This picture naming the man as Charles L. Crawford was in The Atlanta Constitution 17 July 1913, indicating that he was a nephew of Joshua B. Crawford, and was leading the civil fight against Joshua's widow, Mary Belle (Savage) Crawford. He had had Joshua's body exhumed because he suspected that his uncle had been murdered by his wife for his money. Joshua's stomach revealed traces of morphine, which seemed to confirm his suspicions, and which persuaded him to take out a criminal warrant against the widow, Mrs. Joshua B. (Mary Belle Savage) Crawford.
Note: Within the newspaper article, the man's name was given as Charles Z. Crawford, instead of Charles L. Crawford as given in the title.
Others who had joined in the suit against Mary Belle were C. C. Crawford, Wm Crawford, L. J. Crawford, James J. Crawford, Mrs. S. A. Billingsly, Mrs. T. H. Cornett, John F. Harris, and James Harris.
Proceedings against Mary Belle stopped after a doctor testified that he had been the one who administered morphine to Mr. Crawford, in an attempt to remedy his condition [which was a practice commonly used in those days].
Further research indicates that Charles's real name was Charity Z. Crawford, and that he was born in 1859 in Georgia, the son of Walter or Wilson L. and Artimissa aka Artenancy W. Crawford. Walter aka Wilson was Joshua's brother. Angela Mitchell wrote me that Walter's name on his death certificate was Lem Crawford, which would account for his middle initial above, believed to be for Lemuel.
What were the full names of the other above litigants and who were their parents?
