LUNATIC LADY'S WILL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8309, 6 May 1905, Page 4

LUNATIC LADY'S WILL.

THE ODD HABITS OT A WEALTH. WOMAN, The testamentary dispositions of a lady who is skid to have gone out in the street wearing only a nightdress, came before the president of the Probate Division, London^ on Saturday, February 17. ! , l ■ _ It was the case brought by Kelways an& another, who claimed to be the executors of the will, dated January 19, 1900, of Mrs; Emily Ball, a widow, who died in Catfprd Asylum on October 12, 1903. The defendants, MacGowan and another, opposed the will on the ground that the deceased was not of sound mind, memory and understanding at the time the will was made. \ ♦Among other, evidences of the testae tor's "insanity, it Was alleged that she would drink a, pint 'and a half of raw whisky a day. Sh4 also used to go to bed with her clothes on, undress when she awdke, and it was then that she would go .out in her night apparel and converse .with the men who were re-v pairing the roads. £ < • ' ,"■ \\ Another witness, who had been m the deceased's service, said that she would eat eggs in their shells and bacon with the rifad on. Once she gave the witness five guineas to buy a pint of whisky with. .The deceased woman*s husband snatched the money away, and gave the witness a shilling with which to buy the whisky. After her husband's arm had been amputated^ .ue deceased used to rub against the maimed shoulder deliberately. / > The President found that the state of the deceased; woman's mind' had so degenerated towards -the end that she was not in. a, fit condition to make the will of 1900. £ He found in favour of the will of 1884. with costs out of the estate*