The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1883-12-06
AN ARMY OF EAGER HEIRS.
A colored woman's $4,000 Fortune.
Philadelphia Times

Common Pleas Court, No 2, yes
terdsy referred to Lawyer Jerome
V. Masterson, for audit, an account
in the estate of Mrs Henrietta R
Daniels, colored, in which several
extraordinary legal questions have
arisen Mrs. Daniels, the papers in
the case set out, died 10 Philadel phis
few months ego aud left $4,000
worth of property, thst is claimed by
40 army of her own aud her hus,
bands collateral heirs The case is
ia macy respects remarkable and the
proceedings are watched with great
interest by members of the bar and
friends of the dead woman, as we'll
as those who expect to receive shares
of the estate. Henrietta Robinson,
the maiden name of Mrs. Daniels,
was born near Charleston, South
Carolina, in 1922, and was one of the
many slaves of Andrew P. Dwight,
wealthy planter. She was light 10
color, pretty and intelligent. When
Henrietta was II years of age her
master sent her as a Christmas pres
ent to bis sister, Mrs. Friaily. of
Charleston, Mrs. Friaily, however,
had no use for the girl and wanted
to send her back. Mr.. Dwight then
said be had too many useless slaves
about his house, and asked his sister
to hire the girl to some one who
would pay we'll for her services.-
Henrietta was rented to Mrs. Fur
ness. a dressmaker, and 10 a few
years later Mr.. Dwight was receiv'
Jog $40 a month from the Dress
maker for the services of his slave.
In six years Henrietta saved enough
money over and above her wages to
buy, for 5000 her mother, who still
lived on Mr.. Dwisht's plantation.
CHEATED BY DISHONEST MASTER.
When the last of the money was
paid Dwight refused to allow the old
woman to join her daughter in Char
lesion, saying that it was enough for
her to know that she was free. Nor
would be refund the purchase money.
Mrs. Furuess heard the story;
bought Henrietta from Dwight for
81, 800 and then brought suit to COM
pei him to either give the old woman
her freedom or to return the $500
paid for her. Dwight won the suit,
the court holding that Henrietta's
earnings were as much his as she
was. The old woman went back
into slavery and died.
Henrietta then bought her own
freedom, Mrs. Furness allowing her
to put 10 her wages as partial pay
ment. After purchasing her free
dom she married Asa Daniels, a
black smith, and FIVE years later she
bought him out of slavery, paying
$1,000. In about sixteen years this
woman had bought her mother, her.
self and her husband
Daniels and his wife wanted to
come North at once, but Mrs. Fur
ness, who had great affection for
Henrietta, induced her to consent to
remain in Charleston until Daniels
had found employment in one of the
Northern cities. Daniels came to
Philadelphia, and on Pine street
found work 10 a blacksmith shop,
which be afterwards owned.
PRESENT OF TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
A few months later Mrs. Furness
was taken sick and died, but not be,
fore she had given Henrietta $l0,-
900 in bank notes as q reward for her
faithfulness. She also bequeathed to
her q house in Charleston, but as
collateral heirs of the dead woman
contested the will Mrs. Daniels came
North to join her husband. Shortly
after she left it was found that few
days before her death Mrs Furness
had drawn $4,000 from a bank -
The money could neither be found
nor accounted for The assumption
was that Mrs. Daniels had etolen it
and officers set out 10 search of her.
In Richmond Mrs. Daniels learned
that she was being hunted. She Sc
GREETED herself there for several
weeks, and was finally brought to
Philadelphia by an agent Of the un-
foreground railroad. All this time
she had in her possession Mrs. Fur
ness's written ackno wledgement of
the gift of money, but previous ex-
perience made Henrietta dread the
decisions of the Charleston courts
Upon her arrival here she engaged
lawyer, who at once notified the
Charleston authorities of the true
facts 10 the case, and there the mat
ter ended. Mr.. aud Mrs. Daniels
bought house On South street and
lived there many years. Before
Dauiels died, in 1879, he and his
wife owned two blacksmith shops
and a score of small tenement houses
in the centre of the city. They had
one son, who was drowned in the
Della ware four or five years ago.
AFTER SLICE OF PROPERTY.
When old Mrs. Daniels died host
of her and her husbands distant rela-
tives came forward and claimed the
estate The property vas SoId by
order of the court Mr. Mas efson
will as auditor, ARA g = distribu
ton of the fuOds. The lawyers Of