Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-02
Sensational Testimony is Ex-
pected to be Made During
Hearings
WITNESSES ARE CALLED
Mrs. Mary Wilkins Freeman,
Noted Writer, Was Cut
off With ST in Will

NEW BRUNSWICK. May 2:--.
William Dinwiddie. OF New Durham
Road. Metuchen, was the first wit
ness called to testify in the Orphans
Court this morning in the eontinHa
tion of the hearing before Judge
John p. Kirkpatrick in the famous
Freeman will case.
The contest over the will Of Dr.
Charles Manning Freeman, who died
in Metuchen came as the result Of
his cutting his wife off with one
dollar, each sister S200 and the re-
mainder of the estate to Harry Moh-|
ring, his chauffeur. The hearing be-
fore Judge kirkpatrick is for The.
purpose of determining whether DR..
Freeman was mentally capable Of
making a will when he had it drawn
up and whether any outside influ-
ences had been used in causing him.
to make it read as it does.
William Dinwiddie, of the editors
ial staff of New York newspaper.
whose home is on the New Durham
Road in Metuchen, testified today
for more than one hogr-sss-1 4 -, =,
declaring DR.. Freeman to have
come progressively worse both me-
tally and physically during the Ia n
years of his life. The witness saff{
he had been very intimate with ffs
doctor from 1907 until 1918 at which:
time the friendship ceased because
of the doctors condition.
Dinwiddie testified that his FAM
lily and that OF DIR. Freeman had
been very intimate from 1907 To-
1918, this friendship ceasing at that
time on account of the doctors con-
dition. For several years after DR..
Freeman and his wife separated. the
witness said. the doctor visited Din
widdie's home.
The witness told of the changes
in the condition of DR.. Freeman
from 1907 when he first becaua
closely acquainted with him until
last year. when DIR. Freeman 3everl
ed all relations with him. DIR. Freed
man was a user of drugs. the witnest
said, and a periodic drinker, being
sober for months at a time after
which he would be drunk and un-i
der the influence of drugs for just
as long a time. When sober DR..
Freeman was very intelligent. bril-
liant and an efficient business man
during the years he first knew him.
the witness said, but in later years
as he continued to take drugs and
drink to excess his mind dulled and
he became suspicious of his friends.
His physical condition also was at
fected, the witness said. and he tried
to dissuade the doctor from the use
of drugs owing to the shattered CON
dition of his health.
The Use of yeronal as drug a.
fected DR.. Freeman's speech, the wiz
ness said, and his power to think al
times was almost oblitetated. Dinr.
widdie said the doctor could scarcely
walk at times. The witness told Of
DR.. Freeman being taken TO numer-
Gus institutions for the purpose Of
curing him Of the drug and SdriRlx
habit but invariably the doctor man
aged to escape before he had beea
there many days, he said. While
taking DIR. Freeman to Belle Meade
for the purpose of placing him in a
sanitarium, the witness said, the doc
tor failed to recognize familiar coun-
try along the road and was unabls
to carry on a connected conversation.
this being in 1919.
Dinwiddie said that in 1920 he was
twice in DR.. Freenan's company
when the latter took veronai. IN
1921 after having been under treat
ment at Trenton, the witness tests-.
fed. DIR. Freeman visited his horns
and seemed to be in excellent condi-
ton, the doctor rejoicing over the
fact he had been declared sane by
the doctors at Trenton.
(Contnued on page -