Daily Commercial Herald clipping

Wilford H. Smith, of Greenville, was arrested in September, 1890, but waived preliminary hearing. He was charged with presenting a false claim for Jane Estell, alias Morris, as the widow of Chas. Estell, and of forging at least three papers in support of this claim. The evidence tended to show that Jane was not in fact the lawful widow of Charles Estell, and that Jos. G. Marshall, colored, circuit clerk of Greenville, had repeatedly attached his jurat to so-called affidavits in cases where the parties never in fact appeared before him. Marshall, being very ill at the time these facts were discovered, was not arrested and soon after died. At the January term of court no indictment was returned by the grand jury against Smith.

John Estell, of Greenville, Miss., was arrested at the same time with Smith for complicity in presenting the fraudulent pension claim of Jane Estell, but no indictment has as yet been returned against him.

A civil action against Wilford H. Smith and John Estell was also began in the January court to recover the sum of $2,833.36, fraudulently obtained in the name of Jane Estell, and on January 28th judgment was rendered in favor of the United States for the full amount claimed, a part of which, at least, will be recovered.