The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-05
TO DIVIDE HALF AND HALF.
SUIT OVER MRS. PARSONS WILL A
THING OF THE PAST.

Are Paid-Dr. Parsons Comes Out
With More Than So and the We'd
ding Ring-settIement Effected
and the Necessary Court Orders
Taken Yesterday-A Formal De-
cree in June Will Conclude the
Whole Proceeding.
The famous Parson will suit has at last
been settled, and what promised to be
litigation of five years or more has been
reduced to what will now be mere mat
ter of legal form.
The parties interested brought their set
Element into court yesterday. and orders
were taken both in the Superior Court
and in the Court or Ordinary. which make
the settlement effective and wind up the
litigation, with the exception of a formal
decree, which will be taken at the June
term Of the Superior Court.
There were present in the Superior Court
and in the Court of Ordinary Mr.. r. r.
Richards, representing the executors; Mr..
Paul E. Seabrook, who, with Mr.. A. c.
Wright, represents DR.. s. C. Parsons, and
Mr.. George w. Owens, representing the
trustees, the beneficiary under the trust
deed and others. Mr.. Owens appeared as
the representative of Miss Elizabeth Kath.
crime Mas the niece TO whom Mrs. Par
sons left the bulk of her property, and
others in San Francisco Cal, interested
in the matter
1t was stated in the Morning News some
time ago that settlement was in con-
temptation, and would probably be reached
within short time. DR.. p H. Mas Miss
Mas father, spent about week here,
and il was at that time the conference
was held looking to the settlement which
was spread upon the records of the court
yesterday.
1t will be remembered that Mrs. Parsons,
whose property was estimated at $4,000 to
$4,000 died in California, leaving a viii
and trust deed. The trust deed left
TO Miss Mas the property on the corner
CT Price and Liberty streets, in which Is
the drug store occupied by Dr. Parsons
Her other property was disposed of in
the Will. After making several small be-
quests IN the will, to certain of her rela-
tlves, and young druggist here named
w. ID. Taylor, to whom she left $500 an0
after cutting her husband off with IS and
her wedding ring, which she directed be
returned TO him, sic gave the rest of
her property to Miss Mas. The execu-
tors under the will are Messrs. John G.
Butler, r. H. Tatem and DR.. r. B. Harris
Dr. Parsons at once employed counsel
and started TO contest the will as well as
the trust deed, the main ground being
that Mrs. Parsons, on account of her mem
tai condition, was not competent to make
a viii. The litigation in the Court of
Ordinary had reached a stage where the
Will was to be called up for probate in
solemn form, and to that probate DR..
Parsons had filed a caveat. 1t was then
that the negotiations which resulted in
the settlement were begun.
For the purpose of the settlement in due
legal form. Judge A. H. MacDonell was
| appointed guardian ad Item for Miss
| Mas, who is about II years old. Judge
| MacDonell made a report to the Superior
| Court and to the Court or Ordinary stat
ing that he had gone over the terms of the
settlement and considered them satisfac-
tory and reasonable. The terms of the
settlement were then presented separate
| ly, of course, to both courts. and the ne
oessary orders putting it into effect were
| signed at once.
Under the terms of the settlement the
large claims of physicians in California
for treatment of Mrs. Parsons just before
| her death were scaled down considerable
DR.. p. II. Mas who had in a claim for
| for 81, 500. DR.. Mays and DIR. Gales, whose
bills were $500 each, will receive $50 eacn,
and St. Joseph's Hospital will be paid 500
Other smaller claims were compromised
| in a similar manner.
In the next place 1t was provided that
all the fixtures and furniture in the drug
| store, excepting the gas and electric nix
lures and shelves, should go to DR.. Par
| sons as his property. DR.. Parsons relin-
,f@I,n 10Th Of
| to life interest In the property in New
| York state, which Is allowed under the
| law of New York. The movable personal
| stock in the drug store and drug bottles
is to be left subject to the claim Of w.
d. Taylor, to whom Mrs. Parsons left
$500
It was then provided that after the pay
ment of all of the foregoing claims, be-
sides costs of court. counsel fees and
| other expenses, that the property shall
be divided equally between DIR. Parsons
and Miss Mas.
This settlement has been reached after
| considerable discussion of the matters in
volved, and is satisfactory to all parties
! interested. An order was taken in the
Superior Court setting aside the trust
deed, and the caveat to the probating of
the will In solemn form in the Court of
Ordinary was Withdrawn.
1t is provided that DR.. Parsons shall
pay rent for the store he now occupies
at the rate of $50 month from the date
of his last payment, and that the rent
of the upstairs portion of the building
shall be paid over to the executors.
An advertisement Will be published at
once calling on all parties at interest.
which includes Mrs. Parsons two sisters
and others to whom small requests were
made, to be present a the June term of
the Superior Court. at which time appli-
cation will be made for a verdict and de-
cree finally winding up the matter. and
making the partition of the property as
agreed upon yesterday. Thus has been
amicably and satisfactorily ended a mat
ter which would have been In litigation
for years perhaps and one which might
have absorbed all or the greater part of
the property in counsel fees and costs of
court.