The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1907-01-05

The December term OF Court which
adjourned for the holidays, rcconvened
on Wednesday, with Judges Pearce,
Adkins and Crothers on the Bench.
The counsel in the big will case, re-
moved from Talbot county, which had
been set as the first thing to be taken,
reported that an agreement had been
reached, and asked that the Court dis
pose of the case by proving the will.
The case in question was the suit Of
Sallie l.. Martin, John w. Martin, Leila
NJ Seymour and Elsie E. Ceilings,
plaintiffs, VS. William H. Adkins, Ed
ward B. Hardcastle, Henrietta S. Mar
tin executors of the last will and tes-
lament OF John W. Martin, deceased,
defendants. Judge Adkins was dis
qualified from sitting in the case be-
cause OF his being one OF the defend
ants.
The following jury was then sworn
Elmore Deibert, Foreman; John R.
Chapman, Stephen f. Nickle, John
Stump, John w. Quinn, Charles Gov
ington, ]. Cecil Bies, Henry Hager,
Lambert D. Boulder, Robert A. Nc
Cullough, John F. Roach and Delphos
Price
4NIlCl lllC iClCllNldlllN lldNl pl'Ntll llIN
will by the testimony of Charles c.
Nickerson and Miss Elma Fleming,
witnesses to the signature OF the de-
ceased, and Charles r. Wooters, Re
gister OF Wills for Talbot county. the
Court instructed the jury to render a
verdict sustaining the will which was
done. Messrs. J. Harry Covington,
cx-States Attorney for Talbot county,
and Omar ID. Crothers appeared for
the defendants and Messrs J. Frank
Turner, OF Easton, and Albert Con-
stable for plaintiffs. The agreement
was reached by the defendants allowing
the plaintiffs 81 200 out of which they
were to pay their costs and expenses.
The case had excited great interest, be
cause OF the prominence OF the parties
concerned.
The Jurors were then discharged until
Thursday morning as there was no
business in shape to be taken up, owing
to none OF the lawyers being ready be
cause it had been fully expected that
the will case would occupy the attcn-
tion of the Court for several davS.
Arrangements had been made with
the hotels and boarding houses in Elk
ton ior t. accommodation oi some
thing like sixty witnesses and others
connected with the case, but word was
received on Tuesday that the case had
been compromised, and these arrange
mentS were called off.
An evening session OF the Court was
held to hear the argument in the case
OF Robert B. Ryall who was rc-arrcSt-
ed upon the charge OF being implicated
with Witcraft. in the Hilton murder
Alter three witnesses had been put
upon the stand, namely Sheriff Kirk.
Deputy Sheriff Miller and Coroner Mel
son. all OF whom testified substantially
the same as in the Witcrait trial so far
as Ryall's connection with the affair
was concerned. argument was heard
by Judges Crothers and Adkins State 5
Attorney Squier was first heard and
then Mr.. Rodney d. Jones, cx- States
Attorney for Wicomico county. ad-
dressed the Court in behalf OF Ryall,
and made a strong and impressive plea.
After a few moments dciberation
Judge Adkins rendered the decision by
stating that in view Of the fact that no
new evidence had been produced to
connect Ryall with the murder and that
the Grand Jury, which had just been in
session, failed to take any action in the
matter, it was the judgment OF the
Court that the prisoner be discharged.
The session then adjourned until Thurs
day morning.