THE M'MECKAN WILL CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1956, 20 August 1891, Page 32

THE M'MECKAN WILL CASE.

(From Qua Melbourne Correspondent.)

I After a lengthy trial, a three-fourths verdict i of the jury has gone in favour of young M'Meckan, who sought to overturn his ancle's will. In the disputed will, made in June 1888, at least £150,000 was bequeathed to Grace Mackie and three other members of her family, leaving only about £6000 in other bequests. The five surviving children of deceased's sister (Nancy Kerr) received £800 apiece, the plaintiff (M'Meckan, of the Rotomahana) £1000, the Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Society £500, the Scots' Church Children's Aid Society £500. The balance was left in trust to William Mackie, Wycheproof, sheepfarmar, and Grace, Anthony, and Helen Mackie, of Camberwell, as tenants in common. Deceased's Victorian property was valued at £70,000, but ha was also possessed of station property in conjunction with A. Blackwood and others in New South Wales. In the original will the plaintiff obtained £1000, as in the one in dispute, but in tbe latter he was cut out of a share in the residuary estate, which will be about £150,000. Tbe jury found that the will of 1888 was made while Captain M'Meckan was of unsound mind, and consequently the former will (in which the plaintiff shares in the £150,000) is revived. Mr Furves won tbe case not by the strength of the plaintiff's case, but by his extremely clever cross-examination of the principal witnesses for the defence. Miss Mackie, who attended the captain all through his illness and managed his house for him, he caused to break down by convicting her of fibbing about her age. She was 52. and would not plead guilty to it in the box. Her brother (Anthony Mackie), who was formerly the Union Company's manager at Lyttelton, also suffered severely in Mr Purves' hands. He had to admit the receipt of pocket money— in sums of 3s, 10s, £1, &c— from the captain, and the admission went against him. How Dr Plett fainted in the witness box under Mr Purves I have previously told you. In this way the prinoipal witnesses for the defence — that is for the complete mental soundness of Captain M'Meokan-snade a bad impression on the jury. Mr Purves has covered himself with fresh laurels by his conduct of the case.