William Young, “a principal creditor and administrator" of the late Willis Newman's estate, states that, when Newman married Catharine Edwards, the latter brought "a considerable real & personal estate for life & some property in her own right," all of which became Newman’s property by virtue of his “marital rights.” Young contends that, “upon the faith of this property,” various persons were “induced” to extend considerable credit to Newman. At the time of his death, Newman was in fact “entirely insolvent & to such an extent that no one but a creditor would accept administration of his estate.” Young explains that, prior to her marriage to Newman, Catharine had two judgments against her, one of which was in favor of Lewis Pressley. In order to satisfy the judgment, the sheriff seized one of Catharine's slaves, sold him, and kept the money. Young charges, however, that the judgment was fraudulently obtained by compelling Catharine to sign a paper that she did not understand. Moreover, the judgment was taken for an amount largely exceeding the debt, for which Catharine was only the security. According to Young, Pressley was in fact indebted to Catharine. Furthermore, in 1837, Pressley received several bales of cotton “raised by Willis Newman” with the labor of Catharine’s slaves. Young charges that the cotton was also obtained by “persuasion & abuse of the process of Law.” Young, seeking to recover his debts from Newman’s estate, prays that the sheriff be enjoined from using the proceeds of the sale of Catharine’s slave to satisfy the questionable judgment against her and that the said judgment be declared null and void. He also asks that Pressley be directed to account for the bales of cotton.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
