Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1894-01-27

witnesses, MT. DOr1On s8lQ, were OO-
scure white men Of the vicinity IL
was not necessary for them to know,
and they doubtless were not informed
as to the character of the instrument,
any more than that 1t was last will and
testament. They were not men much
given to gossip, and Mr.. Bostock could
easily satisfy them not to mention the
circumstance. His extreme caution in
secreting the paper was natural part
of the terror and dread Of disclosures
about Coralie which possessed him
after the duel. That the will was his
deliberate act appeared when it was
seen that he, not being lawyer, had
informed himself rs to how to execute
It legally. The proof was very strong
that his mind failed sadly after his re-
moval to La Fourche, and when, the
evening before he died, he was full OF
anxiety to execute another paper, 1t Is
not at all strange to me that he had
forgotten the one secreted in the old
Mississippi home.
This is my theory. But ! should add
Ihot toWyCSb hoNC org sonS ouu
learnedly over this branch of the case,
and that judges have written opinions
sustaining it.
take from my closet a file Of the
New Orleans Daily Picayune for the
years 1S59-8O. In those feverish times
little else but heated politics and the
alarming condition Of the nation was
seriously talked or read about, but
among the things Of local interest most
often mentioned by the press Of the
southern metropolis was the great suit
at law of Coralie Jewett against Con-
rad Bostock, involving the novel pre-
liminary question rs to whether the
plaintiff was free woman and en-
titled to sue-and, after that, the title
to the La Fourche plantation, its slaves
and belongings and all other property
left by the late Pierce Bostock.
Could man give higher proof than I
did of faith in the justice of his cause?
Before the suit was begun married
the woman who by the. decision might
be declared slave!
have said that the law of Louisiana
was cruel to such as she. Let me
hasten to add that in the end II gave
her full measure Of justice.
The fight was a bitter one and pro-
longed for more than two years. The
defendant was in possession and was
ably represented. And brisk little Mr..
Garnett, on our side, had an oppor-
tunity to become acquainted with the
''best lawyers of Louisiana"
The reader will not require me to
give the details of this great legal con-
test. He can find them in the Missis-
sippi and Louisiana reports of the time.
So large q public interest Is rarely
excited in civil cause. Sympathy was
largely in our favor. the exceptions
being of that class which could not
bear the thought that woman born a
slave should become the owner Of one
of the finest plantations in the state.
But Coralie's romantic story had won
the ardent people of that section to
her support, and frequent proffers of
material help in the struggle were
made to us. The generous friendship
of Mr. Dorion enabled us to thankfully
decline them.
In the last days Of 1850 we were en-
tirely successful. Courts and juries
were with us. Possession was given
to my wife the day before Christmas Of
that year: and such holiday carnival
as was given to our, overjoyed and af-
fectionate people" upon the occasion,
think the whole state could not
elsewhere show The Dorion family
came down to enjoy the festivities.
miss Celeste bringing Mr.. Simon Bar
net along, whom she had given las she
expressed IT. the legal right To abuse
her.
Conrad Bostock disappeared: where.
it can only be conjectured Rnmors Of
men shot in gambling ARRAYS at Mat
amoras reached Us in such way that
we supposed him to be among them;
but his fate. or whether he is vet alive.
are matters of the greatest uncer-
tainty.
The happiness of Coralie and was
rudely broken by the storm of civil
war. To few was the situation more
painful than to me OF northern
birth, attached to the union by habit
and early education. all my interests,
my ties and associations were At the
south. ! did as others did. went
with my state" Heavily. indeed, was
the ruthless hand of war laid upon us.
Hostile parties met upon our lands.