The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-10
A LEGAL BATTLE
OVER A CHILD.
The Case is in the Supreme Court Of
Appeals
A CULP[PER BOY SIX YEARS OLD
HE Rich Aunts Refuse to Give Him In-
TO the Custody of His Father.
Provisions ofthc VIII of
the Dying Mother.

,,pe Of the most interesting cases than
has come before the Court OF Appeals lIA
many wears will soo.l be decided.
TIE fght is for the custody Of brieht
lite six-year-oid boy ia Culpepef coun-
IS. Argument was concluded yesterday.
on the 18th Of March. 1892. the "lie
Of Mr.. George I. Siringfe.lOw died i'm Gull
pepper leaving an infant son only ~"
days old He was named Glassoh bomer-
Vile Stringfoliow. On her death bed the
nother made her will. She appointed
her husband the guardian for lttle Gas
seu and bequenthtd 10 the chhd hel enc
tire estate with the exception or ABOUT
81 90. which sho gave 10 some beneFo.eht
purposs
by her will Mrs sTIngfeilow requested
that her son DE allowed 10 remain WIN
her two sisters. Misses Jennie G. Somer-
Vile and Kata sOmerville 10 be reared
as their own child aided By the support
WITH HIS ArNTs.
Glassei. the day after his mother
death. was taken % the home OF nus
aunts. about ten miles from tha town
OF Cuipcptr. whore be has remained Up
10 this dine. being now a hne-looking.
healthy boy Of six years OF age.
Mr. Stringicllow visited little Glas,eh
every week until 1886 generally remain
Ing Saturday and sunday ct the home
OF bis sstcrsin-laW. Two years aso an
arrangement sprung up be tween the
Misses somervihe and himself Then.
he demanded the custody of Glnssen.
The boys auntg admitted hat the "a
Their was legally entitled 10 the custody
OF the child but persuaded him 10 allow
GIasscH 70 remain with them until the
spring Of 1897. wilton spring came they
refused 10 deliver the child 20 the father.
Last September Mr. Strnglellow COM
mcnccd legal proceedings TO recover the
custody Of his son. Many witnesses were
heard by Circuit Judge Grimslcy The
aunts claimed that The father had relin-
pushed his legal right to the child aud
that it was to tho best interest OF the
boy TO remain with them.
1hE LEGAL BATTLE.
After long legal battle ~ court re-
fused 10 give Mr. Stringfclow tho GUS
tody Of The boy and an appeal was taken.
on account Of the prominence of tho
parties much interest is felt In the case
throughout Culpeper. Each side had
ablo lawycra-Mcssra George y. Gray.
Epp1 lmn,on, Jr., GrimGloy and Miller
represented Mr.. StringfclOw. and
Mcssrs. John S. Barbour. Jr, A. =. Ro-
bertson and i. r. Barbour appeared for
tho Misses somervilc The case was
argued in the Court of Appeals by
Messis Gray and llunton for the appel
liant ana Messrs. Barbour and Robertson
for the appolres.
Mr. strlngfe,low IS a merchant at Gull
pepor.
WELL-TO-DO PEOPLE.
Tho Misses scmervillc own a. splendid
farm. Miss Jennie. the elder testified
II. al. I'm
hearing before Judge Grimsley much owl
dcnce was introduced % prove that the
child would Boz happier with his aunts
than with Mrs. Strngfcllow. its grand
mother. "a rich old lady. to whose home
the father proposed 20 remove tho hey
Rev. Mr. slower. the pastor of tho Som
crvilios. and Dr. Conway their ply stefan.
testified that It would be an act almost
or cruelty 10 take the boy from his de-
voted aunts
MRS. STRINGFELLOWs WILL.
The will OF Mrs Strnglollow reads as
follows.
Know all men by these presents, that
I. Ellen S. strngfcllow. ~ the county OF
Culpertr. ana State OF Virginia being Of
sound mind and memory DO make ana
declare and publish this my last will and
testament
"Iclrst. I desire that my child Do per-
mittcd 10 remain with and DC reared bN
my sisters. Jennie Gray and Ka.e Somcr-
vlle and trained as their own. and my
husband will aid them IN sympathetic at-
fcoiion and support
second / desire that my husband DO
made guardian for my child and TO man
age my business and property as be now
docs. carrying out AN unfinished contracts
and agreements made by me. Trat he
shall continue the tin and stove business
os ,ong as he secs best for the interest
OF my child He shall have the profits
from my property 10 support my child.
an above that To be used as be secs prop
or during his life. and then my entire
property TO be given TO my son GlasseN
SOinervil.e Strngfellow.
Thirdly | desire that an my property
after the death OF my husband, should
my child die first. without heirs. 30 be
left 90 my surviving brothers aud sisters
or their heirs. they herring per stripes.
"FOurthly. / desire ny husband 10 exc
cute Thus much Of my will with the adj
vice and counsel OF my brothers and c0u-
sins.
Filthy. desire my brother. u. 6.
Somerville. TO appropriate the X.o00 more
or less) which he has in his possession 10
trust for me. TO some benevolent pur-
poses as he and Atwell Somervillo may
deem best
Mr.. Stringfelow, tho husband. drafted
the will which the wife signed on her
death bed and II was Witnessed by A. S.
Rixey and Rev. f. II. Stover.
-------------------=----