[I, unfortunately, am not going to take the time to research this one, but there's got to be a story here!]
Philadelphia Inquirer (Pennsylvania)
12 May 1892, pg. 5
(Viewed online at GenealogyBank.)
WILLIAM R. DICKERSON'S DEATH.
The One Aim That He Had in Connection With the Whittaker Will.
William R. Dickerson, whose sudden death was announced yesterday, was the subject on last Sunday of an article in THE INQUIRER telling of his sole aim, as he tottered to the grave, of establishing his innocence of the alleged crime for which he was sentenced to the penitentiary for a period of ten years -- the forgery of the famous Whittaker will.
The old man was 75 years old when he went to prison, and he served six years and six months, the full term, after commutation of three months in each year for good behavior. The purpose he had in view at the time of his death, and for which he was appealing to various members of the Legislature, was the repeal at the next session of the act which made it impossible for him, after his imprisonment, to again appeal the will case to the Supreme Court.
A well known attorney, who had taken a prominent part in the memorable contest on the part of the heirs, said yesterday that there was no doubt whatever of the forgery having been committed. They had traced it link by link until it was so firmly established that there could not be the slightest question of it perpetration.
