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Arguments to Courts and Juries, 1846-1874
Arguments to Courts and Juries 1846-1874 Author:William Johnston This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1887 Excerpt: ... Martha E. Piatt, Executrix, vs. John H. Piatt et al. KENTUCKY COURT OF APPEALS. Before Stites, G. J., Duvall, Wood aid Peters, Judges, At ... more »Frankfort, Kv., A. D. 1800. Appeal from Boone Circuit Court. RELIGIOUS MONOMANIA: UNDUE INFLUENCE. PRELIMINARY STATEMENT. Jacob Wykoff Piatt, Esq., died at his residence, Federal Hall, Boone county, Kentucky, on the 28th day of May, 1857, aged fifty-six, leaving a Will, which made some discrimination among his children in the distribution of his property. The bulk of his estate was bequeathed and devised to his seven young children by his last wife. He and his family were Roman Catholies, except his son by his second wife. This Will was contested in the Cireuit Court of Boone county, which county had but few Catholic inhabitants at the time. The chief ground of contest was, that Mr. Piatt's mind was affected by religious monomania, causing him to discriminate against his Protestant son, although he, as well, discriminated against his eldest Catholic daughter. This daughter had inherited some property from her mother; whilst the son was a young lawyer, to whom, as far as practicable, he had transferred his law business in Cincinnati upon retiring from the Bar. The contestants clearly relied for success upon the sectarian prejudices of the people of Boone county. This was evident from their management of the case; and was justified by the result. The contest was conducted by Hon. Humphrey Marshall and Hon. John W. Stevenson, of Kentucky, and Nicholas ITeadington, Esq., of Cincinnati, and the defense, by Judge Johnston and Robert W. Carroll, of Cincinnati, and V. T. Chambers, Esq., of Kentucky. Two trials were had before juries. At the first, the jury disagreed. At the second, counsel for the executrix, realizing with moral ...« less