Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-09-05
At THE RIGHT TI''INE.


1T THE RIGHT TIlAIE.
The case pending before our court M
berested the people deeply a few
months previously Jacob Anes had died,
leaving property 20 the amount Of 40,
900 TO $50, 900, Ill 81 which was readily
AVAILABLE. At first it was supposed that
the old man be was 81 had died with
out making his Will, as he had often
been heard to remark that naking q
viii seemed like o prep aration for death,
and as there could be no question about
the inheritance Of his property, he did
not choose to make any such, to him,
ghostly testament. His direct and only
Legitimate heirs were two orphans, both
girls, children Of his only daughter.
One Of them was cripple, requir-
ing almost the undivided care and
attention Of the other, and both
were beloved by all who knew
them. While people were feeling
glad that the orphan sisters were to be
Tins grandly provided for, a1nan named
James Arnold presented viii for pro-
bate, said to be the last will and Tesla
mont of Jacob Ames, made several years
before. This Arnold was nephew-in-
law of old Jacob, the child Of wife's
sister, and had for several years been
employed as business agent and gener-
al accountant of the deceased; and,
when he caused the viii to be presented,
he produced number of witnesses who
declared that they had often heard old
Ames say that he had made the only
will be should ever make, and that
James Arnold was his heir; and. what
seemed to make the matter sure, two
witnesses to the will. former servants
OF employees of the testator, swore point
blank to having seen Ames place sigma
ture to the docunn lent, after which they
signed their own names.
entered the court. late in the
afternoon Of the third day, just as the
last witness was about to leave the stand
| and this witness was Thomas Cloud
man, the servant just alluded to. He
had been questioned by jurynan, and
had made 3 plain statement. Every
thing was against the poor, deserving
orphans, and all in favor Of the despised
nephew. In fact, no honest man, under
the evidence, could have brought in a
verdict against Arnold's claim.
The juryman who had questioned this
| witness sat at the end of the box, and
close by him, amoug the spectators,
stood old Harvey Goodrich, who was
at that time engaged in the paper-mill
of Day & Lyon, at Portland. L had
known him years before, when he
worked for Rice, of Newton. The juror
held the will in his hand, open. and
Goodrich cast his eyes upon it. saw
the old paper maker start and tremble.
''Let me look at thatp heard him
whisper, for stood close by.
The juror, without considering, hand
ed him the document, and before the
council could interpose and regain il
| Goodrich had seen all he desired, and
! his first movement after relinquishing
| the will, was to hasten to the side OF
the orphans attorney and whisper,
hurriedly and excitedly in his ear.
saw the attorney, whose name was
| Shipman, bend his head attentively and
then start to his feet. What was it!
In these few brief moments the whole
audience had caught the fever Of excite
! ment, for it was clearly evident that
something OF Importance was on the
tapis:
"May it please your honor" said
Shipman, very quietly-.so calmly and
| quietly that we feared it could be moth
ing of importance after all--"I must
| ask the Indulgence of the court, wish
| to present new and important testino-
NY"
! There was slight war of words be.
tween the opposing counsel, after which
by permission of the court, the old
paper-1naker took the stand. He gave
his name, residence, occupation, etc.
and then Mr.. Shipman placed the vii
in his hands.
"Mr. Goodrich, will you please ex.
anime thai. document"
II have done so, SIR"
'What is the written date Of that
will?"
"sept. 5, l841," answered the wit
ness, reading from the instrument
"Now Mr.. Goodrich, will you please
inform the Jury and the court if yor
observe anything else in or upon that
paper which you hold in your hand
that would positively affect the relia
bility Of that written date? Make you1
own way; only make it concise and
clear"
1 "Your honor, and gentlemen of the
jury" commenced the witness, "this
piece Of paper which / now hold in my
| hand was manufactured by myself, and
was calendered on machine Of my own
invention. The water lines, in place
of the ordinary blue rl1ling, were IN
cluded in my Improvement. You viii
also observes, upon close inspection
though the ink upon the surface has
somewhat obscured tiny own stamp
in water-marks. Your honor can ex.
anime it for Yourself" - 5e- s.3<
The Judge took the document and
held it up against the strong light; and
inyoluntarily he read aloud, so as to be
heard by all in the roomfor' every
breath was hushed: HI. Goodrich's
patent. Eighteen hundred and forty
three!" 81. s..5 81. 4 Es Il ls.IS"| 6#S
The paper was given to the Jury,
who were all upon their feet. Arnold's