A feeble effort was made to throw doubt upon the genuineness
of the document; but the oath of the witnesses to the signature of
Captain Alien settled the question beyond the reach of cavil, and
the executors under the first will were ordered to transfer, by a
certain date, all property belonging to the estate into our hands.
I saw plainly enough, from the beginning, that the idea of giving an
account of their stewardship was not an agreeable one to either of
the executors under the old will. The direction which the property
must take was one that would not admit of any holding back or
covering up on their part. They would be required to exhibit clean
hands.
The property clearly shown as having passed into their possession,
was the old mansion and valuable grounds, which had been sold, under
an order of the court, at a heavy sacrifice--bringing only
thirty-five thousand dollars, instead of sixty thousand, its real
value--and the proceeds re-invested. Then there was other town
property worth twenty thousand dollars, and stocks valued at as much
more: making seventy-five thousand dollars in all as the principal.
Pages:
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315