The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-17
THE CLEMSON CONTEST.
Col. Simpsons Statement-Miss Lee Gets a
Liberal Share After Allan Explana-
ton of Mr. Lees Animus-Out-
side Backers for the
Contest.
LGrccnville News, 10th.

the VIII and the Estate of the late Col.
ThoS. G. Clemson. Many Of these
originated from the published letters of
Mr.. Gideon Lee, Col. Clcmson's son-in-
law, and their general tenor has been
the bclittling of the bcaueSt made to
the State on the one hand, and the rep
resentation on the other, that by that
bequcst Miss Floride Lee, Col. Glenn
sons granddaughter, was being cut off
with u pittance, the State in case it
accepted the bequcst being placed in
the light of an uSurper.
Certainly no man living could be
found better prepared to furnish the
facts about Col. ClemSon's will than
Col. r. w. Simpson, the sole executor
Of the will and the friend and adviser
of the tcstator. \ representative of
the Grcenvillc News had an opportuni-
ty for brief interview with Col. Simp-
son i few days ago and quickly seized
on the moment to ask Colonel Simpson
about the report that Miss Lee would
get only a small share III the property
left by the Clemson will.
Col. Simpson said that the reports
were erroneous altogether, and needed
but 4 plain statement Of plain facts to
contradict the whole batch Of them.
Miss Floride Lee gets, he said, $4,000
in cash under the will, and her share
of the Fort Hill place valued at $1,000.
Besides this, she receives an amount
decided by way Of settlement by Mr..
Clemson to the descendants of Mrs.
Clemson, which amount is outside of
and has nothing to do with Mr.. Glenn
sons estate. This sum. s., 900, is in the
hands of Col. Simpson in State bonds,
and is subject to the order Of her guar
dian. She gets also Col. Clemson's
handsome and costly family silver, val
ued by the appraisers 81, 800, in addition
to the Calhoun silver, which she al
ready has; also the family pictures and
any one article she may select from
Col. Clcmson's house, and certainly
one-third, and most probably one-half
of the tract of land owned by Co..
Clemson in Maryland, which was bar
gained for just before COL ClemsoE's
death, for $4,000. Further, she already
has 81 800 in her fathers hands, given
her by Col. Clemson, and on which
eight or ten years interest has accumu-
lated. Col. Simpson did not think
these amounts inconsidcrable by any
means.
Asked if Col. Clemson had seen his
granddaughter during the later years
Of his life, Col. Simpson said he had
not. Col. 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.. Lee directly before Col.
Clemson'S death, repeating the same
request and emphasizing the wishes of
the old genticman. But Mr.. Lee had
in every case refused, and it had been
eleven years since Col. Clemson had
seen his granddaughter. Col. Clemson
was deeply fond of her, and earnestly
wished to see her before he died, and
Mr.. Lees continued refusal to allow her
to come grieved him sorcly.
In answer to a question whether Mr..
Lee knew the extent of his father-in-
laws wealth before he died, Col. Simp-
son said that Mr.. Lee did not know
that Col. Clemson had any property
outside of Fort Hill.
Asan evidence of the Impression Mr..
Lee was under about Col. Clemson s
circumstances, Col. Simpson said that
a short while before the death of Col.
Clemson, a merchant in Pendleton had
received 4 letter from Mr.. Lee telling
him to let Col. Clemson have 500 worth
ofsupplies and he would see the bill
paid. He evidently believed Col. Glenn
son very near to, if not in actual power
ty.
Referring to the published statemf Mt
of Mr.. Lees that Col. Simpson had told
| him the whole estate would be $50 900,
Col. Simpson said that he did not tell
Mr.. Lee that. What he did tell him
was what he had told the representative
of the Grecnville News before, that the
investments in his hands would at a
very low estimate amount to 100000,
outside of all other property.
Continuing, Col. Simpson said that
he had informed the representative OF
the News who visited Fort Hill, and
it had been published in the News two
days before the time that Mr.. Lee allcg-
cd Col. Simpson told him $27 900, that
Col. Clcmson'S investments would pro-
bably realize "bctwccn S5O,OOO and
~pb,p' Ills SlEltllltlIl W lS Ill pllll
and widely circulated before the time
when Mr.. Lee charges that Col. Simp-
son informed him they would amount
to about $27 ,0W.
IN response to an inquiry whether
or not Mr.. Lee was acting solely on his
own account in making the contest over
the Clemson will, Col. Simpson said
that he had positive information that
he WAS not.
"In fact" Col. Simpson said, ~ am
in possession of the fact that Mr.. Lee is
receiving money from outsiders to aid
in contcsting the will with the intcn-
tion of spcculating on the place if he
succeeds"
Pressed with the inquiry VIII" those
""lIt>ilr iartir>' were, Col. Simpson
eaid: II have seen Il letter from j. e..