The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-05-16
TlIECLEMSON CONTEST
SOME NEW FACTS THAT SHED
NEW LIGHT ON Mr.. LEE.
Col. simpsons state mt Miss I,cc
Gets II Liberal Share After ALL An
Explanation Of Mr.. Lees Animus
Outside hackers for the Cont est
lt,rCpuyillo News


Ice, Col. Clcmson's son in-law, and
their general tenor has been the
bclittling Of the bcquest made to
the State on the one hand, and the
representation on tho other, that
by that bcqucSt Miss FlOridc Lee,
Col. Clemson's granddaughter, was
being cut Off with IL pittancc, the
State in case it accepted the be-
quest being placed in the light of
an uSnrper.
Certainly no man living could be
found better prepared to furnish
the facts about Col. Clemson's will
than Col. II. w. Simpson, the sole
executor of the will and the friend
and adviser of the tcstator. \ rep
rcsentativc of The Grccnville
News had an opportunity for Il
brief interview with Col. Simpson
II few days ago and quickly seized
on the moment to ask Colonel
Simpson about the report that Miss
Lee would get only II small share
i'm the property left by the Clemson
will.
Col. Simpson said that the reports
were erroneous altogether, and nee
ded but plain statement Of plain
facts to contradict the whole batch
Of them. Miss Floridc Lee gets, he
said, $4,000 in cash under the will,
and her share Of the Fort Hill place
valued ut $4,000. Besides this, she
receives an amount decided by way
Of settlement by Mr.. Clemson tu
descendants of Mrs. Clemson, which
amount is outsidcs of and has moth
ing to do with Mr.. Clcmson's estate.
This sum, $4,000, is i'm the hands Of
Col. Simpson i'm state bonds, and
is subject to the order Of her guar
dian. She gets also Col. Clcms0n's
handsome and costly family silver,
valued hy the appraisers at $500,
in addition to the Calhoun silver,
which she already has; also the
family pictures and any one article
she may select from Col. ClcmSon's
house, and certainly one third, and
must probably one, half of the tract
Of land owned by Col. Clemson i'm
Maryland, which was bargaincd for
Just before Col. Clemson's death, for
$4,000. Further, she already has
1880 in her fathers hands, given
her by Col. Clemson, and ON which
eight or ten years interest has ac-
cumulatcd. Col. Simpson did not
think these amounts incOnsiderablc
by any means.
Asked if Col. Clemson had seen
his granddaughter duii ing the latcl
years OF his life, Col. Simpson said
he had not. cCl. Clemson had time
and again begged Mr.. Lee to allow
his daughter to come down and visit
him at Fort Hill, and Col. Simpson
himself had written to Mr.. Ice di-
rcctly before Col, Clrmson's death,
repeating the same request and
emphasizing the wishes of the old
gentleman. But Mr.. Lee had i'm
every case refused. and it had been
eleven years since Col. Clemson
lad seen his granddaughter. Col.
Clemson was deeply fond of her,
and earnestly wished toscc her be-
fore he died and Mr.. Lees contin-
ucd refusal to allow her to come
gricvcd him sorely.
In answer to question whether
Mr. Ice knew the extent OF his faith
tl-lli-lt " NVIttl ptloIt Ilt u,
Col. Simpson said that Mr.. Lee did
not know that Col. Clemson had any
property outside of Fort Hill.
AS an evidence Of the impression
Mr.. Lee was under about Col. Glenn
sons circumstances, Col. Simpson
said that Il short while before the
death os Col. Clemson, a merchant
i'm PondletOn had received a letter
from Mr.. Lee telling him to let Col.
Clemson have 800 worth Of sup
plies and he would see the bill paid.
He evidently believed Col. Clemson
very near to if not i'm actual power
~.
Referring to the published state
mcnt of Mr.. Lees that Col. Simp-
son had told him the whole estate
would be 100000, Col. Simpson said
that he did not tell Mr.. Ice that.
What he did tell him was what he
had told the representatives OF The
GrccnVillc News before, that tho
investments In his hands would at
very low estimate amount to 500,
600, outsidesof all other property.
Continucing, Col. Simpson said
that he had informed the reprcsen-
totive of The News who visited
Fort Hill, and it had been published
In The News two days before the
time that Mr.. Lee alleged Col. Simp-
son told him $4,000, That Col. Glenn
sons Investments would probably
realize "botwccn 10000 and $GO,-
000." This statement was In print
and widely circulated before the
time when Mr.. Lee charges that
Col. Simpson informed him thoy
would amount to about $4,000.
In response to an inquiry wheth-
er or not Mr.. Lee was acting
solely on his own account in max
ing the contest over the Clemson
will, Col. Simpson said that he had
positive information that he was
not.
ain fact" Col. Simpson said, al
am in possession of the fact that
Mr.. Lee is receiving money from
outsiders to aid In contesting the
| will with the Intention of specula.