Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-08
Miss Lizzie H. Carroll, Con6den-
tiaI Secretary Of the Noted
Georgian, Is Awarded Bulk of
Fortune by Chattanooga Court.
Death Plays Unusual Part in the
Famous Litigation, as Seven
Prominent Figures in the Case
Pass Away Since Its Beginning.

CHATTANOOGA, Feb. Miss Liz
lie Fl Carroll, for 20 years stenog-
.apher and confidential secretary of
he late Colonel Tomlinson Fort, law
yer. Confederate veteran and scion of
he famous Fort family of Georgia,
.o-day was awarded the greater part
If his 100000, by decision of Chan
,ellor Mcconnell, after a bitter con-
est by the Fort heirs to set aside
mysterious will or deed of gift, al
eyed to have been written in Atlanta
On November 5, 1910.
The hearing of the contest had been
n progress for two weeks before
Chancellor Mcconnell. At the con-
fusion of the argument this after
.oon. Chancellor Mcconnell an
bounced his decision, in favor of Miss
Carroll, sustaining her petition to set
iside a compromise settlement with
he heirs made in the summer of
911 and allowing her to claim the bulk
of the estate under the Atlanta deed.
The compromise had been made I'M
der deed a gift dated June 25, 1910.
Deed Sent in Mystery.
The Atlanta deed turned up about
six months after this compromise had
been entered into. Miss CARROTS
counsel claimed it came to her anon
vnously, accompanied by note
that the sender had taken it off Col
onel Forts body at the time of his
death for a specific purpose and that
purpose had been accomplished with
IN the year he had kept the paper.
The hand of death seems to have
reached out to claim those involved in
r degree of prominence in the circum-
stances surrounding the battle 70.
possession of the Fort estate.
The hearing, in progress for the
past two weeks in the Chancery Court
here, was halted a day for the fu-
neral Of the seventh victim of the
death spell, whose end came unex-
pectedly in the midst of the trial.
Each one of the seven to die had been
person of prominence either in
chattanooga or Atlanta.
Fight on for Two Years.
The fight for the Fort estate has
oeen between Miss Carroll, on the
one side and the brother, sisters,
7ephews and nieces Of the dead law
'ess for more than two years, having
Begun a year after Colonel Fort was
stricken down in his law Office here
IN December, 1910, and seevral
months after the heirs had effected
q settlement with Miss Carroll
The death spell that overshadows
mis- litigation had it's beginning early
Tn 1910, when julius Brown, brother
Of form er Governor Joseph NJ. Brown
and husband of Colonel Forts sister,
Mrs Frances Fort Brown, died in At
anita.
Colonel Fort, representing his sis
ler went to Atlanta in November,
80. 10 bring about a settlement or
he julius Brown estate, conducting
The legal negotiations with former
Governor Joseph NJ. Terrell, as coun-
sci for Governor Brown, the admin
lSirator. This was just about the
me Governor lefrell became Oulleu
states Senator, following the death of
senator A. s. Clay in Atlanta
The next month Colonel Fort, while
tpparently in his usual vigorous
.ealth was fatally stricken a few
minutes after he had reached his Of
nee, He died before he could be re-
moved to a hospital or home
Senator Terrell Dies Next.
lust a few weeks later early in
.9ll, Senator Terrell was stricken
WITH paralysis in Washington. He
never recovered and his death, two
ears later, was attributed to that
stroke
soon after Miss Carroll began her
HsAt to secure the estate under the
lIsterious deed. Colonel Robert
'rtchard, her leading counsel, was
stricken in the Chattanooga postoff1ce
and died in much the same manner
did Colonel Fort
Miss CAROLS suit was brought
3inst Miss Kate Fort Ell al. Miss
FORT being sister of the dead law
N'r Less than a month ago and but
Few DAYS before the present hearing
n'ssn, Miss Fort died Unexpectedly
TIE last death came during the
i'al. when General Xenophon Wheel