The Savannah morning news., 1900-06-08
FAMOUS CLEMENTS WILL CASE,
Another Claimant Appears Which
Means More IItication.

Ahotner Claimant Appears Which
Means More Litigation.
Triton, Ga, June THE Wiley Glenn
ents will case is again on the dockets of
the Berrien Superior Court where it has
occupied a prominent place for fifteen
years with the exception of one year.
1t will be remembered that Wiley Glenn
ents, turpentine operator who, although
wealthy, died alone and neglected In a
shanty near Triton, fifteen years ago. left
a will giving his brothers, Anderson and
Joe Clements. one dollar each from his
estate, and the remainder, amounting to
about $4,000, to a nephew, Thomas B.
CroWder, son of a deceased sister, in Raj
eigh, N. c.
The brothers. both of whom were very
poor men, contested the Will, and the
case was tried in October term
1898, of Berrien Superior Court
At this trial ID appeared that
the will was written on Sunday
morning. when all parties were INDUCING
freely in corn whisky, furnished by the
testator, and that after he had dictated
the terms of the will, Clements sat before
the fire in the body of his log house, open
ing oysters, while the three witnesses at
tached their sigma lures in a little shed
room adjoining
Owing to the absence Of the testator
while the will was being witnessed. the
jury set aside the Will and the old man s
wishes, and rendered a verdict in favor
of the plaintiffs.
Mr.. Crowder's attorneys made a mo-
ton for a new trial, and while a hear
ing was pending a compromise was eff
fected between the Clements brothers and
CroWder, and the property was taken in
charge by a trustee. appointed by the
| Judge of Superior Court. and about sl3.-
900 has already been divid ! between the
three heirs.
There were 10000 acres of tlmbered lands
belonging to the estate, and only a por-
ton of this has been sold, leaving several
thousand dollars worth of property 10
be divided yet.
Anderson Clements did not live long
enough to enjoy his legacy but died dur
ing the spring of the present year. The
remaining brother Joe, lives in Texas
But now comes another claimant and
the work is all to be done over again.
Col R. w. Winston of Durham, N. c.,
appeared this week at the Superior Court
in Nashville. Col. Winston represents
the heirs of another sister, of the de-
ceased Wiley Clements who In turn, sets
up claim to one-fourth of the estate.
According to some formality, best
known only to gentlemen of the legal fra
ternity, it will now be necessary for these
the viii already once broken and secure
a verdict setting it aside before they can
come in for their share of the estate And
Just here some interesting questions arise.
Crowedr's attorneys say that if they can
get a new trial they will be able to main
tain the legality of the will. If they do
so, will not that also bring up the ques-
ton as to the Clements brothers title to
the property?
But if the new claimants win, and the
will is again set aside, what is to be done
with the property already divided? The
heirs are in no condition to refund the
money already spent. and even if this
could be done, every dollar was paid out
under order from the Superior Court and
it is very doubtful If it GaA.again be call
ed back for re-division.f ;0e 3 .1.
Taken altogether H~vQuid appear that
old man Wiley Clements planted a tree
that grew large crop of legal nuts when
he opened his roasted oysters before the
lightwood fire in his cabin at Riverside
seventeen years ago.