Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-30
SUPREME COURT.
Docket Of About 600 Cases for Somer.
sets Present Term.

sets present erm.
The number Of new entries made at the
present term of the supreme court for
Somerset county is 112 With the contin-
ued cases the total number of civil suits
is AZ. These, added to the many criminal
continued cases and the indictments
which may be found by the present grand
jury, together with the cases in equity.
make docket Of some GOO cases.
OF the 112 new entries 81 are libels for
divorce. In nine OF these the libelant was
the husband and in the other % the wife
Is the one DESTROYS of shaking off the
bonds Of matrimony.
The first trial by jury at the present
term Of the supreme court was No So on
the assigned list. Forsyth VS.. the Amer
lean Realty Co. Walton & Walton Tor
the plaintiff, Hon Forrest Goodwin for
the defendant. It was taken up at 80
Thursday afternoon and occupied the at
tention of the court until adjournment
Friday night. 1t was heard before the
first Jury. Of which Walter F. Brown of
Norrideewock is the foreman.
Tie plaintiff. William p. Forsyth of
The Forks, contracted to cut poplar on
land of his for the defendant company
and was to receive 81 per cord. He cut
IS cords. Then the question arose as to
who owned the land where the timber
was cut. The defendant company claim
ed that it was their land and offered to
settle with the plaintiff for IS per cord.
deducting 81 per cord for stumpage. He
refused to settle on these terms and thus
the suit was brought. AS a matter of
fact. the real point involved is the own
ership of the land. not only the piece
where the poplar was cut but several 9TH
er pieces. BY agreement of counsel the
case was taken from the jury Saturday
morning and will be referred to the pre-
siding justice. Hon. l.. c. Cornish of Au-
gusta. for settlement.
Saturday morning the case Of Lord e.
ais, Aplts. from decree Of judge of pro-
hate was entered upon. This IS number
ed $50 on the continued docket and was
one of the special assignments from last
term. 1t is q very impor tant case. in
volving some $50 900, and it is rumored
around the court house that it Will re-
uuire several days for trial. There are
seven attorneys involved. They are w. 8.
Townsend of Newport L. c. Stearns of
Bangor. s. w. Abbott of Wolfboro. N. H..
and c. F. johnson of Watervile for the
plaintiffs. and H. NJ Heath of Augusta
and Manson & Coolidge of Pittsfield for
the defendants. 1t will be heard before
the second jury. Of which ". II. Spear
Of Madison is the foreman.
The following is brief synopsis of the
case as given the writer by one of the
heirs IN June, 1906. the testator. Leonard
Lord Of Detroit, died. He left property
which Is variously estimated at over S5o,-
OO0 His wife died in 1893 There were n
children and lie had no brothers and Sis
tiers living The only relatives were
nenhews and nieces.
The will which IS being contested was
drawn by the late Abel Davis of Pittsfeld
In 1903 and the executor named therein
is Hpman Norton Of Detroit. 1t was pre-
sented for probate in August. 1906. and
while It's being allowed was contested it
was allowed by the Judge of the Somer-
set county court, Hon. Augustus Sim
mons It is claimed that another will
was drawn IN 1905, but SO far has not
beon produced
The legacias so this heir states. amount
to some sl04 and among the beneficial
rios are the following and the amount
left each: Abbie Head. $1,000: Ellen Nor
ton. 5000; Fred Lord, $500: Gorharl Lord,
$50: Nay Lord. $500; Ellis Lord. $500: Mel
win Lord. $4O0; Sadie Webster, $500 Mary
Files. 800: Lizzie Crosby. $40: heirs Of F.
] Lord, $500; heirs of Edwin Lord. $500:
heirs CT Sarah Frank clifford, $500. The
remainder of his property was to be
equally divided between Abbie Head. Cor
ham Lord. Nay Lord, Ellen Norton and
Fred Lord.
The contestants arc Mrs. Hattie Bow
man Of Watervillp. whose attorn"v is Mr..
johnson: Charles Melvin Lord Of Wolf
horo. ~ H, whose legal adviser is Mr..
Abbott. Fills Lord Of Plymouth. whose
lawyer is Mr.. Stearns. ard Sadie Web
ster. WHO lives in the West and who is
represented ny Mr. Townsend. The writ
er was Informed that after the leCact"s
were paid there would be some $4,000 left
for distribution among the five heirs men
toned.
The testator made his money in De-
troit. He cut and sold railroad ties be-
fore ard during the Civil war and later
was engaged in the grocery business II
Is stated that the first silver dollar he
ever earned he kept. He was frugal.
hard-worting man and was believer IN
the old saying that IL one looks out for
the dimes the dollars will look out for
themselves.
The following cases. assigned for trial
on Friday. have been settled out OF court;