The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
By Request.
Letter from Clark Norton, ESQ.
HIRAM, Dec. IA. 1882
E1itOr Gpanuo T ,soSor.

Letter from Clark Norton, Esq.
HIRAM, Dec. A. 1882.
Editor Geauga L.ader:
A clipping from your paper, bearing
date of Oct. 6, containing an article
under the heading Parkman," has
been placed in my hands, in which
q correspondent refers to the slander /!
suit of Raymond vs. French" in q
way calculated TO give an erroneous
impression. Your correspondents F..
statements are go at variance with the |
facts, that | ask the use of your col |
umns for brief reply. I quote, "A
scramble for the property, after the |
death of Father and Mother Raymond, |
was the moving cause OF the feud. |
French may have used language unbe- |
coming gentleman, but he bad great
prOvOcatiOn, as he believed his chill
dren were being robbed of their moth
er's share of the estate, valued at TWEEN
were impeached on this case, than any
case l ever heard Of
The quotations given above charge,
if not directly, at least by insinuation,
that the parties BELL Raymond and
Mrs. Gridley,) toward whom he used
language unbscOming a gentleman,
had in some way obtained more of the
estate of their father than they We're
entitled to, thereby cheating aud rob-
bing the children ofDr. French, hence
the feud. This is an error. The feud
commenced on the part of French, be-
fore an administrator had been ap-
pointed, and all Intercourse between
the families was forbidden by him.
The only contests raised in the set
tlement of the estate was by French,
tnn mr. lf cot fn fhn Il fDE.
her years support, and the payment
to Bell for more than twelve years
hard labor, for the scramble, if any,
was during Mother Raymond's life,
and not, as your correspondent states,
after her death. The allowance to the
widow was made by the appraisers
with a full knowledge of all the facts
of the case, and was satisfactory to all
interested, except French, who carried
the matter to Probate Court, where a
full and fair trial was had, The Court
refused to reduce the amount, saving
it was not expected that the allowance
made to a widow as years support
would all be expended during the year
or desirable that it should be-
If there was any robbery in this, the
familits of Edwin Ryder and myself
were robbed to the same extent. Nei-
families, was benefited by the amount
so set off: L have ever considered the
allowance just and fair one, and
know that Mr.. Ryder So regarded it,
! Whether it was right or not, neither
Bell nor Mrs. Gridley had any more
to do in fixing the amount than hsd
| French. The matter was not discussed
i'll their presence and they had no
knowledge whatever of the matter
until alter the allowance was made.
If there was any scramble in this, who
scrambled? Surely not the the plain
titfs in the slander suits.
The facts in regard to Bells claims,
are, that sitter supporting herself en-
tirely for eight years, she left her emu
ploymenti in my family and went home
to help her parents, at their request,
under an agreement of being well
paid, and it was so understood by all
| the family. She remained at home
till after the death of her father (more
than twelve years., rendering very
valuable services both indoors and out,
often working eighteen hours of the
twenty four, and by dint of economy
and good management, saved the farm
from being sold for debts.
In addition to the first agreement
another one was made with her father
about year before his last sickness,
fixing the rate of pay both for past and
future service, 50 all that remained tC
find the amount due her was to conf
, Pute the time she had been employed
Ifthis did not make a just claim against
the estate, what would? French
served notice Oh the Admr. not to al
low the claim, as he should contest it
Under advice Of counsel an Arbitra
ton was agreed upon in legal form
Three good substantial disintereste(
men We're chosen by the parties, ant
: approved by the Court, to hear auc
/ decide the case. DR.. French furnished
u list of witnesses, who were swori
and examined. While the facts statet
above were clearly proven, not par
I ticle of evidence was found against tbs
claim, in fact, there was none to find
The case was SO clear that the arbitra
tors, each and all, marked the same a
the first ballot, without leaving thei
2 seats, and awarded the amount a!
agreed upon by Father Raymond anC
Bell.
French seems to have abandoned
the case himself, as he stated on tn,
witness stand, at the first trial OF tht
slander suit, that he did not attend the
= arbitration to contest the claim, as ht
thought that Bell was entitled to pay
for her services, and ought to be paid
The case was so clearly just that it was
a surprise to the undersigned that any
: one should dispute its payment.
stated the case fully to one of the best
lawyers of my acquaintance. who said
II do not see how the payment of thii
| claim, or any part of it, could be avoid
sd, and if it could it would be down
right robbery" Surely the heirs haC
no right to expect that Bell would do
nate the proceeds of hard and unre
mitting toll for twelve of the bes1
years of her life, for their benefit, and
no one, except French, ever thought
of such q thing as being robbed because
she failed to do 80.
Mrs. Gridley held note against tbs
estate, given for value received, and
further acknowledged by one payment
of interest. French protested against
its payment and was notified by the
, Admr. to show cause, if any why i!
sheuld not be paid. To this no reply
was made, and the note was paid.
The value of the estate, both real
and personal, as it appears from the
sale bills, was $l0,1l0, and only this,
after the most strenuous efforts on the
7 part of the Admir-, who, with Bell and
Mrs. Gridley, Contrary to the instruc-
tions of the Court entered into an
agreement with the present owner of
the farm, giving him certain privi-
leges with regard to payments, before
he'd consent to lid. thereby enhancing
the value of the farm several hundred
dollars. This was the entire estate,
and included the widows dover as
h;r interest in the real estate was sold
and it's cash value paid her.
The accounts of the Admr. were eX-
amined by French's Atty, anu found
to be entirely correct. Every dollar
that went into his hands was account
ed for, and il also appeared, that while
his legal fees were 1926 90 he only took
Sl0O, leaving 1926 legally belonging to
him to be divided amongst the heirs,
French included. l have the same in
'terest in the settlement Of the estate
as had French, and have received to
| penny the same amount as he, and if
| thora has haaO apV iOhhary Or rOhharv