Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-05
Told Washington Holt He Was to
Be Executor.
HOUSE RANSACKED FOR WILL
Testimony ejvrn in the Interesting
Case Today.
MR.. STERETT'S VIEW s

SooC. He ueNelOpIEeHlS VI ytS~S''i nay "cIe
so interesting that public curiosity seemed
Whet-ed. and there was a general hope that
today would prove no less interesting.
When court opened this morning Mr.
Worthfngton again called Col. Sterett to
the stand for further examination.
One of the most interesting features OF
the trial so far was thu first appearance
on the stand yesterday afternoon of Col
VIM. G. Sterett, one Of Judge Hollis neph-
ews and an heir-at-law. The coloners name
has been mentioned so often that when he
was called as a witness there was a gen
eral craning Of necks on the part Of the
spectators to catch a better view Of his
face.
During the seven years that he has been
here as the Washington correspondent OF
the Galveston and Dallas News Col Ster-
EFT has occupied prominent place among
the newspaper men He is man Of Unique
personality. with a picturesque dction and
a boundless fund Of humor. Some years
ago an attempt was made by some OF his
confreres to make a sort of national figure
Of him quaint Texas humorist,' but
the attempt failed, mainly through the OBJ
lection that Col. 'Bilp' made to being n
figure Of any sort There are few people in
Washington who have not heard OF the
&C lionel or heard some story retailed as
having been told by Col Sterett, and yet
he Is generally misunderstood. He Is quite
the reverse of blatant. posing person.
On the contrary, he is naturally modest
man. but wherever two or three newspaper
men are gathered together he is always a
prominent figure. There is certain hreeZ-
mess about him that contributes largely to
this; he is plain and unaffected. He Is
true western man IN every essential ana
at first meeting one might take him for a
cowpuncher who has sold a bunch of stock
and come east to blow in Inc proceeds.
Interesting Character.
Being so far away from the home office
of his paper, and enjoying so thoroughly
the confidence of his employer, Bal Sterett
Is In position to do his newspaper bust
ness about as he thinks 1T ought TO be done.
He is a determined bass fisherman. and Is
as likely as not TO quit the Capitol at any
time and so off up the Potomac to cast
flies for "A few days. AT such times he
sends few columns of inside news from
WOodmont, or sends not a line COR days at
time. 1t is said that his contract with
his paper will expire only when Bill does.
Col. Sterett is extremely popular with
men in high Position. for they realize that
there is not suggestion Of the trucker or
sycophant about him, and he would talk TO
a member of the cabinet precisely as he
would talk if he We're trying to make a
pair of jacks stand up" in a game of
draw. Again and dgain, when he has gone
to the White House for elusive news
item, he has been summoned into the Pres
ence. and the sounds of laughter that come
from the Presidents room show that the
conversation - not upon affairs OF state,
ami tie susp- ion gaiLs groJnl thai the col
onel is RECALLING the President with a few
fishing STR cs.
On the witness stand yesterday Col Ster-
EFT was asked whether he had anything; 10
DO with sending the burnt and mut!latsd
WIZ TO the T. sister, He said, sole unly, thai
he id not, a:Id his statement was aGrented
as true for if the will is sustained. it cuts
MN out OF his sixth of the Holt estate
Col 9ierett also testified concerning the
paper which MS little daughter found in
Judge Ho!t's closet. The coloael was away
hShlnS when the paper was found but he
made Il copy Of it when he returned and
sent II 10 Washington Holt tie mad made
the inscription out to he: Date Of will
January l. 1855 Roundtree-J NJ. Knott. -
he thought the handwriting was thai of
Judge Holt.
Col. Sterett Continues
When called to the stand this morning
Col. Sterett identified copies of The Star
and Post of August 1 and last, in which
were published accounts of Judge HoIt's
death. Mr.. Worthington said that these
were introduced for the purpose of show.
ing the wide notoriety that was given t0 tbe
event, so that II anyone had had a will fl,
his possession he might have produced If
IT was also for the purpose of contradict
ing Mr.. DeVlin 5 statement that he was nm
aple 10 learn the time and place of the
was given in the Post on the dav of tbe
funeral. ARRANGEMENTS having been made
too late the night before for publication in
The Star, which PAPER Mr. Devlin caid h.
always read.
MIR. Darlington objected to the evidence
and Judge Bradley sustained the objection
Col. Sterett testified that when he went
to see Judge Holt after his fall, a week
before his death. the judge asked him not
to tell his folks in Kentucky about the ac.
cident. Judge Holt always showed the
greatest consideration for all his family.
The witness went at some length into the
mater OF MS -uncies feelings towards his
relations, as shown in his conversations
IL reply to an objection Mr.. Worthington
stated that this was for the purpose of
combating Mr.. Darlington's claim, as made
M MS opening statement, that from the
time of the war down to the date of the
alleged will. Judge Holt was a man with
out family. The evidence was admitted
On cross-examnation Mr. Darlington
questioned Col. Sterett at some length as
10 his relations with his relatives, and
especially with his Uncle Joe He said that
he never received but one letter from ,Jid"e
Holt: The latter did not attend the funeral
of witness mother, who died in 1861
I'm 1873 asked Mr. Darlington. "did
your uncle know whether you were living
or dead?'
Now. MIR. Darlington, 1 really do not
ing dead"
''Did you ever see him in your house
here?'
Yes, once. 1 saw him at the gate many
times. l wasn't home very much myself.
You know l am a newspaper man"
In answer to questions from Mr. Darling
ton the witness again went over the details
of the brief funeral exercises in this CITY.
and the final 1nterment in Kentucky
Col. Sterett said that on one occasion he
was sitting in thelRiggs' House with Wash,
Holt when Luke .Devlin came I'D and said
something about visiting the Holt man
sion for the benefit Of whoever might
finally receive. the property.
Il told Wash, said the colonel that I,
was none of Mr.. 'Devlins business. An ad-
ministrator bad been appointed for the es-
tate, and 1 thought that his interference
was piece Of
Never mind what you thought it," said
Mr.. Worthington.
You had considerable feeling about this
matter. did you nfot?" asked Mr.. Darling,
81 guess I Nd"
"And now?" 3a
We'll. 1 think it is all wearing awav
now"
Did you say to a reporter last Aug,,st
thai, you ntee8ded, to fight this will through
to the bitter end%'
Il did say just that
did you say that you thought tho mon
erty ought to go to his relat iyes. and no,
to outsiders, and that you had never hsar6
your Uncle Joe speak Of the Throckmor-
tons?"
Il did"
"NoW colonel in your suorn s.,..