The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1921-04-15

: property to white people. He admit
ted that he wanted the will broke
because it was for the best inter-
ests OF the churches and community.
Yet by seeking TO pollute the fountain
head OF justice they do worse in
jury to their church. Mr. sutton
nel er heard of her being insane until
the will was read. Mr.. Ezzell. one
of the remaining two witnesses TO the
will. said she had sense enough to
make viii. Charlie Mclllwaine knew
them all his life. and he says they
were competent to make will. Dr..
McIllwaine. who has known them
since the war. and who is man OF
high intelligence. says Maggie Ross
was a woman of good business judg-
ment and that she had the capacity to
make a will Or. Atkinson. Rev. r.
j. McIllwaine. and Rev. Mr. Robert
son gave similar testimony. Their
neighbor. Frank Crane. says they told
him many years ago that they intend
ed leaving their home place to Bob
Ross.
Mrs. Tiizah Coan's Wishes
THE caveators," Monroe's mayer
continued. claim Maggie Ross didn't
know the extent or nature oil her
property Mr.. John Boyle. a survey
or testified to you that she located a
corner boundary on her ii00 acre
tract OF land after he failed 20 do so
with his surveying instruments.
These alienists answered long,
weighty Hypothetical questions. but
DR.. Nebit. who new her personally.
had been her physician. says she was
of SOUND mind An mbecile? She
traded horses and cows, sold land and
gave money to churches.
"Tirzah Coan' the poor rheumatic,
helpless woman-with her mind clear
as a bell who will soon face her
Maker. says Maggie Ross was COM
petent to dispose of her property.
There's a good. christian woman who
won't answer for what some connect
ed with this case will have to. She
wants to see the requests contained
in her cousins will carried out al
though she has more claim on the
bounty of Maggie Ross than any of
the others who are seeking 70 have
this will broken.
Nothing Wrong With Her Mind.
Or Mccain. who has no love for
negroes in his heart. and who would
like TO see the Will broken. admits
Maggie was of sane mind.
George Ross is the only cousin
Feeking to break the viii " he has
had the courage TO come into eoait
and declare Maggie Ross to have been
mentally incompetent 10 make Will.
Where are the other caveatOrs? There
is nothing wrong with the uind Of
Maggie Ross. gentlemen. The wrong
& is the manner in which they fOG. ed
OF their property"
The testimony of the alieu.sts was
ridiculed when LAWYER" he
said, has a bad case he gets Dr. Hall,
Dr. Anderson fAd Or Taylor. I'M
earths some fool! "A things the defend
ant has done dur.us his lifetime. and
profounds to them hypothetical ques-
ton expecting, and usually receiving.
favorable answer. Their evidence
should be given little consideration.
An Illinois supreme court Judge. in
0 h'hhAA7 Nbh - q htAiEibu va q viii
case says the testimony Of alienists
is Of very little value and should be
considered by the jury with caution"
Mr. Skies concluded with a drama
tic recital of how the hand of Maggie
Ross, now cold In death. had traced
her signature across that parchment
! representing her will. and implored
the jury TO permit her requests to be
4 carried out.
The last witnesses were Ernest
! Crane, John Kell. Oscar Potts and ].
~ Price, who declared Miss Maggie
Ross possessed sufficient mentality
to make will.
! Mrs. X. A. Hudson, who followed
her husband on the stand. testified
that she had never seen any evidence
OF social equality between Maggie
Ross and Mite Bell. She related that
at Sallie's death Maggie told her that
she wanted her and Mrs. Ellen Ste
phenson to prepare her sisters body
for burial. adding: II want you to
take the straw mattress under Sallie's
feather bed off and send II up to my
room by Bob and Steve. as II con-
tains her 'keepsakes."'
4 Mrs. Pearl Hood. daughter OF Mr..
and Mrs. Hudson. said Miss Maggie
had made many business transactions
during her lifetime. and was capable
OF making a will. Mrs. Hood. togeth-
er with other people OF the Marvin
community. once took a trip to the
mountains with the Misses Ross
Messrs. ]. ". Fowler, H. b. Clark.
I W. L. Hemby. w. c. Heath. !. +.
Stewart. Stewart Clark and J D.
Hemby declared MIR. II. A. Hudson's
character to be good
Dr. II. W. Alexander, OF Farmers