''' "i,u MIS- iehrS L.
| a. MA 80, ~ ''o i'ue WIN
~ 49,. 49, -. ~ "a "cie maze H'uch
! 'o N'ne Vi 'hese trps
,ha.o "so' anu nj INK 'hne
wv" ooEs u. ''ne parry, 'he
~. ", "e 'noee VI MI Narn ana
" A'"s'esps' ne other TRIP was
~" '''' 7ep'e''"ef ana there were three
ra'e, '"e TWO ABOVE mentioned and A. b.
oue'i "u.o' oh ooth OF these trips. it
was proueht OUT, Mrs Wells rode in the
ai wig" MT ana MRS ward on the last
up ,ney returned TO burlington before
INC o'"er Two cars
O'"er points Which the attorneys for
! NV 'oh'estahtS sought TO emphasize in
| ne cross examination yesterday were
| ''at MRS wells and her tep-daughter
Anna wells sykes. were always on the
| oesI or terms Few of the witnesses had
/ ever seen anything or heard Mrs. Wells
! say anyi ming which would Indicate that
/ Such was not the case. 1t was the gen.
/ eral testimony that the relation between
! MRS Wells and Anna was like the natu.
raj relation between mother and daugh.
! Ter, ana MIS-. Wells apparently continued
/ her affection for Anna up to the very
! 'ast. The testimony was all to the effect
that Mrs Wells had "a very deep love for
her two grandGaughters, Martha and Ella
abeth'
An attempt was made. also through
cross-eXamination to bring ont that Mrs.
/ Wells had very determined opinions which