Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-02-18

with interest that has never been
paid, represents a total debt of over
100000, which l do not think can
be collected. Much has been said
while these payments were being
made of his sons constantly apply
ing to him for money and inducing
their father to give them more than
he could afford. This is not true,
for on no occasion do l remember
of any extraordinary demands hav.
ing been made upon him, his sons,
as a rule, from year to year having
been contented with the sums paid
them from year to year. All the
transactions with this person al
luded to above were kept a secret
from his family. In fact, the way
in which the account of them was
kept shows that every precaution
was taken to prevent any knowl-
edge Of the true purport. A few
months ago my father began to talk
in very incoherent way about
person in Europe who owed him
100000, and also mentioned the
expectation of receiving large sums
due to him from the West. In this
connection ISuggested several times
to my father the propriety of max
ing a specific statement of this debt
and the person who owed it, as in
the event Of any serious accident
occurring to him it might not 9TH
erwise be possible to collect it.
These suggestions always produced
on him fits of violent irritation, in
one of which he proceeded so far
as to compel me to leave the office.
''He spoke Of the probable repay
ment of these loans at an early
date, and promised that when he
was in receipt of these sums he
would make a will and give to each
Of his children at once a sufficient
amount Of capital to make them
independent.
$50 far as the present proceedings
against our father are concerned, in
which my brothers Henry, Frank
and | are the petitioners, l may
state that the fact of his marriage
with Mrs. Hicks had nothing to do
in the world with bringing them.
My fathers condition was noticed
by his family with great uneasiness
for several months previous to their
having the least idea of such an
event occurring. Some attempts
were even made to prevent and pro-
tect him against such a wasteful
expenditure cf his means. During
all this period his family never i'm
agined for one moment that such a
marriage was possible, The family
arrangements to effect this object
were very nearly completed, VIXEN
the announcement of his marriage
was received. If they had not thus
been interrupted the exposure of
private matters which these pro.
ceedings have entailed, which are
even more painful to his family
than to himself, would have been
avoided. The effect produced by
the marriage is to have taken my
father away from his family and
placed him under an influence
which excludes the possibility of
protecting him otherwise except
than by the proceedings now insIi-
tuted.
"The appeal to the court is not in
any way selfish one when regarded
in the proper light. None OF us, l
can safely answer, have the inter
ested motives that have been at
tributed to us. know it is gener-
ally supposed that if we succeed we
shall at once take possession of the
property and do with it as we like.
This is not the case; the entire es.
tate on the contrary will be placed
in charge Of the court. The per-
son to whom it is entrusted will not
be authorized to disburse one cent
without an express order Of court,
and will only make such an allow
ance to each of the sons as the court
thinks proper"