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

some way on. 50 We AWu CouSluGEduAd
time in which to act In a few days
went to the probate Office and care
fully noted every point OF the will; it
was duly executed and sealed; this
latter fact escaped my attention for
some time. for wills were then as now.
sometimes sealed and sometimes not
the laws in many states not requiring
that a Will should have a seal. At
the third or fourth perusal | noted
that the seal was OF black wax and
stamped with the device of
coat,of-arms OF some ancient
family to which Mr. Ball traced his
lineage. AS noted this an idea
finally took form in my mind | had
been in Corinth but two years, and |
had frequently conyersed with Mr..
Ball several times about the geneal-
ogy OF his family and thought that
il was rather recent idea with him
for until within few years he had
had but little time for such researches
Full of my idea / went back to
Corinth and secured the stamp with
when the impression had been made,
and without letting Fred into my plans
returned in day or two to The pro.
bate office. / took some sealing wax
and made an impression OF the seal
in the presence of the register and
with him compared the two; they
were identical even to little scratch
across the face OF the seal. ard leav-
ing the second impression with the
register. ! set out to find the maker
~ "a $50 tIhat..
person in the city who did such work.
and he had not made the stamp but
suggested that it was probably made
by firm in Boston who made q
speciality of such work; so | took the
next train to Boston. sought out the
firm and found that they had made
this stamp for Mr.. Ball and they
showed me in a book the original
drawing from which it was prepared;
the scratch on its face they knew
nothing about: that had probably
been the result OF an accident
Satisfied with my information l re.
turned home and set about other in
quiries the result OF which was also
quite satisfactory.
The day for the hearing came and
all Corinth was present at court The
surviving witness 10 the will. John
GouGy testified very glibly to seeing
Mr. Ball sign the will on the table in
the library that the other two witnesses
We're present and that al three signed
in Mr.. Balls presence and that Mr..
Ball was in his opinion OF sound nina
the usual formula. / then proceeded
to question him as to the situation in
which he stood when Mr.. Ball signed.
whether he had a good view OF the
paper. and whether the seal was on
the paper when twas signed. Yes.
he saw Mr.. Ball take the wax and
make the impression with the stamp,
he remem bered it very distinctly in
deed. as Mr.. Ball had told him about
the coat OF arms and as he had never
heard Of anything Of the kind be ore.
it made an impression on his mind
| asked the witness no questions ex-
cept in relation to the seal and /
called the attention Of the Judge to
the seal ANA the scratch across its
face. The judge looked at it care
lessly and said:
MIR. Symonds why are you tax
ing up so much time about the zeal
and the time il was liked: a seal is
immaterial to will and If it had
been put on later it would have made
no difference"
said: ] think | can make that
point very material in this particular
case in due time when the other side
has completed its case
Mr.. NJ. was sworn and testified
that he was a seal engraveE and
that making OF seals with heraldic
devices thereon was q part Of his
business. | showed him the stamp
in question and asked him If he ever
saw that particular stamp He said
he had that he had made it for Mr..
Bail / then handed him a piece Of
wax and asked him TO make an i'm
preston OF it. which he did. | then
asked the register for the impress
sion | had left with him, and the
three were identical and were
shown to the judge. who still seemed
to wonder what | was about then
asked the witness il he could tell
when he made the stamp; he said he
could and referring to his book he said:
Il have here the book OF original
drawings made by me for heraldic
work. keep copy OF every device
l make and find that | made this
stamp for Mr.. Ball in the week be-
ginning January Is. 1866. and that it
was sent to him by express the follow.
ing week; have here the receipt from
the express company. dated January
80. 1865.
This was date about four years
later than the date of the will. and
there was a sensation in the court
room. Tozierand his wife and Goudy
were white as sheets
said to the Judge; Your honor
will sec why | was so particular to
have the seal affixed to that paper at
its alleged date. TO my mind the
evidence offeped is sufficient to show
that this paper is forgery and
have one other piece OF evidence
which. if your honor will hear it [