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I do not consider her as ever having been insane.

By her indefatigable efforts she has bought and paid for a nice little house and lot in Chicago, to which she has a good title, free from all incumbrance.

It is my earnest and sincere desire that she may obtain possession and control of the minor children, in which case I intend to live in her family.

THEOPHILUS PACKARD, JR.

CHICAGO, ILL., April 12, 1869.
To Whom it may Concern:

This is to certify, that I am the second son of Mrs. E. P. W. Packard and Rev. Theophilus Packard. That I am twenty-four years of age. I can say that my mother is every way able and competent to take charge of my younger brothers, who are now under age, educate and bring them up.

From my early youth until I was sixteen, I have been reared under her influence. She has always been a kind and affectionate mother, and all of her children always respected and loved her so long as she was permitted to live with them.

She was separated from them contrary to her wishes.

I consider the charge of insanity against her wholly unfounded.

She is a most excellent mother, her judgment good, and her moral character without a stain. The tribulations and sufferings she has undergone in the past, I feel can be but partially atoned for, by unremitting filial love and the care and custody of her minor children.

She has a house and lot in this city worth thirty-five hundred dollars, unincumbered.

It is my wish and desire that she may take charge of my two brothers, George H. and Arthur D. Packard, for it is my opinion they would be better brought up under her care than under the care of any one else.

Should this desire of her heart be realized, I intend to be my home in her family.

I. W. PACKARD.

CHICAGO, ILL., April 12,1869.
To all whom it may concern:

I hereby certify, that I have been acquainted with Mrs. E. P. W. Packard since 1861. That I have often met and conversed with her upon various general subjects, as well as relative to business matters. That she has at all times exhibited a high order of mind upon all subjects touched upon.

That her character for morality and sterling integrity is, and during the whole period of my acquaintance with her has been, wholly beyond reproach. That she has ever exhibited the most kindly feelings, and when speaking of her children, great affection for them; I have no hesitancy in saying that she is in every way eminently qualified to have the care, custody, control, and education of all her minor children.

J. H. KNOWLTON, Counsellor at Law, and ex-Judge.

CHICAGO, ILL., April 12,1869.
To all whom it may concern:

This is to certify, that I have known Mrs. Elizabeth P. W. Packard for many years. That she is a lady of wonderful business capacity. Is comfortable in her circumstances, the owner of real and personal estate to quite an amount. Is an able and ready writer, an energetic, capable, and worthy woman and mother.

As a mother she is not only able and capable of bringing up her minor children in a proper manner, but I would add, that I know of few, if any ladies, that would excel her in taking care of and educating children.

She is a very superior lady, and in my opinion should have the aid of all good citizens in getting the care of her own children.

JAMES B. BRADWELL, Judge of the Court of Cook County.

CHICAGO, ILL., April 12, 1869.
To whom it may concern:

This is to certify that I have known Mrs. E. P. W. Packard personally for above five years. That I have transacted business with her as publisher and printer -- printing several thousand copies of her work -- and have invariably found her prompt to meet business engagements, and accurate in the details of business affairs.

W. H. RAND, Of Chicago Tribune Co.

The above are a mere specimen of the character of the certificates I took from my acquaintances, found among the most respectable and renowned citizens of Chicago, which, with their silent influence, aided my Boston lawyers so to present my case to the Court as to secure my object, without the need of either child or any other witness going with me before the Court in my defense.

Hon. S. E. Sewall and T. Currier, lawyers of Boston, acting as my attorneys, the case was formally presented, and met with all the favor from the Court we could desire.

Mr. Packard seeing there was no chance of his retaining the children, by opposition, took the advice of his attorney Mr. Griswold, of Greenfield Mass., then a member of the Mass. Legislature, and superseded the Court's decision, by giving up the children to me, as his own voluntary act -- voluntary -- in the sense that he chose to give them up in this manner, rather than have me come into possession of them by the Court's decision, which seemed to be inevitably certain, if he did not.

I objected to taking them in this manner, lest I might by thus getting them leave it optional with Mr. Packard whether I retain them or not.