Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-01-08
THE SHELMIRE MIuD CASE.

DO not remember case in which
ever suececded so Unexpectedly. and. I
might add, by the use of such verv sim.
pie means, as in the celebrated S6elmire
Will case. The principal credit of this
success was not due to me, however, hut
TO young man, almost a boy, wliU Woo
ut the time clerk in my office. He was
admitted to the bar soon after, and has
now got flourishing practice. His name
IS William Wayman.
Jacob Shclmire, whose will was in con-
t.i,,0.,,Srsy, was an old man OF eighty and
,.i,m pm"3, who had lived many years in the
I4ISy, ~ WIN "oihs small mercantile business.
ond t%o viiiin'v. economical old fellow,
Gnu .io 'alue Oh his property at his
death had grown to abu.t fo5 Coo Tho
old man had lived in an 1r',,,T,n ,,,a,,
known only by the few with WHO'S be S;J
uSihess1" naI Ihlless, uninpOrtant old
bodJI with nothing noticeable abou, Limi u
except ms thrift, and therefore his death
was an evert which, in such a citv as
thlS, was not calculated to attract much
attention. | had known old Mr.. Shell
mire merely as passing acquaintance
lor some years; but first became aware
OF his death upon the visit of a young
iauy, dressed in mourning, to nv office to
consult me about the estate. She was q
pretty, thoughtful-looking girl of twenty
or whereabouts, but an entire stranger t1
me: She mentioned her business: and
as was much engaged at the moment
WIN other clients | asked her to be seat
eu i0r hait an hour, and told Wayman to
una her chair. During my conversa-
tlon WIN the men with whom | was oc-
ouPieu looked occasionally into the
.r neAt room (the door being OPEN. and saw
that my clerk had fol once broken
through his habitual reserve and was
standing by the young girl, talking in a
low tone with her. But then I did NOT
Know that VIII had an acquaintance
WIN her OF some weeks standing. and
advice W i'''
AT last the Office was cleared of all but
people. O WV
Now, Mr. Wayman," I said, "you
nave been talking with this Young lady, |
ana nave probably ascertained her bust
ness and, as time is likely to be valuable
10 US to-day. perhaps you can tell me
What she wishes great deal quicker
than she can"
shouldn't have ventured to say as
much as that before an elderly lady, who
might have felt called upon to resent NV
words as an imputation upon her
garrulity; but could see that there was
not the least danger of that here.
The young lady smiled, giving me to
understand that she understood nv
meaning; and VIII explained that She
was the granddaughter of the late Mr.
Shelmire, and his only relative, SO far as
she knew, and therefore entitled to his
estate; and she desired to take such legal
steps as were necessary to secure it.
This, as have said, was nv first in.
timation of the old mans death; and il
was also my first intimation that he had
any family. A few moments talk with
The girl put me to rights about the facts.
Her name was Virginia Garvin; her
mother had been Mr.. Shelmire's only
laughter. The old mans wife died years
before; and the daughter, Virginia's
mother, also died, in distant town,
WIDOW, when Virginia was but eight !
Years old' Left in poverty, without /
'elatlves and almost without friends :
'he resolved to seek her grandfather :
whom she had never seen, but of whom !
he had often heard her mother speak, !
She found him, and he welcomed her {
warmly to his home. Virginia knew I
nat he had purchased several adjacent i
louses very cheaply, and they had in
feased in value; and she supposed he n
aa deposited in the bank, in his own n
lame, several thousand pounds. In v
mort the total value of the estate, real q
nj personal, as ! aiterward discovered I,
vas rather above than below e25,0O0. I
virginia stated that she did not know h
I another living relative of the de. n
eased beside herself, and believed there v
'as none. She said her grandfather had
cry often told her that she should have p
II he had when he died, ald that he had II
iven her the same assurance when he n
'as in his last sickness. g,
" But was there u willg" p,
She said, in answer to this question, 81
nat he had never said word on tins
lbject, and she was sure he would have a
lentioned 1t had he made one, as he OF
ept no secret from her. bade her go a
ONE and make careful search for such n,