The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-01-16
SIDELIGHTS ON
HINTON CASE
Verdict Revives Hopes of Diss.
appointed Heirs of the Late
D. B. Bradford

\ verdict Tor the caVeatoTS IN
the Hinton Will Case in the Su-
perior Court in this county last
week brings close to an end one
of the hardest fought suits ever
docketed in Pasquotank county.
This was the third trial of the
case, two previous trials having
resulted in 1nistrlals.
In reaching verdict the jury answer
ed two significant questions in the affir-
native. The first, was the late John
Louis Hinton mentally incapable and ir-
Irresponsible when he made the will. The
second. was he influenced by his sons
in the making of his will? The jury
concluded from the evidence that old
man Hinton was not responsible for his
| acts and that his will was influenced
by those sons who inherited the bulk
lof his estate.
/ The case now goes to Supreme Court.
The higher tribunal is confidently ex-
ipected to affirm the decision of the
lower court.
The caveators are Mrs. Ada V. White
hurst and Mrs. Florence Nosay, of
South Mills, and Mrs. J. G. Morgan, OF
Elizabeth City. These are the children
of the late John Cleveland Hinton and
grandchildren of the late John Louis
Hinton. When John Louis Hinton, an
leccentric and miserly old fellow died In
1910 leaving an estate worth $5OO,OOI
Ito S1.OOO,OOO. he made no provision fol
the heirs of his son John Cleveland Hin
ton. His will also failed to provide fol
a son. Emerson Hinton, who was in al
insane asylum at-the time the will wa!
made and who later died.
The bulk of the Hinton estate fell tt
the sons r. L. Hinton, E. V. Hinton
w. f. Hinton. G. L. Hinton and
daughter. Mrs Ida V. Sawyer. Thes
!, beneficiaries are alleged to have show
little concern for the children of thei
deceased brother John Cleveland Hin
!, ton. who had been disinherited. Still
the impression prevailed that dea
mans wishes should be respected an
able lawyers SHE'D at suggestions o
breaking the will.
But in 1918 young lawyer by tn
name of Riley G. Dozier. fresh out G
Wake Forest College. agreed to tak
: the case and try to set the Will ASIA
Young Dozier was only "A years old an
- he was struggling to get along IN n
native village. South Mills II mils
from Elizabeth City. But in the voc'
bulary of this youngster there was I
s,1ch word as fail. He tackled the cas-
,s. and entered suit. Then he came up
-, Elizabeth City and employed Ehrlnghal
}. e. Small and Meekins & Mcmillan
help him out. All the time' he stage
uretty much i'll the back ground, D'
20 when the case came to trlal tnat !oui
:. LAWYER had recently had nearly hu,
dred witnesses first and last ana the
wasn't a detail of the eccentric care
st of old man John Louis Hinton left u
II. covered. The older lawyers in the ca
rs say that young Dozier displayed anna
fd ing ability in preparing the case and sc
as ting the stage for the lawyers who q
'' the talking.
There is much speculation as to t
true extent of the John Louis Hint
estate. Some estimate it a million d'
lars. Others fear that less than hi
~. a million can be found when the sh'
- down comes 1t is pointed out that {
=, Hinton business block, the Hinton
- rage and the Alkrama Theatre bulldln
in Elizabeth City are not part OF t
- estate. the Hinton Brothers having
-. ouired the sites of these buildings
deeds from their mother. Were the
handsome properties included the
vii tate of the late John Louis HINT
49,, would exceed a million dollars.
I'M The verdict in the Hinton case
m viewed with peculiar satisfaction by
torneys who will seek to set aside
will of the late D. B. Bradford "
,2O shocked and disappointed an army
of heirs about a year ago by dying
leaving the bulk of his estate to yot
,,,;fo 70 whom had been married only
. wear.