Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-02
DID HE LEAVE A WILL?
The Interesting Contest Over the Estate
OF ex-Slave David w. Hawkins.

NJ Autcrcstin& Sonto9e Ovcr the Estate
ofex-Slave David w. Hawkins.
In the Probsts Court room this morning
Judge Bradley resumed the hearing in the case
Of the estate q David W. Hawkins, the colored
coachman, over whose estate there is q contest
in which several parties are interested The
hearing had been adjourned from Thursday
last when testimony was heard as to the claims
Of Sandy Hawkins, aged thirty-seven, who
claims a. the son Of the deceased and 10 repre-
sented By Messrs. Cole q Cole. Rev. Dr. John
H. Nichols Of Brightwood the father -in-law Of
the deceased, 10 represented by Messrs. II. Z.
Davis and Joseph shillipgtou.
This morning Sarah and Mollie Hawkins, 10
and II years OF age. claiming TO be daughters
Of the deceased, were represented by Messrs.
r. y. Coomes and Alex. A. Kilgour, and Flor
ence II. Hawkins OF SOC 9th street, aged 10
years. also claiming TO be daughter, was rep
resented by Mr.. Hosea Is. Moulton.
SAYS THrnK 10 WILL
The latter stated that he represented Flor
short way out Of the difficulty, for the deceased
had left will, and he would produce a witness
to the will
The hearing. however. went on. and L. F.
Nicholson testified that he knew Hawkins as
his fathers coachman prior to his fathers
death, July Is, 1855. Witness left for boarding
school and after his return saw Hawkins as
coachman of Col Phillips ana Gen. Meigs
On cross-examinaton witness said Hawkins
was hired by his father from Henry Birch, who
kept stable on 18th street.
DAM. Turner testified that he knew David
Hawkins and WAS employed with him at Maj.
NIcholson's for twelve months or more. After
the war he frequently saw him. Hawkins, while
at Nicholson's, frequently spoke OF Henry Birch
as bis master. Hawkins was quite young when
at Maj. Nicholsons-a boy who played mar
bles. &c, with witness and others.
On cross-examination witness said Hawkins
had his growth when he was at Maj. Nichol-
sons.
MORE TESTIMONY FOR THE REPuTED soy
Then additional testimony was given for
Sandy Hawkins, the son, as follows:
Geergianna Qusnder testified that she had
known Sandy for sixteen years; that she heard
Of David Hawkins after she came and wrote to
Sandy. telling him that she had found his
father; that Sandy came up and she took him
| to 10th street and DAVID asked, who are youI'
He replied SANDY Hawkins, from Dr. Sass
Gus place" ''Why," exclaimed David, ''Son.
is this your What a Gne young man you have
grown" and then asked how was his mother
| and when they parted he called Sandy his son.
Elizabeth Cant, an aged colored woman, tes-
tilted that she had been raised on the Valley
Farm-Mr. Worthingtons-and knew Davy be-
fore he knew himself. He was q slave of Capt
Jack Baden, and after his death Dayy was
hired to Mr.. Bowie. She came here in January
before the fall of Richmond and found Davy
here. David had q wife at Bowies and q son
Sandy.
On cross-examination she said didn't know
| how old she was, but they told her she was
| born in 1912. When Capt. Jack Baden died
David Hawkins was a boy and when he went to
Bowie's he was q man enough to have wife.
Davy was a man when he left Prince Georges
nv hor, h,,t
did not know that his mother Gracia had two
or three other children.
BY the court-Did not know what year they
were married or went together, but knew that
they lived as man and wife. David came to
see witness at the Louise Home a few weeks
| before he died. David was not as old as she
| was, but he was pushing her close. Sandy was
born after she was married
Redirect-Some servants were not allowed to
go togethe unless they were married 1t was
so with her marriage.
AN OLD CoLoRED MANS TESTIMONY.
Henry Tolson, gray-headed colored man
crippled with rheumatism, Testified that he
| lived near David Hawkins; had known him
since he was a boy SO high describing about
known. David got his growth before he came
here.
Witness was born June 6, 1907. and David
could not have beer as old as he. He was born
on OLD capt. Eariys place.
On cross-examinatiou witness said Davy dis
appeared from the county before the war
David's mother lived in Nottingham and wit
ness used to scare Davy out Of the way Didn't
know anything Of Sandy Hawkins, but knew
David's brothers and sisters. He understood
from his family since he came here that David
was employed by Gen. Meigs.
The evidence, as far as Sandy Hawkins and
Rev. DIR. Nichols are interested, was closed.
LEGITIMACY OF CHILDREN BORN OF sLAyEs
On the part Of Sandy Hawkins the counsel
quoted from the case of Thomas against Holtz-
man before the General Term q few years since
and claimed that under the act of 1879 the
children born of slaves were legitimized and
could inherit
The judge remarked that the difficulty was
that Hawkins subsequently must have consid-
cred himself single man, for we find him mar
rying again.
Mr.. Davis said that David was a hired man
on tho Bowie place when Oracle was q slave
and the partnership could have been dissolved
by the sale Of one or the other. He claimed
that this was not such a marriage as the law
legitimizing children of slaves refers to.
THE ALLEGED WILL.
Mr.. Moulton said that he represented a
daughter and he had sent her to see a gentle
man, John H. Thornton, who wrote the will,
who states it was properly attested and left in
the house where Hawkins died. He had let
ter from Mr.. Thornton stating that he was sick
He did not object as to DIR. Nichols Che being
a creditor) being appointed administrator.
Mr.. Cole said he would object to the estate
going into the hands of an interested party and
suggested that collector be appointed.
Mr.. Davis said that DIR. Nichols had no inter-
est as to the kinship, but was willing that the
estate be placed In the hands of some dis
interested party.
The judge said the proof as to Sandy was not
satisfactory in view Of the testimony given this
morning.
Mr.. Davis said that Mr.. Nichols did not claim
otherwise than as creditor and suggested that
the parties renounoe and that letters be issued
to DR.. Nichols.
LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION TO Or. NICHOLS
This suggestion was acquiesced in.
NAVAL ORDERS.