Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-01-28
The opening Of Girnrd,s VIII.

The January number of the North
american Rsoiel0 contains an interesting
article on Stephen Girsrd and his college,
in which the following graphic account is
given Of wnst took place when his Will
was read, The people of Philadelphia will
| be amused to learn how his "afectionate
relatives" received the intelligence that he
had given his estate to the orphans and
| the poor instead of to them: Death hav-
ing dissolved the powerful spell of pres
ence which few men had been able to re-
sist, it was to be seen how far his VIII
would be obeyed, now that he was no long
er able, personally, to enforce it. The old
man lay dead in his house on Water street.
While the public, out of doors, were curl
GUS enough to learn what he had done
with his money, there was smaller num-
Der within the house, the kindred of the
deceased, in whom the curiosity ragged like
mania. They invaded the cellars of the
house by bringing up bottles of the old
mans choice wine, and kept up a continu-
al csrouse. Surrounding Mr.. Duane, who
had been present at Mr.. Girard's death
and remained to direct his funeral, thew
demanded to know if there was q Will
To silence their indecent clamor he told
them that there was, and that he was one
of the executors. On hearing this, the de-
sire to know its contents rose almost to
fury. In vain the executors reminded them
that decency required that the Will should
not be opened till sfier the fuI eral. They
even threatened legal proceedings if the
VIII was not instantly produced; and, at
length, to avoid public scandal, the ex-
ecutors consented to have it read. These
sffcctionste relatives being assembled in
parlor of the house in which the body of
the benefactor lay, the VIII was taken
from the iron safe by enc Of the e1scu-
tors.
When he had opened it, and was about
to begin to read, he chaneed to look over
the top of the document at the company
seated before him. No artist that ever held
a brush could depict the passion of curios- |
itv, the frenzy of expectation, expressed in |
that group of psllid faces. Every individ- !
ual among them expected to leave the |
apartment the conscious possessor of mil |
lions for no one had dreamed Of the |
of his leaving the bulk of his |
estate to the public. If they had ever
heard of his saying that no one should be
\ gentleman upon his money, tEey had |
forgotten to disbelieve it.
The opening paragraphs Of the Will sll
tended to confirm their hopes, since the be-
quests of existing institutions were of small
amount. But the reader soon reached the
part of the will which assigned to ladies
and gentldmen present such trihing sums
IS five thousand dollars, ten thousand dol
ars, twenty thousand dollars and he sr-
lived ere long at the sections which dis
posed of millions for the benefit of great
.ities and poor children. Someof them
made not the slightest attempt to conceal
heir disappointment and disgust. Men !
we're there who had married with view ,
% share the wealth of Girsrd, and ; .ad
oeen waiting for years for his death. Wo-
men were there who had looked tr that
went as the beginning of their 81 ,iovrnent
# life. The imagination of the yaodor
must supply the details of 'scepe wbicb
Te might think dishonored hr rman nature
f we could believe that hu,. nan nature was
meant to be subjected to such strain.