The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-04-30

SO positive abont it at first ? Did yo
see that pencil mark IN the margin
] persisted Peafee. But Merritt denie
that he had seen any mark, and couli
not be made to commit himself in an
way. On cross-examinafiou by MI
Mackline he said that Mr.. Pearce'
manner had confused him, and he sat
| isfactorily identified his signature t
the first will several times
Thursdays and great part of Fri
! days session were consumed in hear
ing expert testimony in regard Il
the hand writing of Sylvester and En-
ory J. Sudler, and the three witnesses
the caVeators endeavoring to prove
that the will of 1873 was certainly il
Emory j. Sndler's handwriting, anC
the signatures to the probated viii
forgeries, while the caveatee, on thu
other hand, sought to show that thu
signatures IN his will were genuine
while the will of 1878 was q forgery
both text and signature. The testi'
mony was SO divided and so contrari
GUS upon these points that neither side
took much by it, but little else result.
ed from it but confusion to the jury
and weariness to the Court, "Thf
said Chief Justice Robinson at last
rather testify, "that with all due ad-
miration for the ingenuity of counsel
so abundantly displayed on each side,
this issue must be deemed chiefly 9
question of fact, aud however much
you may attempt to puzzle the jury by
q showing of what might be, they are
likely to determine the case by what
is. Cannot you give us the facts about
the discovery of these Wills?. How
did they como abOnt? That will go a
great way towards settling the ques-
tion of their genuineness."
I" / quite agree with yoUr horor,N
said Mr.. Mackline, and [ hope you
will compel the other side to show a
rdtso9s d d'etre for their so-called will
if they CAM sWe accept the issue,
your honor" answered Pearce, I" and
viii now proceed to give the strange
history of the discovery of our will,
showing how-shall say Providence
interfered in a mysterious manner, to
defend the righttul heir against the
willy plots of the Conspirator and cal
umniator." Nee deus GnterSit 9aisi
dignuS Uiasdice 1loduS," quoted Mr..
Mackline our will canfe iIl-the nat
ural way and is neither of celestial
birth or spiritual growth" "We adj
NIT all that, your Honor; we admit
that the probated will never passed
from Mr. Emory Sudler's hands until
it went into those of the register OF
wills. But we will now give the his
tory of the genuine will. Call Betsey
Jane Jackson" The witness, a portly
colored woman, took the stand and
testified she was chambermaid at Mr..
SudIer's at the time of his death
"What room did Mr.. Emory j. Sudler
occupy when he was there?" "The
blue ROOM" "Describe that ROOM
The witness gave sort of description
of country house chamber, with blue
red carpet on the floor, a high-pOst
bedstead, and q writing
table &c. /" What was over the dress
ing bureau ?D "a looking-glass. -
e What was ever the looking-glass 2"
e A picture in black wooden frame"
''W hat was the picture z" liking Sol
onion eoin' to have the babies chopped
in two" 'eThe judgment of Solomon,
eh? That will do" Mrs. Edwards
was called and described the room
and picture more fully still. Rev. Mr..
Fleming was called again, and Mr..
Pearce handed him the will of 1873,
and asked him if he had ever seen that
paper before. He had. Chow do
you recognize it." By private mark
[ put upon it when / found it. estate
when, where, and how you found il"
'On January l9, 1873, at half-past two
o'clock in the afternoon, in the blue
room of the late Sylvester Sudler's
place, in the back of q picture repre-
'enting the Judgment of Solomon,
Mrs. Sudler, Mrs. Edwards and Betsy
Jackson were all three present" What
made you look there ?" 81 had re-
seiyed certain information -"
ssStop there" cried Mr.. Pearce tfcall
Amanda Stinson." The witness, o tall,
woman, with fierce red
head, freckled face, and a mouth
stained with snuff clippings" innu-
nerable, took the stand and gazed
wildly about her. By dint of close
questioning she managed to convey
he information that she lived across
he creek from Mr.. Sylvester Sudler's
hat her boy Kite caught oysters and
he shucked them and sold them for q
lying. Her boy Kite wasn't exactly
light. but was the best creeter in the |
world, and wouldn't tell lie for moth. !
ng. He was eighteen years old, but
lad no schooling. She was. troubled |
IN account of Kites saying several /
lines he seen old Mr.. Sudler's spefit, |
or she had taken it to be a sign Kite |
wasn't going to live long, so she up |
nd told Mr.. John Fleming about it, |
nd begged him to see the boy and |
ray with him. She'd heard praying |
vas good cure for sperret-
What do you mean by Mr.. Sudler's |
pirit ?" 81 mean seein' his ghost like |
rter he's dead, alas Kite seen Mr.. |
,udler since his death ?0 . He says he /
las many a time, and Kite wouldn't |
ell lie for nothing Did Kite ever
o to Mr.. Sudler's house when the old /
Gentleman was alive ?p " Sometimes
-he took oysters there to SELL" 'sWas
e evar up stairs in the house, do you
now ?" ssWho? Kite? Bless you, he
ever went nowheres but to the kitch-
n, neverp "Call Kite Stinson." said
dr. Pearce, and the courtroom was
Cog with excitement as fhe ghost
Ger came TO the stand. He was a
all, bony youth, with very long arms
nd decided stoop in the shoulders.
lis hair was a straight, faded yellow,
is eyes pale blue and staring, and
is face tanned and freckled to the
ue of beach sand. After little spar
ing around among the lawyers as to
is competency as q witness, Kite
vas sworn. He stood with his great
onY hands resting on the crier's desk,
is wrists half q yard below the
Ieeves of his thFeadbare linsey jacket
"a very oddslooking, unsophisticated
elbow. It had got towards evening
nd tho courtroom was growing
usky, and the eager silence that pre-
allied made tho scene impressive.
That's very strange story you
Did Parson Fleming, Kite; what did
on mean by it?" "'Twarn't the
east bit of story about it, sir. but
II as true as preachin'," insisted Kite.
I've seen the old gentleman nigh on
D q dozen times" "Seen who ?" cold
Ir. Sudler, him what's gone" tSeen
i'm when ?" "Since his heath" "Seen