The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-13
A COLORED HEIRESS.
Inherits the Property of HI White Father
The Dickson Case.

The Dickson Case.
COLUMBUS, Ga. Jan. 1.-THE decision of
the chancery court of Richmond. Va, by
which Bette Lewis Thomas, a negress, be-
comes the possessor of a S280,O00 estate left
by her white father, is of special interest
here, because the parties once lived in this
city. The suit in many respects resembles
that of the %concubine of the late David
Dickson, or Georgia, in which the supreme
court of Georgia confirmed the right of
negro offspring to inherit the property of
white ancestors. Dickson died suddenly
on Feb. ID, 1885, leaving an estate worth
100000. He left a will bequeathing 5000
to each of the four children of his sister,
$1,000 each to five or six othe
persons, and $1,000 each to hal
a dozen others. The rest O his
superb property WAS left to Amanda Dck-
son. a colored woman, in trust for her wo
muiatto children. The legatee was abut
45 years old. Mr.. Dickson had decided to
her and her mother, who was his concubinp.
q handsome property before his death.
They had been slaves of his, aad had lived
on his plantation for many years under cir
cumstances which did not elevate Mr..
Dickson,s social standing. or exalt the 1e-
gard in which his neighbors held him. He
ltSeu I"ciso Iulit5 JEOHi opdIIh, III tle cen
ter of a plantation covering about 1900
acres of land. Until he was over 60 years
old he was a bachelor, and a man of soil
tary habits. He seldom went to Sparta, and
the chief break IN the monotony of his life
was his annual visit to Augusta. He at
ended regularly the Georgia Railroad con-
yentlonS IN that city because he was one of
the largest stockholders in that road. In
1870 he married Miss Clara Harris. She
lived as his wife for about two wears and
died childless.
just before the negroes were emancipated
Dickson owned 800 of them. The result of
the war crippled him badly. but he was still
left rich, and at once began to farm his
lands on the tenant plan. The estate, as
he left it, consisted of $780, 900 in money.
bonds and stock, and 10000 acres of fine
farming land in Hancock. Warren and
Washington counties. He acquired for a
small SUN some lands near Fort Worth,
Tex. soon after the war, and these rose so
rapidly in value that when he decided them
away to a nephew. a few years before
his death, they were worth over SD.OUD.
The morning before he died he called for
his tayorite saddle-horse and rode several
miles over his plantation. On returning
to bis house he complained of a pain in
his side, and lying down on his bed he ex-
PRED i'll a few minutes. BY his own direc-
tons he was buried III his garden with an
open white silk handkerchief across bis
breast, and a gold toothpick in his right
hand and a %pen-knife in his pocket. soon
after his death Amanda Dickson, her
mother and her sons moved to Augusta.
where they now reside in "A house of their
own. As soon as the will WAS offered fer
probate notice of a contest was served upon
the executors by some of the children of
Mr.. Dickinson's brothers and sisters, who
would have inherited his property but for
his extraordinary will. The case was tried
before the Hancock superior court. Judge
Lumpkin presiding. Its progress was
watched with intense interest, not only
because Of the large amount involved, but
by reason of the delicate questions of evil
dence and law which arose. Two DAYS
were consumed In an effort to procure a
jury. After hearing a volume of testimony
the jury, after being out two hours and n
half, returned a verdict sustaining the will,
which verdict was later sustained by the
supreme court.