Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-13
POISON REPORT
STIRS HEIRS IN
CRAWFORDCAS
Grand Jury Action May Follow
Finding of Chemist Of State
Board Of Health.


Continued From Page I.
| cemetery at Carrollton. exhumed the
body and then began the chemical
analysis to which he has just testi-
fed.
Counsel for the contrasting heirs
now intimate that more exhaustive
investigation OF the poison mystery
will probably be made and that in
dictments may be sought before the
Grand Jury.
Joshua B. Crawford was a well
known character in Atlanta for many
years. He was recognized as shrewd
in business deals and close to the last
penny in all financial transactions in
his own and his first wife's name.
He owned $4,000 to 100000 in real
estate and $40, 900 to $4,000 in cash,
notes and other negotiable paper. He
loaned much money and added to his
fortune by demanding every penny of
interest called for in the notes and
mortgages, as well as the full princi-
pal when due. If payment was not
forthcoming he realized on the Sc
curity he invariably required.
Crawford was born in october, 1888.
His first wife, Mrs. Nancy F. Craw
ford, was eight years his junior. She
died early in 1908, at the age OF So
Twelve months later he married
again, his second wife being prob
ably 20 years younger than the first.
Within a month or six weeks after
this marriage he died, at the age OF
75.
Made Wills in 1907.
Crawford and his first wife made
their wills at the same time in 1907.
about a year before she died and two
years before his death. BY her will
he inherited her estate. His will pro-
Vided that I'm the event he survived
his wife the estate should go to the
four minor children of George Craw-
ford, an adopted son, and to c. S.
Crawford a nephew, and Lula Miller,
niece. Following his second mar
riage. a new viii was not made and
the old win was automatically set
aside, she inheriting the property.
A contest was set up by George
Crawford, for his minor children, and
c. s. Crawford and Lula Miller, bene-
ficiaries named in Crawford's will. In
1910 a compromise was reached
whereby property estimated at be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 was carved
out OF the estate for these contest
ants. this being estimated as the val
ne of the Nancy E. Crawford estate
that had descended to Joshua B.
Crawford upon his first wife's death.
But none of that property has yet
come into actual possession of these
heirs, as one legal question after an
other has been raised to keep the es
tate tied up in litigation.
Undue Influence Claimed.
In 1912 THIRTEEN other heirs at law
brothers, sisters nephews and
nieces of Joshua and Nancy Craw-
ord-jointly brought suit to set aside
this settlement, c. S. Crawford being
one Of the number. contending that
his second wife exerted an undue in
fiuence over Crawford while he was
in his dotage of more than three
score and ten years and practically
forced him to marry her, and limiting
at something mysterious in his death
so soon after that marriage. Testi-
mony in that suit Is now being heard
before ]. A. Anderson, acting as au-
ditor of the estate for the court.
The thirteen contesting heirs are NJ.
T. Byrd, Mrs. c. b. Cash, V, A. Pra-
ter, G. u. Crawford, c. w. Walton,
Mrs. r. Adeline Crawford, j. f. Cor
nett, Mrs G. A. Thurmond, Mrs. Fan
ME Cornett, Mrs Mamie Moore. ].
II. Harris, John F. Harris and NJ. c.
Crawford. George Crawford. for his
minor children, and Lula Miller are
fighting this suit with the second Mrs.
Crawford. seeking to sustain the set
Element previously agreed upon.
Mrs Mary Belle Crawford, the sec
ond wife, is a native of Pennsylvania.
She was formerly Mrs. Mary Belle
Savage. She lived at Uniontown and
later at Pittsburg A few years ago
she came South, going to st. Angus
tine. where she opened a boarding
house for winter tourists and health
seekers visiting the Florida city.
Early in 1909 Crawford, accompa-
MED by his niece. Lula Miller, went to
Augustine for his health. They
stopped at Mrs Savage's boarding
house. After a few weeks in St. Au-
gustine, they returned to Atlanta.
Then Crawford confided TO J. ].
Barge, his attorney and named In his
will as executor of his estate, that he
was going to mrary Mrs. Savage just
as soon as she could close out her
business in st. Augustine
Death Followed in Month.
The wedding took place a few days
later. Crawford's death followed
about a month later. His body was
taken to his old home in Carroll
County and was buried beside his first
wife's grave. He had erected a stone
to mark both graves, marking it with
the names of himself and wife, the
dates of birth and the date of his
wife's death, leaving only the date OF
his own death to be added.
The contests over the estate soon
followed and have never ended.