Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-19
A DOCTOR IN LUCK.
Dentist Who Cast His Broad Upon
the Waters to Good PURPOSE,

n A'ChAtSt ~ no East his l1rCad pom
the Waters to Good Purpose.
PHILADELPHIA, May is. Dr.. Thomas
q. Stellwagen, whose office is on Chest
nut street, below Seventeenth, this
city, also professor in the Philadelphia
Dental College. at los North Tenth street,
and whose residence is in Media, has re-
Gently been left fortune by an aunt, and
the means that brought his good luck
about and cut other relations of without
apenny are extremely novel. The result
will probably be that the will will be taken
Into the courts.
Mrs. Dickey, for that was the rich old
lady's name, was the widow of the late
Or. Dlckey, and her home was in Atlanta,
| ia one year ago, so the story goes,
after having been lost 10 the memory Of
ner Northern relatives, she saw that her
| Gays on this earth were not many, and
win the wisdom of Solomon sat down
ana wrote to many Of her nearest kin in
THIS city, Media and Baltimore the same
WOrcs-tbat she was very old now; that
she was very destitute, too, and would so
much like to pay them a visit. One of
those letters reached DR.. Stellwagen and
no one OF her relatives knew that another
had received her plea for help.
After her task was finished Mrs. DR..
Dlckey folded her hands and waited.
10 some OF the letters no answers came.
one or two, it is said, re piled CURLY, and
one, lady, wrote: "Really. it would not
De convenient to have you visit me, for at
the time you name | expect to have a
house full of company" Among the first
letters she received, however, was one
from DR.. Stellwagen, and inclosed was a
check for $50. He wrote her that he
hoped his small contribution would help
her and that be would be pleased to have
ner as an inmate Of his pretty Northern
nome on the outskirts OF Media.
A SECOND DONATION.
month or two after that another de-
mand for help reached the Doctor and his
second check for $50 went South, with a
renewal OF the invitation for his old aunt
to visit him. Up to three months ago he
heard nothing from her, and then he re-
ceyed letter saying: Come. am very
SICK" DR.. Stellwageu Obeyed the sum-
mons. and when he reached Atlanta was
dumbtounded to find that Mrs. Dickey
was living elegantly, and that she was
wealthy. She told him that she wouldn't
live long; that she wanted to go home
with him, and It'll said decided everything
over to him, and made him a present of
all her household furniture, silyerware
and jewels. 1t took two cars to carry the
latter, and it is said that the Professor left
behind him in the Southern city row of
handsome dwelling houses.
TWO days after reaching the Doctors
home in Media Mrs. Dickev died, and then
1t was found that in addition to the deed,
which gave her nephew everything. she
had left will made before she wrote
those letters testing the affection of her
relations which divided her property
among several OF them On that ground
1t is claimed that the disappointed people
will contest the case in court. Anumber
OF pieces of Mrs. Dickey's silverware and
some jewels have been placed by the Doc
tor in trust deposit cOmpauy's vault in
this city.
THE PROBABILITY OF A CONTEST.
The relatives are all at sea as to the
extent of the eccentric old lady's wealth,
and 1t Is said her heir gives them no salts
faction. The Baltimore kin, his cousins,
OF whom there are several are the most
aggrieved, and if any legal action is taken
1T will probably start from that direction.
Another rumor is that the Doctor has
promised to make some sort of a settle
ment by which the nearest blood will
Inherit some of the estate. With bis for
tune the Doctor inherited an addition
TO his family, a dark-haired South
ern girl, an adopted chlld of the
late Mrs. Dickey. with picture Of face,
well educated and attractive. Strange
enough the old lady left her penniIess, but
obtained promise from her heir on her
deatnbed that he would always provide
for her-live with him as one OF his fam
ily-fOr she said, ''Thomas, | love her
dearly" The young lady is II years old,
and has made host Of friends for herself
in Media. It's said that the story of her
own life is a romance in itself. All
dreamy Media is talking about the affair,
and the high standing of the families in
vOlved makes it chqice morsel for gos-
SID.