Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1852-11-03
lCsrrespondeuce of the Virgilisp.l
CoruNBUs MISSISSIPPI
Oefober 25ih, 1852.

Eiifor Ofbe jugiHiaH
Saskatchewan personally unacqulnted
viii YOU, | take The liberty Of addressing you
ihis letter with tic view OF communicating
certain facts IN regard 10 tire decision oil
will essc, which has Just TRANSFERRED III this city,
and in which number Of persons, residing IN
section Of country in Virginia not very dis
TAM from Lynchburg, as we'll rs others IN THIS
STATE. ale Interested as distributes, the man
agemcnt of which. on one side. has been en-
trusted to Maj J. A. Early, 81 Franklin county
Vrgitin.
The caso alluded to. was the contested will
Of Robert TIairslon deceased The tcstalorI
died on the 7th Of March last, leaving Il very
large estate situated IN this vicinity, and IN
other states. He had made a willin lSll-by
which he devised his estate IN some OF his
uepheWs,-on the day before his death he had
caused another will 10 he written aud cxecu.
ted, by which lac devised The main bulk OF ms
property 10 little negro girl, one oi ms slaves;
and on the succeeding day, which was the day
| Of his death, H. caused a third will to be wilt
Ten and executed, by which he revoked all
former wills, and devised Me mh0ic I. lbs
@taIc, 10 the SAID negro gIf E.! THIS latter Viii
was duly admitted to record in the Prof. ate
| Court Of Lowuds county Mississippi, the place
of residence Of the tcstator. Two of.the
nephevs provided for in the will Of 1911,
claiming estates worth from 80 10 200 thou
sand dollars, filed their bill IN said Probate
Court To contest the validity of the last will
alleging a want OF sanity ON the part Of the tcs-
taror at the time Of executing the wills respec-
lively Of the 9th aud HI Of March last. The
proper issues were made up in said Court,
certified 10 The Circuit Court, Of said County,
for trial, aud come on for "A hearing at the
October term. during the last week. Gen.
Reuben Da,i., Of Aberdeen, and Col. William
l.. Harris and James T. Harrison, Esq. Of this
city, appeared for the ncphews claiming under
the will Of ISL. Maj. EARLY, appeared alone
| for the heirs nj law, who claim, by virtue Of
the incapacity to take, and also the death Of
the de, isce Of the will of 7lh Of March. The
trial lasted four days, aud ended in verdict
for Mai Els clients
The investigation and determination Of this
case excited n very general interest IN tins
community, rs well on account Of the strange
disposition sought to be made Of the large
estate Of the deceased, as the number, and
wealthy and influential character, of the sur
yiving relations, and the eminent abilities of
the learned advocates engaged IN the cause.
| The resident attorneys employed in this trial
are among the most able and influential mem.
berS Of the bar in the State.-one OF Them II
| is generally believed. has no superior in legal
knowledge in the Southwest. Maj Early
was a stranger among us, from distant State,
without the prestige of u distinguished name,
and evidently wanting In some OF the usual
accompaneymcnts if not absolute requisite to
high professional attainmcnts--namely, grey
hairs and venerable years,-and although
surrounded by those who deeply sympathsed
with him, in his single handed herculean task,
yet II was thought 10 be extremely doubtful,
however Just his cause whether he would be
able to cope with tn, well known powers of
the opposing counsel, before jury of their own
State and County. You i'll probably under
stand, or if you should not, every legal gentle
man will perceive, that, it'll the number of
wills presented, each claiming to be the genu.
inc and last will of the testator, ono Of them
written and executed at Il tilrc. when there
was not, and could be no question about his
sanity, while the others were executed IN er
tremis, together with the great number and
variety of authorities, running through a vast
labyrinth of tones and decisions in England
and America, for centuries past prominately
and remotely bearing on the case, and which
had to be examined and read on the trial say,
that " 18th all this bulk Of last testaments, legal
lore, and professional skill to encounter and
manage, it was no ordinary task-nnd required
no ordinary ability and tact, on the part OF
Maj. Early, 10 surmount, and at last achieve,
as he did, triumphant victory.
The Old Dominion has not suffered in the
least, in this effort by one of her very modest
and, for one Of his years, most accomplished
sons; and the resident Virgjnons here in com.
mon with the members Of this community.
fee as much erafed al this forensic achieve
mcnt Of Maj. Early, as they are delighted with
his heightened, gentemanly bearing and conrte'
Gus demeanor towards all persons, alike in his
private intercourse and the discharge of his
professional duties
Respectfully Yours, &c.
Il. O. ID.