The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-07-01
g,,c Great VIII Case Of Alexander
CNmhNnll.A Heirs
D Wheeling Intcllsgoncer (editcd by
Afcl,ia "a mnhnna


From the Wheeling Intcllsgoncer edited by
Archie Camrbcln.
This case is q matter Of unusual into.
rest to large number of people here and
elsewhere besides those directly con-
ccrned in the issue Of The trial. The will
involves the disposition Of property vari-
Dusty estimated to bc worth from $500, 900
TO S225,000. Those contcsting the paper
are the grandchildren Of Mr.. Campbell by
his first wife, whose maiden name was
Margaret Brown, and who was the daughter
Of respectable farmer Of Brooke county
named John Brown. Mr.. Campbell, at his
marriage with her, in 1911, received the
farm on which he resided during the whole
Of his after life, and it is in part On &C
count OF this marriage portion brought 10
him by his first wife that her descendants
claim to inherit equally under his will.
Ii will be in evidence, however, that
Mr.. Campbell, previous to the death of
his father-n-law, john Brown, received
from him quit claim paper setting forth
that in his estimation Tie property was
worth at that date so much moncy-say
$4,000, and that in his judgment pay
ment of that sum to the heirs of his daugh-
ter would be full ransom of all values
acquired by Mr.. c. through marriage. The
defendants Of the will, who arc the chill
aren Of the second Wife, claim that their
father discharged this estimate of Mr..
Brown not only to the full, but that in adj
dition he exceeded it in bcstowmcnts
made to his first set of children during
their lives, and to their children afterwards,
saying nothing whatever as to the legacies
left, the latter under the will, which were
from two to three thousand dollars each.
This is point No. in the case. We
have only given its bare outlines, and
have not attempted the details. :!
The second point raised by the contest
ants is that, outside Of any considerations
in regard to the original Brown property,
they have natural claims to Inherit from
the whole OF their grandlather's estate,
and that he would have regarded and re-
coCniZcd these claims but for undue infiu-
cnces cxcrtcd upon him by parties in adj
verse interest at the date OF his will. They
claim that separated as they were from his
presence for SO many years, especially in
the last and failing years Of his life. when
his mind and memory were impaired, and
surrounded as he constantly and intimately
was by the defendants, a prejudice was ac-
complishcd against their claims and int
rests, and that therefore the bulk of his
property was unjustly bestowed upon the
defendants, the heirs Of the second wife.
A great amount of evidence will be
offered by both sides to show the condition
of Mr.. Campbcll's mind at the date OF the
will in lSG2, and at the later date of the
codicil in 12Gi. 1t is said that il all
nearly or quite fifty witnesses have been
summoned, and that, in addition to this
mass OF oral evidence, numerous and vo
luminous dispositions from parties at dis
lance will be read. The great effort on
the part Of the contestants will Of course
be TO show that Mr.. Campbcll's mental
condition WAS such in the last years OF his
life as 10 make him readily susceptible to
the influence of those Immediately about
him. and that in various ways within the
knowledge Of different witnesses that in
tiuepcc was manitestly exerted. Evidence
Of this kind will be set UP not only III re-
rard to business but to political matters.
There will be in addition to this general
evidence q great deal Of special testimony
in reference to specific and isolated acts
and transactions, showing on the one hand
that he did transact business for himself
"".~A"""cAd by other parties, and or the
other hand anu on otuel uUo-:7r.-- .i,~+ ha
did not.
a point Of special interest in the case
will be the cCdicii, which was appended
two years after the will, and just about
two wears previous 10 .Hr. CampbelI'S
death. In lie codicil one Of the cXccu-
tors was changed. In place Of the one
originally named, who was The genera.
agent Of Mr.. Campbell in his book and
publishing business, and in the manage
mcnt of that part OF his estate son-in-
law, who had become such after the VIII
ting Of The will, was substituted. And
also il was specified in tie codicil that al!
the rcsiduum Of the estate after payment
of the different requests should 60 to the
defendants. AS We understand the case,
the contestants base their main hopes
against the will upon the vulnerabllity OF
the codicil.
The parties to the suit on the side OF
the contestants are the wives Of j. II. Pen
dicton of Wcllsburg, and John Bush OF
Texas, two children Of Professor W. Is.
Pendlcton of Bethany, and two children OF
Robert Y. Hcnly, living in Eastern Viz
ginia. both these Pendletons are from
Louisa county, Val The defendants are
the wife of Mr.. Campbell, his two sons
Alexander and William-and his two
daughters-Mrs. Virginia Thompson of
kentucky, and Mrs. Dccima Barclay OF
Alabama.
The counsel on behalf of the contest
ants are the Hon. Benjamin Stanton,
Daniel Lamb, and James S. Wheat of
Wheeling, and G. W. Caldwell, Esq, of
Wellsburg. The counsel for the defend
ants are Judge Black Of Pennsylvania,
General Garfield Of Ohio, and Nathaniel