National Republican., 1884-05-16
THEY MOVED IN.

A Tribe of Relatives Move Into Dead
woman,s House AID Are Ordered 10
Move Out Agaim-AT- Interesting NaFa
rative.
For tho past two days tho cirCnit court,
Judge Hagner presiding, has been engaged
in hearing the case of Thomas l. Hall against
Frank Stewart and Others, which involved
the constituting of a will anl titlo to and pos.
session of certain proport. Mr.. Dan. orc.
Callaghan appeared for The plaintiff, andI
Messrs. Irving, Williamson and Campbell
Darlington for the defendants AS the triFl
of the cause progressed an interesting stoEy
was told Of how q colored cople accumulated
q littlo homo and the fight witch was ente9ed
into by relatives to gsi poSsssion d it kter
their death.
Margaret Ann Randall, q aged col fored
woman, who was nurse for Wn. + yAattfingly
in his infancy, by economy andilian, gality
accumulated sufficient noney,y anrchass,
cuOysG oysd anu and 'GS soing Ma Js pspcTs
were prepared by whichthe title iyls vested
in her. They had no children. andten years
after her husband died Mrs. Randall received
three of her sisters children they5,ungest
of which is now 20 years old, aid Sased
and provided for them. As theygot Older
they went off and supported thomseNesi Mrs.
Randall was prominent officer inlhe5 order
of Gallilean Fishermen, aud man 3)f the
meetings were held at her house. lmdIng the
officers of the order, and one who hal ATTAINED
the highest prominence, was Thomas
1. Hall. She had known NJ. 1Hall
for some fourteen year. Nand
entertained great admiration for his VI FORD
in the order and its prosperity lhder y his
leadership. Two years before hr doRth
Mrs. Randall got Mr.. MattiDgly to hako hHr
will, in which, after a few minor beqests sh9r
bequeathed her estate to Mr.. Hall. This Will
she left with Mr.. AIattingly, and nbody byht
those two knew of it being made. On tYhe
day of her death she stated to thop at Fer
bedside that she had made will; That Fdr
Mattingly had it, and for them t9o tthere
and get it. At the same time SIP n4 4med
some small things she wished given TO 4 Mrs.
Campbell and Mrs. Dulaney, who Ny been
her nurses. These gifts were not1a, down,
q paper drawn up in which they Hre emu
merated, and it was called codicl. Vrs Ran
dali did not sign 1t, but it wa5 claimed
that she touched the pen when her fark was
mado to it. This was in lfe's closIhg hours,
and it was doubtful if she was of sSund and
disposing mind at the time. Mrs. Randall
died on o Tuesday, and tho burial did not
take place until the following Sunday. Mr..
Hall, who resided in Baltimore at the time,
was preparing to attend the funeral when he
learned, through washington news lton III
a Baltimore paper, of the existenceof will
in his favor. After the burial he returned
home and loft Mrs. Campbell aud Mrs.
Dulaney to take charge of tho house and
effects until the will was probated. The next
day after the funeral Frank Stewart and
other nieces and nephews ot Mrs.
Randall who mad not came near
her while living, came to th9 house
in company with an ex-constable named
Horatio r. Merriman, who by q sacIllegious
mummery swore one of tho nephews into
possession of the property. When his was
done the Stewards followed, and toif up bed
and board on the promises. The pinties left
there by Mr.. Hall tried to resist thA coming
and d warm time ensued. Finally ~. Hall
abandoned the fight and took anothH course.
He entered suit under the laudt&d and
tenant act against the StewaF ~ for
possession Of the premises. Before he JUS
tice of the peace the defendant put In
plea of title in themselves, andX this re-
quired tho magistrate to certify tH papers
to the circuit court. On the trial IN defend
ants introduced proof to try and Show that
| Mr.. Hall used undue influence over Mrs.
Randall to make the will in his favor. The
! jury had the case under consideration for
about ten minutes. and found the issue of
fact in favor of the will, and returned ver-
dict for Mr.. Hall with damages at 81,
which was for the purpose of covering the
| costs.