The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-07-17
CONTESTING MATHESON WILL.
Heir Seeks to Set Aside Will of
Wealthy Marlboro Planter
and Banker.
Pee Dee Advocate


brought by Julian ]. Matheson to sci
aside and declare null and void the
will of his father, the late A. J.
Matheson. There is an imposing ar
ray of counsel. The following law
yers were present, representing ]. J.
Matheson: Judge C. P. Townsend, T.
1. Rogers, S. S. Tison and ]. j. Ev-
ans, ofthe local bar; D. w. Robin
son and A. M. Lumpkin, of Colum-
bia. The heirs who are defending
the will are represented by D. D. Nc
Coll and w. M. Stevenson, Of Ben
nettsville, and Fred Wilcox, of Flor
ence.
H. J. Riley represents Thornwell
orphanage, which will be entitled to
j. j. Matheson's share Of the estate
II he fails in his effort to break the
will.
Court stenographer J. P. iKilgo is
taking the testimony.
Evidence was taken all day Tues
day and yesterday, and has not yet
been concluded. Mr.. Robinson ex-
amines the witnesses for one side,
and Mr.. McColl for the other.
The first witnesses were the wit
nesses to the will.
]. w. LeGrand testified that Mr..
Matheson saw him On the street and
said he wanted him to have the hon
or of witnessing his will. They went
into the bank building, where Mr..
Matheson signed it and it was wit
messed by Mr.. LeGrand, A. H. Odom
and G. w. Freeman. w. M. Steven
son was present. Mr.. Matheson's
mind seemed to be good and capable
of making a will.
A. H. Odom, county auditor, tes-
titled that Mr.. Matheson came to him
and j. w. LeGrand on the street,
near the Planters bank, and asked
them to come in and witness his will.
That Mr.. Matheson said: "Mr. Stew
enson has been working On it and
has got 1t like I want it," He SEEM
ed to be competent to attend to it. I
witnessed the will. Not long before
that he made his tax returns in his
own handwriting. His mind did not
seem as good after his illness as be-
fore.
G. w. Freeman, another witness of
the will, said that he had been asso-
ciated with Mr.. Matheson over 20
years. When he signed the will
think he knew what he was doing
His mental condition seemed tn be
good. Something was said about
Mr.. Stevenson witnessing the will.
Mr.. Matheson said he could not wit
ness it, as he would get something
through it. Mr.. Matheson said he
had made wills before and said they
would be the last, but this would be
the last. helped him prepare two
scratch out and interline his old will
and have me copy it. Mr.. Matheson
had strong will power. 1 saw no evil
dence of his being unduly influenced
by A. D. Mateson. In the wills I
wrote I remember that he gave Lou
don plantation to Deems and Egypt
to Kenneth. Mr.. Matheson had a
stroke in February 1917. Part of
the time after that he refused to
take salary as president of the bank,
as he said he was away some of the
time and not able to do much at the
bank. In the meantime I handel
most of the business of the bank, and
Deems looked after his other busi-
ness. He had Deems to do most Of
his calculating. Before his stroke he
usually had his bookkeeper to do his
calculating. After the stroke he was
not as strong as before. l could not
see much change in his mental con-
dition, 1 heard him say his memory
was not as good as it used to be. He
was buying and selling cotton seed
and attending TO other business up
to the time of his death. He had an
active account at the bank. He had
building operations which he looked
after himself. He also operated a
mercantile business.
DR.. w. ]. Crosland testified that
he was called to see Mr.. Matheson
when he had the stroke about 18
months before his death. He had
hardening of the arteries. That con-
dition usually weakens the body and
mind. 1t sometimes causes a mental
lapse. People usually become more
emotional. They sometimes become
more stubborn, or harder to do any
thing with.
I visited Mr.. Matheson only a few
days after his stroke. After that l
talked with him about buying some
lots from him. thought the price
was too high and did not buy them.
Not very long before his death he
came to my office and tried to sell
me some lots. ! found that John
Adams wanted them, and did not
buy them. He sold them to Mr.. Ad-
ans. He offered me- the residence
now occupied by DR.. May for $40 900
just before he conveyed it to his
daughter, Mrs. May.
Mr.. Matheson seemed to be man
of strong constitution and good hab-
its. In telling of the general effects
of arterial hardening, I did not mean
to apply them to Mr.. Matheson. In
reading over his will, I think Mr..
Matheson's estimates of his property
was too high. 1t all seemed to be in
flated about alike, so far as I know
the property. He generally placed
high values on property. The last
time he talked to me on business, he