The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-14

~ the funeral arrangements, which he
did IN manner agreeable to the lady.
MRS. Marvin was very much wrought ub
over the sudden death Of her husband
and not satisfied with the work of en-
balming, which had been performed by a
macon undertaken, she had her friend
Col Bivins, to telegraph to New Orleans
Tor an expert to come ups and make the
work more perfect.
Many erroneous stories have been told
or the proceedings which are about to be
narrated, but this is the first authentic
account given of the affair. When, upon
Col. Bivin's invitation, the undertaken. ar
rived, the body of DR.. Marvin was disin-
TERED, brought back TO the house. and for
ten Gays the expert was engaged in the
mysterious work OF his art, when he an
nounced that for all time the dead mans
face would be proof against destruction
Col. BiVins, in the friendly exercise of his
interest in Mrs. Marvin had the body set
aside in one of the rooms, locked the door
and carried away the key; so it Is untrue
that Mrs. Marvin went through the mawk-
iSh performance of looking every day at
the lace of the dead man. The body was
thus locked up in the house, awaiting
suitable time when it could be removed
TO some other place, where it would be Sc
cure from grave robbers.
AS the reader may have already sur
missed the friendly interest which Col
Biyins took in the widow of his old friend
ana benefactor was recognized by her, and
a feeling grew up, too tender to speak
about, which resulted in their marriage
and the interment of the late DR. Marvin
BiVins, at the same time, succeeded TO the
presidency of the bank and Is now the
proprietor of the Cordele Sentinel, and
leading spirit in the business interests Of
that section.
The story Of the litigation which inter-
weaved itself into this romance,is strange
and fascinating. After the death OF DR..
Marvin, Mrs Helen Hardy of Atlanta, a
niece of DR. Marvin's first wife, sued the
widow for 100000 claiming her right to It
as the heir of the first Mrs. Marvin. The
case was prosecuted for her by Simmons 4,
Corrigan. IL went to trial in the Dooiy
superior court the decision being In ia
Vor Of the widow, and subsequently TO the
supreme court where the decision of the
lower court was affirmed; thus the second
Mrs. Marvin was left in undOubted pos
session Of the estate Of the first Mrs. Mar
vim.
During the tendency OF this suit stu am
other claimant appeared to the estate OF
pr Margin, This claimant was named
Francis g. Marvin, and he claimed 10 be
the son Of the late doctor the fruit or
marriage of many years ago in the state
of Nebraska. lie had as his attorneys
Judge John L. Hopkins and son. If he real
~ was the son Of Dr. Marvin. he would
be entitled to half OF the estate, the Othcr
half going 10 the doctors widow. There
was no viii. 50 far As could be ascertained,
and the situation began to appear little
critical. I'm course of time, however. Mrs.
Marvin found the doctors viii. which was
attested by three OF the leading citizens
of Cordele. and It was presented for pro-
bate before Ordinary HargroVe, of DoOly
county. on the ilfSl Gay OF feDfudfy idSt.
The attorneys for the claimant, seeing
there was nothing that could be done In
the ordnary's office. made no objection
10 the probate, but reserved their case for
the superior court
In this case will be seen the curious ef-
feet OF the Georgia laws, which make the
wife or husband an equal heir with the
children. Thus Mr.. Parks was possessed
OF $4,000 worth OF real estate and had
large circle OF blood relatives. This des-
cended TO his wife, living chlldless Mrs.
10. ,.I,s al n w
out ISSUE leaving him her only heir, and
thus the entire estate passed from her
family The doctor In turn married Miss
and dying left her his own os-
tate and that of Mr.. Parks. This second
wife. inheriting the property of Mr.. Parks
and DR. Marvin. married Col. Joseph u.
Bivins, who upon her death became heir
10 the property OF Mr. Parks. a gentle
man whom he had never seen. never knew,
and 60 whom he was In no possible way re-
lated
taken all in all. the case Is weird, strange
and neculiar. and to describe It properly
would task the genius Of "A Dickens or
Thackcray.