The New York herald., 1879-12-13
Defendant in The Equity Branch Of the United
States Circuit Court in Louisiana
In Possession of the Estates of Mrs. Dorsey as
Universal Legatre Under Her Will.
The Heirs Of ME. Dorsey after Jsi and Charging Him
with Fraud and Undue lliIsHca
THE BILL OF COMPLAINT.

limited States Circuit Court for Louisiana by Will
lam Reed Mills. solicitor. bill in equity by S.
Percy Ellis of Brooklyn, N Y; Edward Peckham
and Inez Routh Peckham. Of Tensas parish. La. and
A. Mortimer Dahlgren. of st. Louis. Mo-. heirs-at-
law of Mrs. Sarah A. Dorsey complainants
against jefferson Davis defendant. The bill is
quite voluminous and its various allegations are set
out with the detail and particularly which charac
terize equity pleadngs Stripped Of the ver-
biage of the pleader the allegations are.
substantially. that Sarah Ann Ellis widow of
Samuel w. Dorsey, at her death law
fully possessed of lands. rights and credits
situated the States of Louisiana. Mississippi and
Arkansas. among which were two plantations in
Tensas parish, La. called Elkridge plantation.
comprising upward of three thousand acres. and
Elliston plantation, containing thousand
acres; also the estate called Beauvoir. in Harrison
county, Miss. comprising $50 acres. and lot at
West Biloxi. in the same county measuring one and
half arpents front by eight arpents deep. and q
large amount of personal property.
THE HEIRS MRS. DORSEY.
That said Sarah Ann Dorsey deceased on the 4th
day of July. 1879. intestate having. in absence Of
heirs IN ascending and descending lines her brother
Stephen Percy Ellis; her sister. Inez Routh Ellis,
and Mary Routh Ellis, her niece, only child surviv-
ing OF Thomas L. Ellis brother of said Sarah Ann.
predeceased. all heirs OF full blood, and her uterine
brothers. A. Mortimer Dahgren and J. Adolphe Dahl
gren her next of kin and sole legal heirs in the col
lateral line. and i'll whom the death OF their said
sister and aunt the whole of her estate movable
immovabe, real and personal became legally vested
in the respective shares of undivided fourth part
each to said stephen Percy. Inez Routh and Mary
Routh. heirs of full blood. and one-eighth each to
said Mortimer and Adolphe, heirs of half blood.
DORSEY MAKES DAVIS HER MANAGING AGENT.
That during her lifetime. to wit. on the 10th day
OF May, 1878, the said Sarah Ann Dorsey, with the
advice and of said defendant by notaral act
of procuraton, before .. II. Violet, notary in and
for the parish OF Orleans constituted said defend
her agent and attorney in fact with full and
special powers to take exclusive control charge and
N
manner Herewith connected. including the power
"tor and in her name to sue and be sued to pur-
chase, lease ALLEVIATE cucumber real estate stu
ated anywhere, to borrow money. execute notes or
other evidences or indebtness; that in virtue
of said agency the defendant entered upon
and assumed the exclusive management of said prop
erty and business and took possession of all account
books title deeds and papers thereto appertaining
and continued in the exclusive control management
possession said agent to the time said agency
expired by the death of the principal and since her
death has still contnuedin in said exclusive possession
management and control. The compainants charge
that the defendant, upon and since Mrs. Dorsey's
death. has neglected and refused to render to the
heirs account of his administration agent of
Mrs. Dorsey and. in order 70 prevent them from OBJ
tanning either the property an account. pretends
and gives out that said Sarah Ann Dorsey. by
tain instrument afterward recited. executed her
certain last will and testament by which she be-
queathed to him all her property real personal and
mixed, wherever located and situated. wholly and
and entirely without hindrance qualification. for
his own sole use and benefit, and constituted him
her sole heir. executor and and which
said instrument the said defendant claims the full
benefit of as being the last will and testament Of
case orators and their said coheirs. either of
them should proceed at law in equity against
him, touching the matters aforesaid, to up said
pretended bequest and universal legacy. and
certain decree of probate and proceedings
imminent of title to all and singular the estate Of
said Sarah Ann Dorsey. The orators expressly
g true. That, though true it doubtless is the said
Sarah Ann Dorsey did write and sign a certain in
pretended, being that filed at his instance in the
Second District Court Tor the parish Of Orleans
the 18th day of July. 1879. ana being in the words
and figures following, to-wit:-
THE PnETENDED WILL.
hsp Of JnS s
d. the uncertainty of life and being
mont which write sign and seal with my hand, in
property the States of Louisiana Mississippi aud
obligation of any whatever any relation
Of have done all could for them during my
"ns and Wholly
@ Or
e hf fec
him my sole heir executor and adminstrator If JeHer-
a%esihsd e him 70 Lis yoqngss, d.usisr vsra.
toward man who in my eyes the highest aud nobes in
s.i%sny E 'sP nj siisf Sy ssssss
Harrison county, Mississippi. -.
AT Mississippi City the 4th January 1873 the
5 A DSss sns s ssss ed & m in
her last will and IN her presence and at her request aud
our names as witnesses VT wALLrnALL
Jons G. CaAic
This instrument. it is alleged. is null and void for
the reason that Mrs Dorsey was not of sound and
disposng mind when she made 1t; that she was then
aud all tho while thereafter under the undue in
fuence of the ex-Confederate chief; and that the
motive OF the bequest. and the bequest ITSELF were.
under the laws of the land, illegal. null and void.
MENTAL CAPACITY OF MRS DORSEY.
On this point the bill proceeds charge that
OF said testatris, there existed in the
her minds soundness capacity rational action
either as Judged by her conversation, writings or
actions especially regarding subjects, persons and
matters in and regarding which she became deeply
interested or strongly attached Though true it is.
as at times averred by defendant Mrs. Dorsey pos
sessed ''high order of intelligence aud ability,
aud such as rendered her capable OF bringing
circle of friends, comprising the accomplished
OF her sex and many eminent iuterdteus
in political and social ; iiie" Yet yH equally true was
1t that such her mental temperament, nervous.
impulsive and enthusiastic, that toward those whom
her mind conceived as prominently distinguished
III intellect. patriotism or virtue, she formed attach
lutely influenced and controlled her to bias her
Judgment aud fos the lime impair the other facu-
ties; and. as regards her thoughts. language and
acts, they were not only strange and erratic, but
unnatural. unreasonable and unsound and regard
ing which she became impatient of and would brook
neither control nor advice from either relatives or
intimate friends.
MRS. PRosELYrE FROM ROME
In religion her mind exhibited a similar cbanrea-
Bile. erratic and intensely enthusiastic character
Roman Catholic by baptism, under educational in
fuences she espoused the Presbyterian faith and
became comn,nnicant1n that Church. Subsequently,
she embraced the doctrines of and became q Ievout
worshippcr in the Protestant Episcopal Church.
hfterward through the teachings OF distinguished
Hindoo OF high caste. to whom she was devotediy
attached. she became believer and public advocate
OF what she termed the Aryan philosophy; and in
The meanwhile, 10 such an extent did her mind wan
der and change that in later years 1t indicated athe
stc tendencies. returning in her as orators
are informed. to Christianity.
HER POLITICAL OPINIONS.
On political matters her mind passed through ex-
treme changes During the civil war her sympathies
were enthusiastically enlisted the Southern side
and SO continued to the year 1876. when, after n
soJourn OF several months in of the Northern
States she as sincerely entertained directly opposite
sentiments. declaring that the causes OF tho war
were cnincrical, and that the people of the
bouthern states had been deceived into enter
latnl Ia In alnh lnu