The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-06-05
Dramatic Court seona.
THE sCH0oLFIELp CoNTEsTED-wILI CASE
GOVERNOR WISE HEARD FROM AGAIN.

hoE oChoobfiELU CUhTEsTED-WlLLg CASE
GOVERNOR WISE HEARD FROM AGAIN.
The trial OF the case OF McMaster and Mer-
riil Us. William Ulysses SchooIfield. in the
Circuit Court for Worcester county. COM
menced on the 18th of May, was closed on
Saturday evening last by verdict in h,vor
OF defendant. William Schoolfield, father of
defendant, died last September, leaving an
estate valued at $4,000, of which defendant
was sole heir-at-law. While i'll and about
one month before his death deceased sent for
his cousin, Elijah Schooltield, and then sent
his son 10 his safe to get his will. He
handed the envelope unscaled to Elijah re-
questinS him to safely keep it, and after
his death to hand it to his administrator,
naming the plaintiffs. Elijah placed the
envelope in the side pocket OF his coat,
and after short stay went into
a sitting-room, where Mrs. Ulysses School
field was sewing. Ulysses reached over and
took the: envelope out of Eliiah's pocket.
saying: "Let me look at that paper, cousin
Elijah" Elijah objected, but Ulysses
opened the envelope, taking out, the paper
it contained, cXclaiming: "Why, this is
not the will" 81 guess it is all right ;
father said 80, and / guess he meant it,
He commenced reading as though it was n
WILL After the preamble, "In the name of
God, Amen" he said, "Now mind that" :;
and read ne il there were legacies to several
parties. Elijah objected to any further
reading, and the papers were returned into
the envelope, which was then sealed and de-
livered to Elijah. After the death Of William
Schoolfield only two sheets Of blank paper
were found. The parties to whom it was di-
rected alleged that Ulysses, in the above
interview. had taken out the will and substi-
tutcd the blank papers. They filed in the
Orphans Court objections to administration
being granted to Ulysses, and on their petit
ton issues were framed and sent to the Cir
cult Court az to whether there was All unrc-
voked will, who were the executors. and
whether Ulysses Schoofield had suppressed
it. The caveators or plaintiffs were repro
scented by Hon. John w. Cristield and Colo
mel Henry Page, OF Somerset county, and
George w. Purnell, Of Snow Hill; the de-
PENDANT by Ex-Governor Wise, of Virginia.;
John Ii. Handy, Of Baltimore city; and
Messrs. Farrow, Upshur, and Barnes, OF
Worcester. Ex-Governor Wise was present
during the trial, but on account Of sickness
was prevented from fully participating in
the case. He, however, made one Of his
characteristic addresses before the jury.
Mr.. Handy, in opening for the defendant,
having compared the affection of William
SchOoltield for his son to that OF David for
AbsaIom, the General brought in the Bible
and read the account there recorded in such
manner as to move many in the audience
to tears. He also read the scene from Ii
mon of Athens, in which the persons in
vitcd by him to dine find the dishes filled
with warm water, and upon their complain
ing he pelted them with the dishes. The
community was deeply interested in the
is>ue. Mr.. Ulysses Schoollicld, who last
November had been elected II county COM
missioner, had the entire sympathy OF the
people of the county. At times the testl-
mony was highly dramatic, and the court
room was crowded with persons while the
respective counsel addressed the jury
baltimore Gazette Of yesterday.