The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1892-07-02
GETS 100000.
A Fortune Awarded to a Virginia
Colored Lady.
Mrs. Bette Thomas Lewis of Richmond
Given 100000 by a Decision of
the Virginia Supreme Court of
Appeals.

sion at Wytheville, Va, handed down a
| decision Thursday. 10th inst, in favor of
Mrs. Bette Thomas Lewis, wife of
DR.. John Lewis, our Colored druggist,
whose place of business in this city is at
No 81 W. Leigh street. BY this decis-
ion, the fair plaintiff will come into pos
session Of nearly $500, 900, the fortune of
her white father, w. A. Thomas, now
deceased. The history of the case is as
follows: w. A. Thomas (white) was
born and raised in Pittsylvania County,
Va, he become deeply attached to
Colored woman, and was the father of
her two children, Bette and Fannie.
subsequently her mother married
man of her own color. Later he took
the two daughters to live with him at
Columbus, Ga. Fannie died. Mr..
Thomas returned to Richmond with his
daughter, Bette, treating her in every
way as member of his family, and &C.
knoWledged her as his daughter. Every
summer, he would take her to Saratoga,
together with her companion, Miss
Fannie Coles. The three ate at the same
| table. He bought let near the city,
built house thereon, and took Bette to
live with him. He frequently told her
and others that he intended the house
| for her, and proposed to deed it to her.
In January, 1889, he was taken i'll. A
lawyer was sent for that he might make
his will, but not feeling we'll that day, he
told him to come the next day. In the
meantime he died without will.
Realizing that his end was near, he gave
to his daughter, Bette the keys to the
tin box in the safety deposit box at the
Planters National Bank, explaining to
her, that there she would find his most
valuable papers, evidences of debt,
stocks, securities etc, also the safe of
Drewry's and Co., which contained some
papers and personal property.
Bette was sustained in her statements
| by some of the most prominent citizens
of this city. Among them being DR..
| Hunter Mcclure, who was Mr.. Thomas
| physician. These persons testified that
she was the only person in the world to
whom be was under any obligations, and
and that he bad fre quently said that he
| intended to leave her bis estate. Mr..
! Thomas had no other relatives nearer
than his first cousins, and be was bitterly
opposed to them. They were claimants
to the estate with the above result. 1t
was lucky indeed that the bulk of his
property was not in real estate, and he
accordingly had the right to give it away
in the manner described. Able counsel
was employed on both sides.
Mrs. Bette Thomas Lewis was repre-.
sented by Gen. Edgar Allen, ex-Judge
Edmund Waddill, Jr.; Messrs. Christian
and Christian, Col. w. w. Gordon and
ex-Judge E. G. Burks Of Bedford. The
case was argued before Judge Fitzhugh
Of the Chancery Court, but he died be.
fore he rendered the decision. 1t was
then argued before Judge W., J. Leake,
his successor. He rendered the decision
in favor of Mrs, Lewis. In this decision
he awarded all of the estate, valued at
1925 900, with the exception of some
$4,000 worth Of real estate, to Bette
Thomas Lewis. The white heirs-at-law
took an appeal to the Supreme Court of
Appeals, with the result that Judge
Leake was sustained on every point
Mrs. Lewis lives on the extreme West
End limit of Leigh street, about che
block outside of the corporation limit.
Her mother lives with her. The fair
plaintiff is lady of most pleasing ap.
pearances, atfable and refined in man.
ners, and well-itted to take the charge
of the large fortune, which has so provi-
dentialy come into her possession
Richmond Planet