Evening journal., 1908-07-27
JUDGE WHITELEYS VIEW
OF THE SPRINGER ESTATE


second THAT he Springer from
whom they claim Is a Charles Chris
topher Springer. son Of Baron
Charles Springer ~ stockholm.
Third-Thaf the Baron came 10 Stock
holm from Germany and had seven
children bv three wives. and HAT
Charles Christopher was the last child
by the third wife
Fourth THAT Charles Christopher
twas sent 10 London 10 be educated,
and while there was kidnapped ana
sent 10 this country whore he was sold
into slavery. for fvo years. 20 a tohac-
co raiser IN Virginia.
Fifth-'At the end OF the term of
slavery he went 10 Wilmington, where
"a LOT OF Swed0 had settled, and bought
1900 acres of lnud."
Sixth-Of this 1900 acres he leased
$50 acres 10 the Old Swcdcs Church,
and more than half Of Wilmington was
built on that
Seventh That Mr. sprinRors esti-
mate Of tho value OF The prop ,rty IN
Wilmington IS something over $4,000.
0OO
Eiehih-Bicrce insists there is a deed,
and he has IL from William Penn 10
Charles Christopher. y. =. Springer
donies this and Says that Charles
Christopher did not got bis land direct
from William Penn. which is true.
Ninth That there was a lease 20 Old
Swedes Church from Charles Chris
topher but thai is mlsRlng from the
rocotds That whilst be Cs r. 50
does not think tina, Biqrce has this
lease he admits offering ia Chicago 10
give Biorce for II a bond for $4,000,
PAYABLE when iho estate Is settled.
Much Suspicion.
There arc "a tlils statement by T..
L. Springer "a good mary suspisious
points ~ which / can see how he ex-
peota ~ make out. ar at ieast give
plnuHibility 10 This most ridiculous
claim; Bnd the sans IN the account
Of The arrest Of Bierco and panior by
Van Doron or Van Dorm. cnn only
mention few In the first place
why ia 70. =. Springer on hand IA New
York az the moment of the arrest OF
Bierce and panton 10 be interyiewod9
Why should ha make denials thni
nierce and his mother are heirs. That
Bicrce had not possession Of the lease,
that Penn did not mako deed 10
Charles Christopher and other really
unlmportant matters. 20 far na tho
general heirs are concerned, bat TO get
a chance 90 ventllale the Springer
claim by his testimony before tho
Court OF General Session. on Wellnes
day next Then why should Charles
Christopher be the gor Of Baron?
Would not commoncr suffice? The
concoctorsof these claims wanted TO
appear TO tho foolish pride Of most
men, which would make Them the more
readily pony up tholr neacssmonts, 10
pay agents, who said they-ihe heirs
were the offspring Of the lions of a
nohleman, rather than those Of n
piouehman Then again they would
have two strings 40 theif how-a
fortune in Wilmington and q fortune
Ia Stockholm. Again. Why SO par.
tioulnr aa 10 tho number OF wives and
children OF the poor. dear old Baron,
and that Charles Christopher was the
last child of the third wife. and that
he had seven ehildren2 10. =. g.
thought, and he Thought correctly, That
anyone who was fool enough 90 believe
IN aatrologY would be about big fool
enough TO believe In The Springer
estate, and YOU know that there IS by
natrology great powor, luck and for-
tuno IN tho seventh child and his
descendants. Rut % TIE main point
The claim 10 the $50 acres upon which
no large a part OF Wilmington Is all
legged to have been built. As based upon
the title Of one Charles Christopher
Springer. who, thev say, came here
from Nirenla whore hc had been five
years In slavery. redemptioner,
suppose they moan. T. g. q man, who
unable to pay his passage was brought
over by the captain of a ship, ana
sold 10 a planter or farmer or anyone,
who would nay his passaGe money, ana
take him as a workman for a certain
number OF years AT any rate ne was
In some kind Of slavery In Virginia,
and as soon as he eot free he came
here where a lot Of Swodos had aat.
tled and immediately bought 1900
acres OF land. Happy slavel luclls
lyidnappingl lt would have been many
q cold day before Charles Christopher
could have bought thni number OF
acres either IN Sweden or in Great
Britain But land was plenty here
when Christopher came, the average
price was between 80 and so cents an
acre. say so cents was Christopher
price-if so. he might have saved dur.
ing his five years serv,tude $3.50, bu
does any sensible man believe it2 Al
that dav. money in Virginia, and n
an our colonies, was ,ha scarcest thinf
imaginable Tobacco was the currency
and n he could have carried $500 o
it away with him. which was impos
sihle. this son of a baron would hav,
been a thief But no bought thesi
acres. they saw. and some time shorll,
after his purchase leased $50 acres Il
Old Swedes Church. Why this leasl
was made why an infant church n
the desert, YOU might say. havinl
pientv of lands of It's own. shoul.
want or take a lease OF c. C's, thi
agent OF theirs has not designed 20 tel
us But they took Il, released Il. an,
IN these uneNpired leases is where /
Is snid. these untold millions are Nov
I know where this question could II
settled IN half a minute Right her
IN Wilmington Tor lSa years past, thor
has been kept as perfect a priVat
record of land transactions as there !
IN America: record In which ail @
their land transactions they. I'm IN
deed. lease or whatever -he munimen
of title may have been, obligated them
selves 60 keep; n they sold, it is ~