Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-30
a oara From mr. levin A. Rarsaale.
To the Tobacco Leat-Chronicle.

concerned in Mississippi is calculated
to do me injustice. No judgment for
$4,000 has been rendered against me
and no such amount is involved. l
herewith ask you to publish card by
me written to and published in the
Meridian Standard, paper published
at Meridian, Miss, that those who
know me may see that am simply
undertaking to defend what l think to
be my legal and moral rights; and my
attorneys think l will succeed in the
effort.
To the Editor of the Standard:
l read in your issue of last week
what purports 10 be statement of the
case of w. w. George, guardian for
Everett Ragsdale, VS., l.. A. Ragsdale,
pending in the Chancery court of this
county and the opinion of Chancellor
Evans. Whilst the articles referred to
states correctly the charges of the bill,
which is the side of the complainant,
it fails to state anything of my side of
the case. My answer to the bill states
that did all in my power to have my
father to execute the codicil, giving
my brother halt interest in the COM
press property. DR.. Kirkland, in his
deposition testified that he objected to
and would not have permitted my
father to execute the codicil if such
thing had been proposed whilst he was
in Memphis, and that he requested
Capt. Thos, H. Woods when he Capt.
Woods) went to Mr.. Coffees house,
where my father lay sick, not to men
my father about it; that father was in
no condition TO talk about or transact
any business of that kind. He furth-
ermOre testified that he would not
have permitted it done whilst he was
here, and he arrived in Memphis the
day Capt. Woods did and remained
there until the day after Capt. Woods
left, and that he was constantly in the
bedroom of my father the whole
time, getting what sleep he could in
an easy chair, never leaving the room
but once for rest, and that was but for
a few moments, when he was called
back by my mother. Capt. Woods testi-
fled that / met him at the depot when
he arrived in. Memphis and carried
him to. the Peabody Hotel, and in
formed him of the wishes of my father
and instructed him how to draft the
codicil; that he drafted it accordingly,
but before he would send it up to my
father he sought an interview with
DR.. j. Miles Willett to know whether
it would be proper to have him
execute it. DR.. Willett was the local
attending physician; when DR.. Will
lett strenuously urged him not to have
my father try to execute it that he
then sent it by me to my father. The
proof was furthermore that ! deliver
ed it to my father; that it was written
as he desired it. Capt. Woods further
testified that so far as he could see
did all in my power to have the wishes
of my father carried out in that mat.
ter. The testimony also shows that
my fathers will was contes ted by my
mother and little brothers, and the
matter was compromised by me and
Mrs. Coffee by the payment to our
mother of near $4,000 in money and
Of which paid about two.
thirds of $4,000, which was more
than the value of half in
terest in the compress property. |
My testimony shows that whilst felt
there was no legal obligation on me to
give my brother any interest in the
compress property, yet ! felt mora
obligation to do so, and intended to do
it, until had to pay my mother that
large sum in compromise, which ! /
knew would go, and it did go to him
and my brother Charlie, and, besides,
the testimony of Capt. Woods shows
that he advised me, after my fathers
Heath, that inasmuch as the codicil
was Lot signed by my father it was not
worth the paper it was written on.
The honorable chancellor, it seems,
rom the report of his opinion in your
paper, decided the case upon the
heory that when the arrangement
vas made to decoy my mother down
own shopping in order to give my
ather an opportunity to execute the
'odicil without her knowledge, and !
Japt. Woods was sent for to superin-
end the same, that Capt. Woods had
before that left Memphis, which fact
vas known to me, but not to my
ather, and that ought to have ac
Iuainted my father with that fact,
nd failing to do it / am there
ore to be held responsible
or his failure to execute the
odicil. My attorneys agreed that the
ill charged that Capt. Woods was at
he hotel in Memphis at the time it
1as charged that the above arrange
lent was made, and that l was di-
ected by my father to carry Capt.
Woods to the house whilst my mother =
'as away, and failed to do it, return.
lg saying l could not find him, when =
ne opportunity for my father to exc.
ute the codicil was lost. My answer
enied that charge in the bill, and, ac-
nrdinn To NnI.r IennrI of thn nnininn