The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-24
COURT TO SOLVE
MYSTERY OF WILL
Small Fortune Left by Colored
Huckstcr Claimed by Host
of Relatives.
DOCUMENT DISAPPEAR
Supreme Court to Hear Case in
Hope OF Clearing Away
the Doubt.

Tho State Supreme Cour, of Appeals
yesterday granted the petition OF the
young colored girl, Gertrude Jackson,
VINO claims TO be the sole heir 10 $23.-
900 LETT by William L. Williams, the
negro huckstcr of the second Market,
ana VIII hear the case which was de
cidcd adversely to her BY Judge Grin
nan. in the Chanccry Court. The case.
aside from its unusual iutcros. from
technical standpoint. is as !uli Of
human feeling as any litigation which
mas Decn heard in the supreme court
IN decade. The youmr claimant to
Tue estate Is represented by thv law
firm of Lishtfoot ana Tucker, Mir
fucker being her legal guardian.
me death on April :. 1909 of Will
lam b. Williams at an advanced aye
was the signal tor the appearance of a
small army OF children ana friends.
all clamorimG for II share in tic for
tune, which the old negro had boarded
during his long lifetime Gertrude
jackson. lcft-hunded daughter of tho
huckster, laid claim to the whole Of
INC fortune by virtue OF a will which
she eyes Williams made in her
favor ,hree years before his death
Gould Not he Found.
Nm examination of the huckster's
effects Immediately after his death
ialied 10 bring TO light any sign OF
the Will and in tile absence of any
last testament the court appointed two
curdtors OF the estate, who were to
ascertain its value and look into the
rights OF the nine claimants.
In spite of the allegations In regard
l" the undiscovered Will. Judge Grin
nan after hearing the dispositions of
the various claimants. issued decree
declaring Mary L. Brown. legitimate
daughter OF William Il. Williams, sole
heir To the estate. Tho Jackson uirrs
attorneys immediately noted an appeal.
ana this petition was granted ycstcr-
day.
Since the other contestants were
forced to admit the existence of a
VIII at one time before Wulialns's
death. there seems little room to uucs-
ton the fact that Gertrude Jackson
was for time at leas, tho sole heir
of Williams's estate under law. The
missing VIII. the girls lawyers claim.
was drawn in November. 1905 when
the beneficiary was seventeen years
Old. and bequeathcd to her $1,000 in
cash and ton OF the fifteen houses
which Williams owned. Tho document
VAS drawn by II. NJ. Smith. IN
Rnthcr Complicated Now
The disappcarancc ot the will. with
out any explanation on thu par. o.
the teStator, plUnSes tho matter into
= very complicated condition, even
though the contestants admit tho exc
cution of the VIII. The other ci2h,
claimants base their case on the tact
that though they concede the eXccu-
ton of the will, any will, known TO
have been executed and contents OF
which are proven. last traced TO tho
possession o. the tcstator ana not
found upon search at his death. is pre-
sumed in thc eyes OF the law to have
been destroyed by him with the pur-
pose OF revoking il ON the other
hand. in no very veiicd manner. the
lawyers for Gertrude Jackson hint that
the VIII, the existence and contents
Of when were known by all the rela-
tives. was found AMI destroyed by the
disinheriied relatives immediately at
ter the death OF the old man.
], remains for the supreme Court TO
determine. upon examination OF all the
evidence, whether tn" wiii Was de-
stroycd by the tcstator with the pur-
pose of revoliing IL, or spirited away
by those who Were most likely To
profit by lis disappearance. The orig
inal decree i'll the ease. which Is styled
William Il. WilliHms's curators KS.
Margaret Hewlett G; ais. was issued
by judge Grinnan on February 10.
1912. The claimant who are fighting
tile validity of the will are Walter j.
Williams, Margaret Hewlett. Ellen
Kicker. Ellen Ta!iafcrro, Ida Il. Jack
son. Mary +. Brown and Coleman VIII
iiams, who is now IN the state Peni-
tertiary.