Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-06
UNDERSTANDINGS
THE CONTEST BEGUN IN THE sU-
PERIOR COURT.

THE CONTEST BEGUN IN THE ST.
PERIOR COURT.
r,,a Turx, FnpanelIed and the Trial in
Progress-What the Testimony of Wit
nesses shows-Interesting Develop
ments Awaited To-Day.
The sitting of the Superior Court yes
terday was devoted TO the consideration
Of the probate of the will Of the late
Capt. Henry J. Dickerson, on an appear
made from the decision Of the court Oh
Ordinary. bv Amanda A. Waddel. The
: MORNING NEWS last week stated the
grounds of the appeal. A jury was EN-
Dauelled and sworn, and about II O'Clock
the will was read to the jury by ;. b.
Adams. ESQ. when Col. 7. II. Norwood,
reDresenting the caveatrlx, addressed
/ the iurv and stated what he expected to
uroya tn show that the will
should not be sustained. me
first witness introduced was Mr. George
W. WvIlv. who stated that he knew the
deceased MANY wears as person VINO
was strong willed and not easily IN
I fiuenced By men. He also stated what ne
/ knew of the long continued III health oil
/ Mrs. WaddeII, and testified that her nus
.
/ He also testified that he believed Mr..
I Dfckerson was capable to make will.
Mr.. Dewes testified that he was ac-
Guainted with the testator and Mr.. ana
/ Mrs. Waddell. His testimony was cor
rob0rative Of that given by the hrst Wit
ness.
/ intimate with Capt. DickersOn, and that
| his daughters were among his pupils pre-
I vi0us to the war. but that he had not
I seen IS much of HIM since the war closed,
/ and hence was not prepared TO testify as
| to his domestic relations since that time.
/ He knew Amanda WaddeH and her
/ husband when they were living at the
I Isle Of Hone. and had endeayOred TO IN
1iuence Capt. Dickerson 10 show his
/ daughter more attention when she was
sick and needed aid while her husband
| was out Of employment.
He said that Mr.. Waddell at that time
/ made strenuous efforts to obtain employ
I ment and that he was willing 10 work,
and that he was an afectiOnate and de-
l voted husband. He said he had heard
/ Mr.. WaddeU sneak in very disrespectful
terms Of Capt. DickeTsOn because the lat
ter would not assist her or aid him in get
| ting employment. That his attention was
called to her starving condition by an
/ attendant about Mr.. WaddelP 5
house. and that he went to Capt. Decker
son and asked him whether he meant to
/ assist his daughter or not. That ne re-
pIied that he would send her groceries,
but that it would not do TO let anyone at
his house know anything about it, Tor
if they did he would catch HI. The Wit
| ness testified that he did not know
whether the groceries were sent or not.
He also testified that his interview with
/ Can't. DickersOn was not made az the sug-
/ gpSti0n of either Mr.. or Mrs. Naddell
I a. 4. faaf a pqnHhHA
Of making a will. but was likely TO be in
| fIueDced bv women if not by men.
He was not prepared to say whether he
was more liable to be Influenced by women
than other men are.
Mr.. Erwin testified that he had known
Capt. DickersOn a number Of years. lie
knew him to be a man Of great
, exceedingly positive character. That
Mr.. and Mrs. Waddell lived at the Isle OF
Hone. where his family also lived, but that
he did not see as much Of them because
/ he was absent a great portion OF his time
at the North and in Washington. After
the death of Hon. Julian Hartridge
he became quite intimate with Mrs.
and Mr.. Waddell in Washington, where
the latter had been employed as clerk
until the Democrats in 1882 lost control
of the House Of Representatives and Mr..
Waddell was thrown out of employ
ment. He then came to know that
the situation Of Mrs. Waddell was
very distressing, and hnally,
when he returned to Savannah, he OF his
own voIiti0n and without the knowledge
of either Of them called on Capt. Dicker-
son at his residence and described the
. situation of his daughter in w ashingtOn
that Capt. DickersOn remarked to him
that he was not aware that she was so PAD
of. A few months after he CHANGED to
meet Capt. DickersOn AGAIN, ana asked
how his daughter in Washington was,
when he manifested a Discrimination to
| talk on the subject, and he left him.
At this point the court took recess,
and. uDOn reassembling, among other tes-
timOnv introduced. was that Of Capt. IL.
f. Willink, one Of the executors OF the
VII. Capt. Willink testified that Capt.
DickersOn and himself were intimate
/ friends for many years, and that the
former generally consulted with
him on almost all his bust
ness ventures or undertakings. That
he was frequent visitor to the house OF
the testatOr, and upon one occasion adj
ylsed him not to let the will stand, as 1t
was not a fair will and failed to do some
OF his children Justice. He suggested
that it would be better to let all the chill
dreu share alike He also testified
/ that Capt. Dickerson's domestic relations
during the last three or four years Of his
life were exceedingly unpleasant, and
that he didn't think that during that pc
Rod the wife of the testatOr had much in
fluence over him: that be had heard
Can't. Dickerson many times say to her
that she wished to have all the property
and to allow the children none; that
he and his wife frequently quarrelled on
that subject in his presence, the cause for
the quarrel being Mrs. Dickerson's al
legged extravaganza. Capt. Willink also
testified his belief that the testatOr was
capable of making will, and that he as
the executor meant TO do all he could to
sustain IT, Capt. Willink gave his evil
dence very reluctantly, and at enc time
would not answer the questions until in
structed by the court to do so. AT the
| close of his evidence the court took re-
/ oasr until this moruinp at 10 O'Clock,