The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-03-17
Rev. z. A. SubIett Hit Hard.

The case OF Helen Ilndal and others:
against R. A. Sublett and Laura a. Su b.
lett was decided against the Subletts
in the court of common pleas, an appeal
was taken to the supreme court, and on
last Friday that court confirmed the
action of the lower court, which means
the Tindals win the property in dispute,
and Mr.. Subiett is removed an executor
and trustee.
This was one of the most sensational
cases ever heard in Clarendon court,
a case which aroused partisanship and
intense feeling. Both sides had their
warm advocates, but in the immediate
community public sentiment was against
the Subletts from the start. We repro
duce from the Columbia Record, of last
Friday it's announcement Of the decis-
ion, it being the first to publish the
action OF the court:
i decision was handed down in the
supreme court today on Clarendon
county will case of unusual interest.
The case is that Of Helen Tindal, ct
al, against the Rev. Richard A. Sub
lett, a Baptist clergyman, and his wife,
Laura A. Sublett. The contest was over
the possession OF a plantation in Claren-
don county, which, according to the evi-
dence quoted in the opinion, Mr.. Sub
lett induced his aged mother-in-law, SO
years old, to deed to Mrs. Sublett for
$500, payable after the mother-ln-law's
death. without interest, although the
circuit court jury which tried the case
found that the property was worth Sl5.
600. The decision is against Mr.. Sub
lett, the finding of the lower court in-
cluding Mr.. Sublett's removal as eXecu-
tor and trustee.
Among others the following questions
put to the jury at the trial were ans
wered ives" in their verdict:
Twas Mrs. Sarah Tindal THE moth
er-in-law) so enfeebled by old age and
physical infrmities that she did not
have mental capacity sufficient to un-
derstand what she was Going at the
time OF the execution OF the said deed:'
did the defendants exercise undue
influence On Mrs. Sarah Tindal and did
they thereby obtain the execution and
delivery of said deed?"
1t appears from the language OF the
decision that Mr.. Sublett removed to
Texas after marrying Miss Laura Til
dal. and afterward removed to Atlanta,
and falling in his possession as minis
ter 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 60, under the will OF
the elder, Tindal, at Mrs. Sarah Tin
dal's death. A year later Mr.. Sublett
took charge and managed the place as
the agent of Mrs. Sarah Tindal."
''Soon AFTER" the opinion says, son
account of these new and unpleasant re-
latious, Ezra Tindal's widow and her
children left the place." and then on IN
vestigation Mr.. Sublett discovered that
the place never Gid belong to Mr.. Tin
dal, the elder, but was Mrs. Tindal's
from her father, Ezra Allen.
In 1898 Mr.. Sublett prevailed upon his
mother-in-law. it is alleged, to make q
will dividing the place into three equal
parts, one-third to the children of Mary
Rember5, another third to the children
of Ezra Tindal and the remaining third
to Mrs. Sublett, Mr.. Sub]ett being made
executor and trustee, with authority to
sell without advertisement. "Strict Sc
crecy as to this will was enjoyed by f..
A. Sublett." Shortly afterward it is
further alleged, he prevailed upon Mrs.
Tindal TO execute lease to Mrs. Sub
lett for eight years at 500 a year. In
1904 she made the deed of the place re-
ferred tie above and died the following
year, ''tne mortgage being with held
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 prominentpeople. For some time
after giving up resident pastoral work
Mr.. Sublett conducted evangelical meet
ings in different sections of the State.
His sons. Alvah T. Sublett and Hubert
Sublett, were athletic stars during their
career at Furman university and the
former was assigned the position of full
back on nearly every All-Southero foot
ball team chosen during the three sea-
sons he played intercollegiate ball.