Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1880-05-15

by United States District Attorney Pink
ney, S. John Donaldson and Luther Mar.
tin, which were never granted. From
that time until the present it is claimed
that no disposition was ever made of the
vast estate, which has remaided III .statu
que. The only way by which these gen
,leucn who ire working up he case can
account for the mysterious disappearance
of the property is that about the year
that Mr. Powell died there was chan
Gerry court in this city and all unclaimed
property went into their hands to be
| held III trust and managed for any heirs
who nigit in after years 81 aim it. This
court has long SIEGE been abolished and
the records sent to Annapolis for safe
Keeping, where these gentleman went
Yesterday to ascertain if any clue can be
| had to the fortune. From there they
! will 20 through tho various counties in
which the property was situated, and
then return t. this city and renew their
search.
MIR. Penuell. the attorney in the case,
stated to Gazette reporter yesterday
| that they had gained many clues to the
property during their few days search
in this city, aud Intended to spend the
balance of the year or longer II required
in order to ascertain the true history of
what has become of tie property. he
said that there was not the slightest
doubt but that Mr. Powell was rhe own
er of this land ut the time Of his death
The records of the Supreme Court show
that there had been some few transfers
made, but Who had received the money
for the property or what had become OF
it he was unable to tell. MIR Pennell was
cf the impression that it had been settled
upon by sU.latters, and that some one was
receiving the rents illegally. One place
of the pr"pe. ty which he said he HAD vis
tied, aud for which he held the deeds,
contained over 400 acres and was situated
on SoIarias creek, formerly Thomas
creek, on the Chesareake bay. This
alone he estimated, ith the bu ihinGs,
TO be wo. ,h nearly II million OF dollars.
Mr. Seth Z. POWELL the gentleman who
accompanies Mr.. Penne.l, is one of the
heirs to the estate. being Il great grand
son of The dead millionaire.
1t w Is uscertained that Mrs. Amelia l..
Thornton, living at 3l3 North Stricken
street. WAS one Of the heirs, and repre-
sentative # The Gazette called upon her
in reference to tue matter last night
She STATED that she was the daughter of
Dr.. Thomas Powell, who ulany years az"
prac:iced his profession in this city. Dr.
Powell vas the grandson of the million
air Thomas Powell. She expressed her
self as being satisfied as to the LEGALITY OF
heir claim, and that from recent deVel
opncnts in the matter there was nodonbt
but that til ir title to the property conld
be established. She knew that Thomas
Powell, ut the time of his death, owned Il
treat deal of property in this city and
throughout the various counties OF Mary
laliu, AMI that the cause of the matter
s,u,ubeling so long was that none OF the
heirs We're III Maryland at the time. The
only thing that pow prevented them from
immediately establishing. theii claim was
ow ing TO some little difficulty or delay in
proving that Joseph Powell. Tho left his
| home about the YEAR II and attcrwald
| went to Europe and died here, was the
| son of Thomas Powell. This, however,
| she thought could lie eventually proven.
| About the year 1886 Dr. George W. J.
| Powell, a rnther of Mrs. Thornton and
| son of Dr. Th"m..s Powell. pat all the or
| ,riual deeds, &c, Of the Mar, land prop
| ertv in Il box and left them with 4 law
yer in this city, whose name is nnkn"wn'
with instructions ia investigate the mat
:er. He then left for Europe and has
nevcr been heard from since and it is
supposed he must have died at sea. n"
| traces bave since been found "f the party
| with W hnm those pap rs wer" left, WHEN
would immr tintely establish til" re alton
ship Of Joseph Powell as The son of Thos
Powell, which would al 0 give them an
immediate title to the estate. While Jt-
seph Powell w; away from home, and be
fore he went to Europe, his father, Thos.
Powell, decided him Il pi &c Of property
about Two and Il half miles from this city
on the Annapolis road, called MaGothy
creek. Joseph Powell gave it to Il rela-
i've or friend of his for life, after which
it was to revert back to his heirs. This
piece of properly was also never heard
from since that time, and it is not known
who OWLS 1t or holds it. After the death
of Thos Powell, the milli' nair, his wild
| ow married /; DR.. Smith, of PiScotaway,
Prince George county, which all that
nas ever been heard Of her history. Mrs.
| Thorntun'S father was in Europe at the
| death of Thomas Powell and frequently
colrcsponded with his hrot er, JAS. Pow
ell, in reference t" the Maryland estate,
in one of his letters he stated that at the
dca, h of his grandfather he was to" young