The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-12-09
Some Curious Wills.

Some Curious Wills.
In June, 1928, the London papers re-
corded the singular will of an English
testator named Garland, containing the
following clause: sS
bequeath to my monkey, my dear
and amusing Jacko, the sum of ten pounds
sterling per annum, to be employed for
his sole use and benefit; to my faithful
dog Shock, and my well-beloved cat lib,
pension Of five, pounds sterling; and I
desire that in case of the death of either of
the three the lapsed pension shall pass to
the other two, between whom it is to be
equally divided. On the death of all
three the sum appropriated to this pur-
pose shall become the property of my
daughter Gertrude, to whom l give this
preference among my children because of
the large family she has, and the difficulty
she finds in bringing them up"
It has been remarked that testators often
speak their minds freely Of others and
wives have not escaped the aspersions
which are sometimes contained in a will.
The ills and jars of domestic life may
have borne 50 heavily on man during his
lifetime that they are wildly and pain.
fully remembered at its close, when he is
about to make his last declaration. Then,
if he could never during lifetime have the
final word, he certainly thinks at last he
has found an occasion to deprive his wife
Of her inalienable, prescriptive right, and
turn the scale in his own favor. A man,
at such time, has been known to call his
wife Jealous, disatfectionate, calumnious,
reproachful, censorious," in his will, and
perpetuate his wife's "unprovoked and
unjustitiable fits of passion, violence and
cruelty"
A person dying in London, 1901, pro-
vides for his wife as follows:
"Seeing that have had the misfortune
to be married to the aforesaid Elizabeth,
who ever since our union has tormented
me in every possible way; that, not con-
tent with making game OF all my re-
monstrances, she has done all she could
to render my life miserable; that Heaven
seems to have sent her into the world sole
~ to drive me out of it; that the strength
Of Samson, the genius of Homer, the. pru-
dence of Augustus, the skill of Pyrrhus,
the patience of Job, the philosophy of Soc
rates, the subtlety of Hannibal, the Wig
lance of Hermogenes, would not suffice
to subdue the perversity of her character
that no power on earth can change her,
seeing that we have lived apart during the
last eight years, and that the only result
has been the ruin of my son, whom she
has corrupted and estranged from me
weighing maturely and seriously all these
considerations, have bequeathed, and 1
bequeath, to my said wife the sum of one
shilling, to be paid unto her within six
months after my death"
But the joys, the tender experiences, the
mutual good will and affection of conju.
gal life are not less sometimes happily
remembered and lovingly mentioned. Mr.
Sharon Turner, the eminent author Of
"The History of the glo-Saxons' and
other works, who died in 1S47, delights
thus to speak of his wife who was dead
lit is my comfort to have remembered
that have passed with her nearly forty
nine years Of unabated affection and con.
ing, as l earnestly hope, under her Sa
None Of the portraits of my be.
loved wife give any adequate represents
ton of her beautiful face, nor of the sweet
and intellectual expression of her living
features and general countenance and
character"
The care of testators in regard to theil
wives is very frequently evinced in will
with respect to some prohibition of mar
riage, whether out of consideration fol-
the happiness of the widow or of the
probable husband might be conjectured
This restraint is allowed by the law ir
this case because of the interest which {
man has in his wife remaining a widow
But what is sauce for the goose is no
sauce for the gander in this instance, fol
wife has not the same privilege in pro
hibiting her husband remarrving.
Husbands have exercised this right TO
long time and courts have supported it
Walter Frampton, Mayor of Bristol, wht
died on Dec. 6, 1888, left his wife a very
large property, but with this strict injunc
ton:
"Item: desire that in case the sal;
Isabella shall remarry, and this matte
can be proved, my executors shall con
slider themselves bound to withhold from
the aforesaid Isabella all the aforesaid
legacies and shall expel her from all par
ticipation therein forever, making tripl
proclamation of the same by sound 0
trumpet at the high Cross
An instance of remarkable case of thi
sort occurred in Pennsylvania and is re
ported in the tenth volume of "the Penn
sylvania State Reports" under the head o
J Commonwealth rs. Stauffer," p. $50
The case was brought before the court il
connection with the will Of Mr.. William
Geigley. The testator thus provided IN
clause of his will:
81 will and bequeath to my loving wife
Susan Geigley, all my real and persona
estate that l am possessed of with
few exceptions that will afterward be
queath to my brother George), provided
my wife remains widow during he
life. But, in case she should marry again
my will is she then shall leave the prem
Uses, and receive all the money and prop
erty she had of her own, or that / re
ceived of hers. 1t is my will and de
sire that, if my wife remains a widow dur
ing her life on the premises, after he
death all the money or property that 90
or had of my wife's shall be paid to he
friends whomsoever she wills it to; ant
all the property belonging to me as IN,
own at my death mot including my wife
part) will and bequeath to my fathe
and mother, if living. But, if they ar
both deceased, my will is that my brothe
George Geigley and my sister Catharin
Geigley shall have the whole Of that par
or share that was my own, to them, thel
heirs and assigns forever"
The wife married again, as would
very probable, and the surplus Of the rea
estate went to the neutrality-suspicious..
Journal.
Fox.Hunting In North Carolina.