The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-01-01

find weak spot in his story, but he had
thoroughly fortified himself, and deliv-
cred his evidence with all the GOODNESS
and nonchalance Of an expert. As for
Passmore, he swore quite as plumply as
Bledsoe that he was well acquainted
with the writing of all the parties whole
names were on the will, and that they
were all genuine signatures. Further
than this, he remembered distinctly the
fact Of Bledsoe's visit, and even went so
far as TO swear that Mr.. Shelmire sent
him for Darke and Ia1ned the night be
fore Bledsoe left. He said that he found
them, and requested them to go to the
house on business, and that both had
told him that they would go.
I could mike nothing more Of them
than this; and the Surrogate admitted
the will to probate when the examina-
ton was finished, From this decision I
took an appeal to a higher court.
I shall have nothing to snyat the pres
ent of the triumphant looks and actions
Of these two scheming villains, nor the
grief and despondency Of poor Virginia.
The sight of her pretty face, pale and
patient, and so very anxious, made me
nervous and unfit for work; and at last
told my student, Will Wayman, that he
must talk with her whenever she came
into the Office.
"Tell her." I said, ''that am work.
ing hard for her, and that will do what
can be done"
And with that left him to talk with
her and comfort her. And Master VIII,
as have good reason to think, was moi
averse to the duty, and performed it tc
the mutual satisfaction of both.
Only few weeks intervened before
the sitting of the court at which this case
was to be tried. Twcrked with all the
zeal and fidelity of my nature, and witt
the incitement of my zeal for the pool
girl; but when the day of trial came
had to confess to myself that had ac
complished next to nothing. coulC
not find single person who knew any
thing about Bledsoe or his pretended
= visit to the deceased; and Mr.. Shelmire
as well as both of the pretended wit
nesses to the will, were so little know
in the city, and their transactions witt
business men which required them t.
write had been so few, that it was witt
great difficulty that could find any on,
3 who knew their writing. And of thos
3 who had seen them write, and who ex
} amined the pretended will, there was no
r one who could swear that either of tn
g signatures was not genuine.
9 1 entered the court on the morning o
t the trial with strange feeling of hope
+ lessness. Except the assertions of frau,
r and conspiracy that 1 couldmake for m,
3 client, 1 knew of nothing that promiset
a to tell in her favor Virginia took he
9 seat at the counsel table by me, an,
!, looked with interest and curiosity upol
t the unaccustomed scene. She was look
: ing very handsome, Notwithstanding tn
}, anxiety in her face; and there were other
q present besides Will Wayman VIII
! who thought SO too. I had almos
: forgotten to mention the deep intel
d est that Master Will had take
Y in the case since its commenot
h ment. I wanted somebody to whom
r could talk in confidence about it, and S
If he had become thoroughly posted in a,
its details. 1 knew that he pondere
d over them considerably, but was fa
e from thinking that he had worked oil
Ii anything that could be of any practict
/ use in the case. L understood him be
. ter before the day was over.
r The case was called and q jury in
panneled. The respondents counc
Is opened the case in an address of half 0
a hour, giving all the details and tellir
ID minutely what he could prove. The
r followed the evidence of Bledsoe an
1t Passmore, given as audaoiously and con
n. pletely as before the Surrogate. NJ
ut counsel's examination failed to el
ID trap either of them into any inconsis
+. ency, OF to shake their wonderful se
e, possession in the slightest,
rs At the conclusion of the respondent
in care my counsel addressed the jury
n behalf of my client. Heroundly charge
l. perjury and fraud upon the two me
m who had occupied the witness box 9
J" the morning, pointing out the suspicion
IN circumstance that both witnesses to IL
r, pretended viii were dead, and the diff
IN Guilty of finding any one who knew the
ke writing. He insisted that the pretendt
BY will was base fabrication, and that u
I'd whole story Of these men was a Ii
be coined and uttered for the purpose
to defrauding poor girl of her patrimon
i'll Virginia told her story in brief. 81
oe told who she was, how long she HI
Or lived with Mr.. Shelmire, and what h
Id relations with him had been. Thepoi
Ne of her evidence was that he had We
lis often declared that she should be L
y, heir, that he had never mentioned III