The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-05

DISPVTAD sWIld-THE CONSEQUENCES OF
PRESCRIBING FOR A BROTHERS. NOSE
Wslips14 x@A4 Haps s~4 .a~qihr.-This case,
which was keard on Thursday in the Prerogative
Court wss bshiness Of proving in solemn form the
last will Of NJ. Edward Hope BY the Rev Henry
Wellesley, Ne universal lesatee, against Mr.. James
Joseph Hops Vera, the hro&her, and the Hon. Jane
Knox IL sister Of tbs dpccased the only next Of Kin.
The tesatpr died On the lfh Of November, 1896, at
the age Of a. leaving property OF the value OF about
<12, 900. Tho paper in question y dated London,
August Is, l602,," and is to the following effect
I" In the nape Of God, Amen, Edward Hope, do
leave and hsqueath evary thing possess under the
sun to Henry Wenesiey, younger son Of the Mar.
quis OF Wellesley who u brother 10 the Duke OF
Wellington"
The paper Is in the deceaseds handwriting, but is
not signed at the end attested will of the de-
ceased, dated July "a, 1885, bequoathing the entire
property to the Rev Mr.. Wellesley, with the excep
ton of E3 1000 to the deceaseds servant Louisa God
dard has boon set aside on the ground Of insanity
DIR. Haggard and DR.. Hurdlng argued against the
validity Of tho paper that the contents bore marks OF
haste, impulse and eccentrcity that it was informal,
being without signature that it was an inoflcious
will, giving the whole property to stranger to the
total disinherison of the next of kin, and that the
Court had account of It's place Of deposite during
the long period between its date and the death Of the
deceased On the contrary, the disposition was not
natural one and the Court had before it the follow
ing letter from the deceased to his sister, Mrs. knox,
referring to supposed complaint IN his nose, which
was at least eccentric;
sMy dear janet send you this letter for the pdr-
pose Of bestowing upon you my most hearty maledc-
ton and curse About two years ago you were reg
ularly consulted by me relative to disorder In my
nose, you gave your advice, and acted in conse-
quence. applied medicines to it, by my apotheca-
RES advice that had the consequence Of nuring it In
most dreadful manner, made it intolerable to my
self, and odious to look at Why, then, did you moi
sound the alarm when you saw was injurng it
And if you did not perceive it, how comes that about
when all my other friends did, and remarked It to mel
Look to the consequence--my fortune and prospects
are ruined for life, as can neither stoop to read
or write without pain consequently, the law and
everything else Is put end to! for could neither
even beA secretary Of state ambassador NOR any thing
else that requires writing.
put it to you, therefore, how you absolve yourself
to God and your own conscience for letting your
nearest relations 60 to ruin before your eyesi You
have already told me once that you saw no change
take place. Task you, then, in Gods name, why are
you blind to the most important things in life But
remember very well it was always said that moth
ing made the least impression upon you; and be-
lieve from my soul now, that it is the case. fully
believe-for have already seen it-that the gossa'
mer and trash of this life are the only things you
care for All this may be severe, but consider Il
! my duty to write t''
| This letter was dated the 18th of February 1892
six months before the date of the paper in question
Sir III. Jenner was of opinion that it had been suf
ciently proved not only that this was the will Of Mr.
Edward Hope, but that he intended to do nothing
more to render it operative, and that there was nc
proof that he was Of unsound mind. He was bound
therefore, to decree administration with the paper
annexed, to the Rev. Henry Wellesley, the univer
sal legatee.