The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-05-15
A GHOSTLY WITNESS.
A Remark able Scene I'm Court-The
Spirit of the Dead Appears and
singles out the forger Of will In
His Name.

His Name.
From the Denver Tribune
Something over fortnight since, a lady
Of striking beauty and commanding pres
ence arrived at one OF our principal hotels,
by the Kansas Pacific Railroad. and AT once
made the personal acquaintance Of the pro-
prietor. She was accompanied by young
boy, whose bright and beaming counte-
nance bespoke a rich and promising char
acter. The first object the lady expressed
herself As having in view was the selection
and purchase OF comfortable, but retired,
residence
In due course of time, by aid of the hotel
proprietor and one of our most eminent
attorneys, a house was secured. and short
ly afterward elegantly furnished with fur
niture brought by its occupant from the
East.
Two colored servants man and wife
had accompanied the lady to Denver. and.
win her boy and a white female servant,
oompletes the members of our "new-
Corners" Western household.
To particulariZe the other details of the
daily life that followed would be a unin,
tercsting as superfuous. Ii is sufficient
for the readers of the Tribune TO know that.
in Denver, the lady. who had just got set
tied in what she thought and hoped TO be
devoid OF even single acquaintance, acct
dentally met on our street, one Of the old
est and dearest OF her earliest friends.
And 10 this person-the writer of the
present article-the marvellous tale that
follows was tOld-the names. dates and de-
tails all being literal, and susceptible of in
slant proof.
In December. 1871. one Sylvester Sudler.
a farmer worth Sl50.0O0, aud residing in
Poplar Island Creek Neck. in the Second
Election District of Queen Anne's county.
Maryland (where he had very large farm
and handsome residence). was taken very
sick. with pneumonia. On the 18th OF
January. 1872. he died. In the interval be-
tween December and January. Sylvester
Sudler sent for his brother, Emory J. Sud
Ter. lawyer, living upon Kent Island Ia
part OF Queen Anne's county. Maryland).
and got him to write his will. This will
was duly executed in the presence OF three
witnesses on the 18th of January. and de-
livered into the custody of Emory J. Sud-
Ter, who was understood to be the execu-
tor. On January -, 1872. Emory Sudler
went home, and did not return to Poplar
Island Creek Neck until the 2lst of the
same month. when summoned by his
brothers funeral, which took place in
Centerville. Maryland. the next day.
On the 22d of January. 1872. Emory j.
Sudler. by request, read the will in the
presence of two Of the witnesses. Rev.
John Fleming and Mrs. Hannah Edwards.
and of the widow. Mrs Mary Ann Sudler.
and the only child of sylvester Sudler,
Emory j. Sudier. Jr.. a boy of twelve
years.
The will. after naming EmorysJ. Sudler.
ST.. sole executor. gave directions that the
real estate should be sold. and 500 paid TO
Mary Ann Sudler. while all the rest of the
estate should become the property of the
deoased's brother, Emory 7. Sudler.
whom he recognized as his universal and
only heir.
The widow and both Of the witnesses
present declared that the document read
WAS not the will of Sylvester Sudler The
executor insisted that il was. and deiied
Mrs. Edwards and Rev. Mr.. Fleming to
deny their signatures. He said he could
prove the will. and if il was disputed he
could show the Court the reason why his
brother Sylvester had made such a devise
OF his property. He gave notice. also. that
he would on the next day apply to the Or
plans Court at Centerville for probate of
the viii.
This he did; but the widow appearing
likewise. entered caveat on her own part
aHu ~ wv utNl lfltHu Vi Uef son. EfnOrl
Sudler, Jr.
The court appointed day TO hear testi-
mcny IN regard to the will. and on that day
all three Of the witnesses TO the will were
present, together with the parties inter-
cStrzi
Mr.. Matthew B. Merritt, the third wit
ness, swore positively to his own sigma
turr, and to have seen the other witnesses
sign He identified the document by its
shape, the envelope containing IL. water
mark in the paper, and an ink-blot upon
one oornerof the sheet.
Mrs. Edwards could not swear that II
WAS not her signature To the paper, hut
was not willing 10 swear that il was. She
had been In the house during all Of Mr..
Sylvester Sudler's illness. helping 10 nurse
him, and had repeatedly heard dece,lent
declare that ne had left all his property
(except certain minor legacies which she
namely to his wife and child. The will.
after Il was written and before being exc
cuted. had been for two DAYS I'm the custo-
dy OF the deceased. He had kept il under
his pillow; had read IL himself: had made
her rad i to him. and had got the Rev
Nr. Fleming Ia real il to him also. Hence
she wa able to speak 80 positively as TO
its contents.
III. Rev. John Fleming corroborated
Mrs. Edwards statement, and testified fur