ANNE BEAN. UTICA. WINNEBEGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Utica Woman Had Been Blind Last Thirty-Two Years.
Utica, Wisconsin, June 3rd, 1912.Miss Anne Bean died this morning at the age of seventy-two years.
She was born in 1840 at Corwen, Merionethshire, North Wales and came to America with her parents when she was twelve years old.
She had been blind for thirty-two years, and two years ago was seriously burned by a stove fire from the effects of which she never fully recovered.
The funeral will be held Wednesday at 1.30 o'clock from the house, with services a little later at Zoar Church, with internment in Zoar Cemetery.
Oshkosh Northwestern ~ June 3rd, 1912.
ANNE BEAN. UTICA. WINNEBEGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
The application of Charles Cowan for proof and allowance of, and to admit to probate, an instrument in writing, filed in said court, as the last will and testament of Ann Bean, late of the town of Utica in said County deceased, and for letters testamentary thereon to be issued to Charles Cowan.Dated June 17th, 1912.
By order of the court, Fred Beglinger, county judge. Carter and pedrick, Ripon, Wisconsin, attorneys. Published June 18-25.
Oshkosh Northwestern ~ July 2nd, 1912.
ANNE BEAN. UTICA. WINNEBEGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Following the introduction of considerable evidence, further proceedings in the contest over the Will of the late Ann Bean were continued in probate court yesterday afternoon until 10 a.m. next Thursday. Both sides to the contest have more testimony to offer, it is stated, and the case may not be settled for some time yet.Oshkosh Northwestern ~ October 19th, 1912.
ANNE BEAN. UTICA. WINNEBEGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Trial of the case in which the admission to probate of an instrument purporting to be the Will of the late Ann Bean is being contested, was resumed before Judge Beglinger in probate court this forenoon and had not been concluded at noon, when a recess was taken until 2 o'clock this afternoon.The hearing may be continued for some time yet,as the contestants have not yet finished their introduction of testimony. The will is being contested on the ground that the testatrix was incompetent to execute such an instrument and that if she did do it, she was unduly influenced.
Oshkosh Northwestern ~ October 24th, 1912.
ANNE BEAN. UTICA. WINNEBEGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Taking of testimony in the Ann Bean contested will case was concluded in probate court this forenoon and this afternoon the arguements of counsel are being made.Oshkosh Northwestern ~ October 25th, 1912.
ANNE BEAN. UTICA. WINNEBEGO COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
WILL IS NOT SUSTAINED.
Probate Court Decides Ann Bean was Mentally Incapable of Making the Instrument.
In the matter of the application to probate the will of the late Ann Bean. Judge Beglinger today handed down a decision finding that the application must be denied. Judge Beglinger had had the matter under advisement for some time.Application for probate of the will was made by those named in the instrument as heirs, Richard and David Pugh, nephews, and Elizabeth Parks, a niece of the testatrix, and its admission to probate was contested by Alvin Bean and U. S. G. Bean, nephews of the deceased.
Probate of the will was objected to on three grounds - want of proper execution, want of sufficient mental capacity on the part of the testatrix, and undue influence exercised upon her in making the will. Judge Beglinger in his decision does not sustain the first and third grounds for objection, but he declares the second ground well substantiated by the facts as developed by the testimony given at the trial of the case.
He finds that at the date of the will, July 13th, 1910, the testatrix was seventy years old, had been totally blind for about twenty-five years and was then just recovering from severe burns sustained about six weeks previous; that she was physically disabled from that time until her death, two years later; that her memory began failing about three years prior to her injury and that she labored under delusions and was, in short, a victim of senile dementia.
He further found that the will was "radically out of harmony with all her previously declared testamentary intentions," and that only five days before its execution an application had been made for the appointment of a guardian for her person and estate, which application was granted the following August.
Under the decision of Judge Beglinger refusing to admit the will to probate, the property left by Miss Bean, valued at approximately $2000, probably will be distributed among the heirs at law according to the closeness of their relationship to the deceased. Charles Cowan of Ripon, who drew the will, was named in it as the executor.