The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-03-17
SERIOUS CHARGES
SUPREME COURT DECISION UPON
A WILL CASE
Brings Out Sensational Allegations
Against a Minister of the Gospel
Of Clarendon County.

| Of Clarendon County.
Colum bia, March 13.-The Record
says a decision was handed down in
the supreme court today on Claren-
don county will case of unusual
interest. The case is that Of Helen
Tindal, ct al, against the Rev. Rich
ard A. Stublett, a Baptist clergyman,
and his wife, Laura A. Stublett.
The contest was over the possession
of a plantation in Clarendon county,
which, a9aording to the evidence
, quoted in the opinion, Mr. Sublett
Induced his aged mother-in-laW, 80
years old, to deed to Mrs. Sublett
for $500, payable after the mother
in-law's death, without interest, al
though the circuit court jury which
tried the case found that the prop
erty was worth $4,000. The de-
cision is against Mr.. Sublett, the
finding of the lower court including
Mr.. Sublett's removal as executor
and trustee.
Among others the following q'les-
tions put to the july at the trial
were answered yes in their YER
dict:
"Was Mrs. Sarah Tindal (the
mother-in-law) SO enfeebled by old
age and physical intirmities that she
did not have mental capacity suf-
hcient to understand what she was
doing at the time of the execution of
the said deed?"
"Did the defendants exercise un-
due influence on Mrs. Sarah Tindal
and did they thereby obtain the ex-
ecution and delivery Of said deed?"
1t appears from the language Of
the decision that Mr.. Sublett re-
moved to Texas after marrying Miss
Laura Tindal, and afterward re-
moved to Atlanta, and failing in his
profession as a minister, came back
to Clarendon county to live on the
home place with his mother-in-law
and her son, Ezra, to whom the
property was to go, under the will
of the elder Tindal, at Mrs. Sarah
Tindal's death. A year leater Mr..
Ezra Tindal died, after which Mr..
Sublett took charge and managed the
place as the agent of Mrs. Sarah Tin
dal.
"Soon after" the opinion says,
ION account of these new and un-
pleasant relations, Ezra Tindals
widow and her children left the
place." and then on investigation Mr..
Sublet discovered that the place nev-
er did belong to Mr.. Tindal, the
elder, but was Mrs. Tindal's, from
her father, Ezra Allen.
In 1908 Mr.. Sublett prevailed up
on his mother-in-law, is is alleged,
to make a will dividing the place
into three equal parts, one-thtrd to
the children of Mary Rembert, anoth-
er third to the children of Ezra
Tindal and the remaining third to
Mrs. Sublett, Mr.. Sublett being made
executor and trustee, with authority
to sell without advertisement. Strict
secrecy as to this will was enjoined
by r. A. Sublett." Shortly after
ward, it is further alleged, he pre-
vailed upon Mrs. Tindal to execute
lease to Mrs. Sublett for eight
years at 500 year. In 1904 she
made the deed of the place referred
to above and died the following year,
the mortgage being Withheld from
record for considerable time
Mr.. Sublett is well known
throughout the State, both his own
family and that of his wife having
wide connections among prominent
people. For some time after Civ
ing up resident pastoral work Mr.
Sublet conducted evangelical meet.
ings in different sections of the State
His sons, Alvah T. Sublett and Hub.
ert Sublett, were athletic stars dur
ing their career at Furman univer
sity and the former was assigned
the position Of full-back on nearly
every All-Southern football team
chosen during the three seasons he
nlayed intercollegiate ball.