Detroit News, March 25, 1931. Strikes me that the deathbed statement of an atheist should carry more and not less legal weight. The guy was sticking to his godless guns while staring eternity in the face, no? That bespeaks steady character.
Note that the “Negro” appended to Laura Wright’s name is intended to contextualize the whole scene. Had Wilbur not also been black, he would have identified as white. It was journalism’s equivalent to the “one drop” principle.