Year: 1875




received a telegram from Mrs. Lin
coin, from Jacksonville, Fla, as fol.
lows: "My belief is my son is sick.
Telegraph. / start for Chicago to-
morrow Her son was perfectly well
at the time, and, witness so telegraph
ed her. Mr.. Lincoln also telegraph ed
to her, telling her to remain in Florids
until perfectly well. He received a
second telegram, after the lapse of an
hour and half. 1t read: "My dearly
beloved son, Robert T. Lincoln:
Arouse yourself, and live for your
mother. You are all have; from
this hour all have Is yours. l pray
every night that you may be spared
to your mother"


Robert Lincoln, the petitioner, then
took the witness stand. His face in
dicated that unpleasantness of the
duty he was about to perform, and
his eyes were expressive of the grief
he felt. Mrs. Lincoln at first looked
on calmly, but during the recital OF
the incidents of the family history
and reference to the death Of his faith
er and brother, she gave way to tears
and buried her face IN her hands.


He testified that he did not know
why his mother thought he was sick,
unless she had read some newspaper
paragraph to that effect. He had not
been sick in 10 years. The action he
had taken was sad to contemplate,
but he had done it in the interest OF
his mother. He did not want any
money from her. He had money in
trust for her. He met her in the car
upon her arrival from the South, and
upon meeting her she was startled.
She had the appearance of good
health, and did not even seem fatigued
| by the trip. He asked her to
come to his house, but she declined,
and went to the hotel. He went with
her and took supper. She told him
that at the first breakfast she took
after leaving Jacksonville an attempt
was made to poison her. He occupied
q room adjoining hers that night.
She slept well that night, but subse-
quently was restless and would come
to his door in her night-dress and rap.
Twice in one night she aroused him,
and asked to sleep in his room. He
admitted her, gave her his bed, and
he slept on the lounge. He got DR..
Isham to attend her. About April
1st, she ceased tapping at his door,
he having told her that il she persist
ed he would leave the hotel. He
went to her room April 1st, and found
her but slightly dressed: She left the
room in that condition under some
pretext, and the next he knew of her
she was going down in the elevator to
the Office. He had the elevator
stopped, and tried to induce her to re-
turn to her room. She regarded his
interierences as impertiment, and de-
clined to leave the elevator, but be
put his arms about her and gently for
ced her. She screamed, "You are go
ing to murder me.u After awhile she
said that the man who took her pock-
etboOk had promised to return it 10
her q certain hour. She said the
man was wandering Jew she had
near the wall, and professed to be
repeating what the man was saying to
her through the wall. She had, since
the fire, kept her trunks and property
in the Fidelity Safe Deposit Compa-
ny's building. He called on her the
last week in April, and she told him
that all Chicago was going to be burn
ed, and thatshe was going to send her
trunks TO some country town, She
said Milwaukee was too near Osh-
/ kOsh, where there had been terrible
fire the night before. She told him
that his house would be the only one
saved, and he suggested to her 70
leave her trunks with him. The
following Sunday she showed him Sc
curities for $57, 800, which she car
ried in her pocket. She had spent
large sums Of money recently. She
had bought $500 worth of lace cur
tains I; three watches, costing $50;
500 worth Of other jewelry; S2OC
worth of soap and perfumeries, and
whole piece Of silk. He had no doubt
she was insane, He had had q con-
ference with her cousin and Mayor
Stuart, Of Springfield, and Judge
Davis, of the Supreme Court, all o
whom advised him to the course hG
had taken. He did not regard 1t saf.
to allow her to remain much Longer