Evening star., 1895-09-03
THE WILL MYSTERY
Washington Holt Has Gone to His
Home in Kentucky.
HIS INABILITY 70 SOLVE TEE Case
Judge Holt Of Mississippi Exam
ines the Document.
THE JUDGES PECULIARITIEs

Nothing new was developed today at the
office Of the register of wills respecting the
mysteriously received will of Judge Holt
The usual number Of curiously inclined
people inspected it. but no one was able to
suggest anything tending to solve the mys-
terry concerning the instrument.
Mr.. Jere M. Wilson, counsel for Mr.. Wash
fngton Holt and the other heirs at law
visited Col. Wright early in the day and
again closely Inspected the will. Later Mr..
John Holt of Mississippi. a nephew of
Judge Holt also called for the purpose of
inspecting the document. Whatever he
thought of it. he failed to divulge to those
in the office, leaving without indicating
whether he considered 1t genuine not
This afternoon Mr.. Blair Lee and Mr.. J. J.
Darlington called to inspect the will. To a
Star reporter they explained that while they
had been spoken to by Mr.. DevIin, the ex-
ecutor named in the instrument, neither of
them had yet been actually retained in the
case. They admitted, however that 1t was
probable that they would be, and then they
spent some time examining the will, and
also the other papers in the case.
Mr.. WashinetG tan Holt Goes Home.
Mr.. Washington Holt left here this after
noon at o'clock to return to Kentucky
His daughter arrived this morning to ac-
company her father on the homeward
Journey. In conversation with Star re-
porter Mr.. Holt said: The case is certainly
full or mystery, and every day seems to
add a new phase. 1 confess l know almost
as little as any one about it. / want be-
fore 1 go, to thank all the old friends of
my uncle, and the newspaper men gener-
ally, for their kindly offices. can only say
that II 1t is possible the mystery will be
unraveled'
Mr.. Cutter Indignant.
The many friends of Mr.. Edwin K Cut
ter In this city are extremely indignant
over the persistent attempts made to con-
meet him in a sensational manner with the
alleged finding on refuse heap of the will
Of the late Judge Holt. especially since Mr.
Cutter has directly and emphatically con-
tradicted the story. Mr.. Cutter himself is
meme the less angry over the same cause.
In conversation with an Evening Star re-
porter today Mr.. Cutter said that he first
saw an account of the will in New York
paper. which particularly mentioned the
burnt edges of the document. Having had
some of his own family papers charred in
this manner, and found afterward on a
refuse dump. Mr.. Cutter says 1t struck his
aunt. Mrs. NJ F. Fox, as well as himself
that the will, like his own papers. might
have been stored in the Knox storage house
and partly burned in the Knox fire. He says
he began note to the New York paper,
mentioning the finding of his own papers
and suggesting the idea which he had
formed. This note, however, was never
in the matter. Mr.. Cutter declared, in
conclusion, that he had not seen the Holt
will last May nor has he seen 1t since.
Il am indignant in the extreme at the
way my name has been used in the affair.""
stated MIR. Cutter, in conclusion.
Judge Hollis Secretiveness.
An old friend of Judge Holt, who wished
rJ~ 1.1;x,
the following Interesting interview on the
situation:
Almost before the smoke of battle had
friend, matters of vital interest brought
the writer to this city and placed him in a
position to see and hear things of important
social. historic and political bearings The
only person here then of a former acquaint-
ance was the late Judge Holt. whose name
and private relations connected with his
last Will are now being recklesSly ban
died about. His reserved reticent and Sc
cretiVe nature regarding personal concerns,
was never more clearly demonstrated than
in the difficulty experienced to discover
and establish his last will as to the dispo-
sition of his estate. That there was such
Will no one can doubt, nor that in time
the fact of it's existence and lodgment will
be revealed
His Love Of the Old Home.
About the year 1887 he wrote: set out
tomorrow on my annual pilgrimage to the
west. to be absent three or four weeks. 1t
is i precious privilege to be able once a
year to escape from the shadows in which
l live here, into the su, shine of my dear
old home, which for me never loses it's
Brightness
Bearing on the disposition of his prop
erty on April 0. 1855. he wrote: My house
will be for sale one of these days, as the
good Lord may appoint, and l avail my
self of the opportunity to beg that you will
attend the auction and see TO it that it is
not SO shockingiy sacrificed as to disturb
the repose of NY spirit
As prominent figure in the country at
all times, first as man of letters, a law
yer of renoWn, a courted member of social
circles, member of Mr.. Buchanan's cabi-
ret, who stood out boldly for the Union
when other southern members were desert
ing him; as an appointee OF President Lin
coin to the position Of judge advocate gen
eral, who sat in judgment upon his assas-
sins, and who was charged with holding in
his hands the life of Mrs. Surratt, and of
Withholding the petition for her pardon
from President JohnsOn-all go to make up
a subject of interest to the country which
will not cease with the uncertain history
connected with his name. In the case Of
Mrs. Surratt, there. was between the state
ments Of Judge Holt and Mr. Johnson a
direct issue of veracity between them Mr.
Johnson contcnded that he did not see the
document until too late to save Mrs. Sur
rats life; and Judge Holt claimed that
he read the petition to the President, but,
unfortunately. had no witnesses; that the
President remained silent during the read
ing of the paper, which prayed: If par
den, nor a communication of the sentence
could not be granted, would the President
not give her longer time to prepare for
DEATH; that Mr.. johnson replied, How
long a time did they give their victim to
prepare for death?'"
What President johnson Said.
Mr.. Johnson, on the other hand, said to
me that when he first saw the petition it
was too late to save Mrs. Surratt's life
That he would have been only too glad of
the opportunity to do so, but dared not act
on his own responsibility, that they were
trying to make him one of the consplra-
tors; and no little perjury was used to
this end. / believed both statements;
believed both men to be men of
honor and truth, and could only reconcile
the contrary statements in one way: That
by higher authority than Judge Hollis
(and which was never betrayed the petit
ton was withheld from the President until
such q moment as to render it "too late'
to save the life of the unfortunate woman
but was read to him all the same by Judge
Holt-thereby verifying the two state
ments. I know that Judge Holt would
never have misstated the fact, and I
am convinced that Mr.. Johnson felt
grievously wronged by the withholding of