The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-24

east Clay street. MrS. W. T. ld9i"if Va
Norfolk. Mrs II. r. Williams. Of FAIR
FAX county. all nieces OF the late W {.
Lipscomb: two nephews. Messrs. John T.
and Edward Alvey. and their sister.
Mrs &. &. Scott. and a great niece BYRD
Alvey, a seven-year-old daughter Of the
late X. T. Alvey
The property known as Presqueisle, said
Miss taylor, would be sold so as TO divide
the money among the heirs
So much for the estate and its disposi-
tlon.
There is a prelHde-the story Of a wo-
man who makes claims for a certain part
OF the property, and her claims are now
in the hands of a well-known firm OF
Richmond lawyers.
THE WOMAN'S STORY.
In a small. plain two-story house on
the edge Of the little village, Bermuda
Hundreds. lies woman dying with heart
trouble. The windows to her room. which
are shaded with simple white curtains of
cheap material overlook a splendid view
of the river including a number of old
colonial homes. and several places which
are celebrated ia Virginia history As
the days go by the woman grows weaker
and weaker and little hope Is now enter
tanned FOR her recovery. She is thin and
worn In appearance and her eyes are sunk
deep into her head. This woman is the
mother of William Frederick Lipscomb.
the man who claims part of the Lips
comb estate.
When ] saw her last Wednesday she
was unable 10 sit up. and every now and
then she was Obliged 90 make consider
able effort 10 get her breath. She spoke
fluent English. using an easy flow or
language and told the story Of her life i'm
way that was as interesting as IL was
simple and unpretontious.
a CREOLE GIRL
MY maiden name was Cora Bailey"
She said, "and am a Creole. / am the
daughter OF Littleton Bailey. who went
from Virginia many years ago. and set-
lied .n Louisiana. tie married q pretty
Creole girl, and went TO live ON the Red
River some forty miles above AleXan-
dr.a, which was a quaint old town with
cultivated people. My father made "a good
deal of money as sugar planter. He
had considerable land some property I'm
Alexandra, and was q man of Influence
n the section where he lived / was
given school advantages at home. ana
when l was not quite sixteen years old
/ was sent 20 New Orleans TO be educated
at st. Bossiers School. q celebrated
French convent While in New Orleans
/ met w. c. Lipscomb. lie was living
In New Orleans. where he made consider
able money I'm the tobacco and cotton busi-
ness lie persuaded me % leave the con-
vent and run away with him and marry
him. which ] dd when / was sixteen
years of age. We We're secretly married
iu Catholic church in Alexandria in 1852
q. I'd.
destructive raid burned a large part OF
the town of Alexandra. including the
Catholic church iu which We We're mar
ried and the records were Of course, de-
stroyed.
MADE MUCH MONEY.
"We went TO New Orleans to live.
Through the war my father lost most OF
what he had. Some time afterwards
opened and conducted I'm New Orleans "a
restaurant which was patr0niZed by many
of the leading citiZens there. ! made "a
good deal of money which 1 gave TO Mr..
Lipscomb from time 20 time 90 take care
of and invest for me. This amounted 90
about $1,000 or $1,000 I have never g0t-
ten back any part of this money. which
! suppose is still invested. In 1875 1 came
to Virginia. and have lived ever since at
Presqueisle During most Of that time I
helped TO manage the estate. After MI
Lipscombs death I had nowhere TO go
] have nothing. and ] understand Doe has
cut Off me and h's SON without dollar
and ! am here dying and have not enough
90 pay for nay funeral expenses ] put
my claims. with am the papers into the
hands of a well-known legal firm In Rich
mond, signing papers which transferred
my claims to my son. Since that was
done 7 have been So nl that ] have not
been able 10 make any further inquiries
into the natter but I have heard that
the claims would be- settled satisfactorily
At this point the woman's voice grew
husky aud indistinct "f am SD weak
and wretched." she said OF cannot talk
any more now" and then She became
silent.
ARARE PERUVIAN.
Leaving the house J went down to- take |
he boat diagOnally across 20 city Point |
b distance OF about three miles. An old |
negro ferryman with ragged trousers !
md a hat probably ten years Old sleek /
With wear and dscol0red by ths elements |
owed up his frau, rotten looking little ]
XIII peered from beneath the ragged |
ringe on his head and exclaimed with !
lN-DA-lpuf eIlH- re Only Ntldl route I
rom Bermuda To city Pint"
We started across. The wind was high /
.nd the water rough. Up and down we
,ounced as the waves struck us and broke
n the bow of the craft which was
eallv nothing more than few planks |
Knocked together with some nails and
he cracks filled with "a dab or two of
itch. Faithfully the old boatman pulled
us boat. despite the wind and the wayes.
nd never once troubled over the pros
ects of a watery grave Five drinks of
heap whiskey had n0 effect ou his
peed as he splashed along at the rate
z two miles am hour
"Ain't nuver turned over but onct."
e declared as De took q gulp on two
rom big yellow bottle and then ex-
Continued on Fifth Paee)