The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-06-23
THE STEWART CASE.

of w. A.Stewart, Makes State
ment in Regard to Godwins
Treatment of Her and Her
Children.
To The Voters of the Sixth District:
I feel it my duty to let the
people of the sixth congressional
district know the true facts IN
regard the matter Of my deceas-
ed husband. ". A. Stewart
After his death Mr.. H. e. Nc
Neil came to me with will that
my husband had written about
nine years prior TO his death. and
wanted to go and put it on re-
cord the day after he was buried,
but on account of witnesses to
the will not being ready to go to
the court house that day he had
to wait until the following day.
This will. | thought, had been
destroyed, as my husband told
me that he was going to tear 1t
up as he had changed his mind
since he had made the will, and
| am very sorry that | did let it
90 on record if l could have pre-
vented it.
| asked Mr.. Mcneil not to en-
ploy the firm of Goodwin &Towns-
end, the senior partner being H.
L. Goodwin, as my husband had
expressed his feelings to me
about Mr.. Goodwin in regard to
his treating some orphan child
rem very badly. This case is the
case of Parker vs. Goodwin, Will 1
the Supreme Court ruled on re-
Gently, and is a matter of court
record and open for public in
spection. Mr.. Goodwin claimed he
had obtained a contract for a
town lot from a Mr.. Tart, who is
of unsound mind, and who has
been in the asylum twice. This
contract, which was written on
a piece of wrapping paper, and
had no witnesses, and MIR. Cod
win claim. ed it on this contract,
and held it until the guardi-
an of the children of this insane
man, Mr.. Troy Parker, took lega
action, and deposed Mr.. Goodwin,
and gave the land back to its
rightful owners. This was my
reason for not wishing Mr.. God.
win to interfere in the affairs OF
my orphan children. However,
Mr.. McNeill did not listen to my
objections, and told me later
that he had employed the firm OF
Goodwin & Townsend, and Mr.
K. L. Goodwin, who is a brother
OF Mr.. H. L. Goodwin.
The case was tried, and the ju
ry rendered a verdict of $35, 32O.
This verdict was brought in OF
Saturday morning, and court ad
journed until the following Mon
day. While we were at the de
pot waiting for the train to taxi
us home, Mr.. H. L. Goodwin cam,
to me and said he had told tn
judge that he would not conside
a compromise under any circum
stances, as he believed the jury
had not given too much. | di
not go back to court the follow
ing Monday, and on Tuesda
night Messrs. H. L. Goodwin an
the other two lawyers, and Mr.
McNeill came from the cour
house and said they wanted t
compromise the case. | told ther
| did not care to do that, as
felt sure we could get what tn
court had given, but told thel
that if the R. R. Co. would pa
$3.50, 900 l would consider it. The
left me the next day and con
promised it for $25, 900 withou
saying anything about it to m
The money was to be paid M
McNeill at once, ~
1t then developed that MI
McNeill was to give the lawye
one-fourth of the amount-$G
500. Mr.. McNeill had told n
that the lawyers were not goir
to charge very much, and tn
he had hired them straight GU
and were not to get a per cent
and l asked him two or thr
times how much they were
get. and he would always refu
to tell me. This was the W.
the case was conducted. Tn
would not let me or any Of r
family know but little abe
what they were doing, and to
every advantage of me and I
three little chilren they could.
The records of Harnett a
Cumberland counties show tt
Mr.. McNeill never settled a
estate for which he was exec
tor, he being executor of t
estates, one in Cumberland 2