Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-06-09
Curious Wills
From Chambers Journal. ]


,, 7..ter to a beggar by their wills leave cuor-
mops sums - charities to secure for them
,a]yes Kind of posthumous admiration. 9th
j., allow not their presentments to sleep with
.,,o1:, 10 the grave, but leave behind them wills
which excite the bttereSt feelings and animosi-
;iac among their surviving relatives Some
,-iIl3 are remarkable tor their conciseness and
ncrar:cuity: Others for their unprecedented
.,nrpes and curious contents. One man pro-
vide: for a college, auother u cat; one gives a
lacacy 10 provide bread and hcrrings to the
,eoa in Lent, and kid gloves to the minister;
,ha others provide for bull batting, the vel
IRE or maid servants and the promotion Of
r,striYlony. John Hodge has kept his name
crt Of oblivion by giving twenty shillings a
yes tc a. poor iran to 60 about the parish
e,c?ol OF i'rysall during sermon times, to
:.faD people awake, and dogs out of the church.
:Eenrv Greene, OF Melbourne, Devyshirc,
csc ais property Tor providing for green waist
,oais ior Jour poor women every year, such
,.i,:ccats 10 be lined with green galloon lace.
one Nicholson, SJatlonar, OF London, was
e aytacned to his family name that tie bulk of
=, property was given in charity for the sup
rel ard maintenance Of such poor persons in
'.reana as should appear to be of the name of
:.i5a0!sOn.
lsvi3 yIartirlett, Of Calcutta, while giving
jecOns 10 his executor, says: 'As to this
:r!corle ca7cSse having already seen enough of
.,Cidy p0mp, | desire nothing relative to it
&c 5s cone only its being slowed away in my
o.; Green chest to save expense. he then
tecreatheG to one man all the debts he owed,
sr{ tc another his sincerity. .....
l.. Lancashire gentleman, in the last century
l?.!ng given his body to the worms of the
:sri!y vault, bequeathed an ounce OF modesty
10 he authors Of the Loadon Journal and Free
E-;.iton, giving as his reasons for the smaness
{" tle legacy, that he was convinced tha, an
cllce will be found more than they'll ever
mc::::e cse Of y - .aat
mother testator, after having stated at
gc3tt length in his will the number OF oblga-
:.:oas be vas under, bequeathed to his benefac-
;cs c2 thousand there the leaf turned over,
:pA the legatee turning to the other side, found
ne legacy was Ten thousand thanks.
:. iesta:oi .sno evidently intended to thwart
...s s2e ,Gas, anl. be benetactor to the lawyers
7e": e certain persons "as many acres OF land
e srs: Jc Ho1ud equal to the area enclosed by
ne :aaue o. oscillation OF the earth in revo
t;i:oo stcn1G the sun surprising the mean dis
NE .: :ne st:i,, q, 500 semidianeters of the
2n;'. .:rca; <. (: >
...orJ: PEMBROKE gave nothing to Lord Say,
r;;ca legecy i gave him because [ know he
VII 4sstow Il on Il POOR: and then, after
gy.:5 o,na, equally peculiar legacics, ne I'm
'2n2G :7ita Item { give up the ghost - -
ieaa Gwifts character IS excmplltlcd In his
VII; AI:oag other things he bequeathed to
~. :Gh.l Grattan, CT Clonmethan, silver
%, L which !; desire the said John to keep
me tooacco &c usually cheweth called plgtall.
,.sco!a left q will appointing six executors,
5. 10 property except his name and memory
TH:ch lc bcqueathed to mems charitable
s}eecaes, 10 foreign nations and the next
&g25. ---
.ci& Clarendon had nothing to leave his
daughter but MS executor Kindness, and Lord
.,,e;32n LETT neither will of real or personal
e3i:ts 2ehicG him, although he bequeathed
di2 eGanjet: daughter to the beneficence OF his
aou1tiy. .." .., p" ..-.
silica aill was nuncupative- that is by
:oic 81 ncuth-hc being blind at the time he
mcce ;j-;5hakespearc' was made IN regular
'o1!@: 50 Eas Byron's. -..,....-- .--.s .,.t.r
vhe;te:tOn's will was a strange one, corls's-
'lHs ofs mixture OF levity, bitter satire and
4cjEei Despair, announcing a purpose OF SELF
tess:Gc:cr. .".
So:ns :9ills contain kind Of autobiography
.; .le :es:ator, as well as his thougts and
op;a;o2a. Such was the will of Napoleon
rhicc gave & handsome legacy to the wretch
Janti.i;on, 9hc had as much right to assassinate
tx; ciisa1chist, the Duke Of Wellington, as
the later aa1 20 send me to perish on the rock
o;-'t -.eiora.' ..:..a-.-.': =
-:..ccS:?.,.--A case of considerable interest
aa3 1e;caii, occurred in Mississippi 1t was
@rlt &C enforce the delivery Of certain amount
.! 2c,;op, Tor 7hicn payment had been made
in tdcalc1, some time before the close OF the
E&t. :ae pavmcnt having been made in Con-
>;:era;e 'Hreasu:y notes, the defendant refused
10 liEa tie delivery, and set up, among other
'hngS, ,haI the act of secession by the State
G, t:;S2,sGipDi and confederation with other
Hi&,e2 be:rg in violation of the Constitution of
sle J2i;eG Gtatcs, no government was created
9H salp Joni,eGe.acy which could perform any
3i&2!Iag act. Ehc case was tried before Judge
ecisc <. Clayton, of the Sixth judicial Dis
H:c; :: &c o.cered the delivery OF the cotton, or
- .c:'i:aia>3 n Galue. Js--.
~ ir1r0ANT. They say that Stephen
RI. = annlied to the new Collector of the
%, (, i!aG YORK, ;os Office in the following
'9o>t oftaelic effasion: .'... '...
&C ~ 5mythe, Collector of the Port of
,e:" 'crk: Dear Sir-Wiil you have the
i't3es3 AID charity 70 give me an office to
t';b;a nc % gct some pork ard beans, or liv-
=, CT less;h iiy pants, too are in a bad way,
g .2y landlord wants his rent. For God 5
'tA7e &c .eiieve re: If you will, | will attend
orr :@neral (if ,ou die first and fertilize your
a,"ssyy h1i!ior;s nth tears Of gratitude. i re-
.er :c yoar bcsn,n friends Richard B. Connol
~ 'ac --=:enry s. Raymond, for knowledge OF
" character, who are my sacred friends
- creme affection,
STEPHEN Il. BRANCH
.''2u >cSSEr. spite of the declaration
}: 5cCmoa 20 tic contrary, one may always