Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-02-11
THE SILENT WITNESS.

his early practice. before he had even
dreamed OF promotion to the bench;
among other stories he told me the
history q his first case about as fol-
lows:
After my admission to the bar l
was settled for some time in Corinth.
and I found it to be a most exasperat-
iugiy peaceful town and aside from
making al occasional deed and one or
two wills had no practice whatever
and but FOR the kindness Of a maiden
aunt. who thought me the best
'nevvy' in the world. | should have
been IN very hard straits indeed.
She had more faith in my future than
]. and 70 my frequent expressions OF
dissatisfaction and threats to go about
something else she always replied:
Wait patiently; you have the
ability and eli you need is the oppor-
tunitr. and that wall come.
While waiting for this longed-for
opportunity I formed the acquain-
tance Of nearly every one in the vii
lage and among others Mr. Bail the
wea.thiest mar there. who had fine
farm with : comfortable old fashioned
house and capacious barns thereon
which backed with a good bank ac-
count made him easily the foremost
man Of the town. He had been mar
ried. but his vile died in giving birth
to j daughter many years before |
became acquainted with him. and the
daughter the apple 0 his eye had
died on her twentieth birthday, leav-
ing him heartbrokeu.
His only known relative was
nephew. the only child Of his only
sister and after the death OF his
daughter Mr.. Ball took him into bis
home and treated him in all respects
a a son and although he had never
so expressed himself it was gen
orally understood by every one that
Fred Coggin would inherit his uncle's
properly As Fred and | were of
about the same age ana had many
tastes in common. we had become in
innate friends and | spent many Of
my evenings at Nj. Balls house.
Mr.. Ball had for servants or hired
help as they are called a man and
wife oy the name of Tozier who oc-
cupied part of the house and farm.
They had lived with Mr. Ball for
many years almost from the death OF
his wi!c. They were a peculiar i'll
favored pair and were not liked By
any one even among those OF their
own station in life. the man being OF
a morose disposition and the woman
vinegary and peppery; but they did
their work faithfully. and were envied
by many because OF the good situation
they held.
In the early autumn OF the second
year was in Corinth Mr.. Ball con
tracted q bad cold. which through
negligence developed into pneumonia
He was well advanced in years and of
n feshy habit and almost before we
were aware he was ill he was in ex-
IRENE danger. he became rapidly
worse and on the second day became
delirious and remained so until his
death week later
After the funeral Fred and / entered
upon an examination Of his uncle
papers to ascertain ii he had left
will and while so engaged Tozier en-
tered the library with lawyer from
an adjoining town. and to our aston
ishment produced paper purpOrting
10 be the last will of Reuben Ball. ex-
ecuted ten years before in which he
bequeathed to his nephew. Fred. Cog
gin the sum Of 800 and all the re-
mainder OF the estate to his faithful
friends and servants, John Tozier and
his vile Mary.
The will was apparently in the
handwriting OF Mr.. Ball was duly
signed in the presence OF three wit
nesses two Of whom were prominent
people in the village at the time OF
the exc ,ution but both of whom had
died shortly before Mr.. Ball; the third
witness was shiftless ne'er-do well.
who had occasionally worked for Mr..
Ball
To2ier said the will had been given
him by Mr. Ball at the time of its ex-
ecution. with a strict injunction 10
say nothing about it until after his
death. the alleged reason being that
as he was disinheriting his only rela-
tive he did not care to have it known
and discussed. besides he wanted Fred
TO stay with him as long as he lived
and he was afraid he would leave if
he knew what disposition had been
made OF his property.
Mr. Page the counsel for the Toz.
Iers informed us that he should take
the paper 10 the probate Office at once
and departed with his clients
After their departure. Fred sat in
silence for an hour at least and / was
so dumfounled | could think Of moth
ing 20 ay Finally. Fred aroused
himself and said:
John that paper is forgery. /
know it is and you must take the
case up and prove it 50. / know IL
loossi ike an impossible task. but you
must do it, leave the ways an i
means 10 sou.
willingly undertook the matter
as | had nothing whatever to do, and
/ might as well undertake the impos-
sible as anything else.