Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-06-27
The Danger of Dying Rich

derfakers arc OF sllch a ponder
Gus nature, generally, as to dis
courage a prudent man from
dying. They will eat up a small
competency so that one of mod
crate fortune, not being able to
take his wealth with him be-
yond the grave, will find the
better part following him TO the
brink, and that it is either bu-
ried with him in the shape of
nickel plating, or goes to the
pocket of the man who gives
him fashionable send-off.
Just now the moneycd citi-
Izens Of the Metropolis have adj
ded TO their woes an invitation
of modern civilization thai beats
the undertakes. To Death, as
the King of Terrors Chat gen
.ial old Joker who shuffles and
deals the game of life impair
TALLY to the rich and poor alike),
is added fearful doom to the
dying New York millionaire,
viz, the Surrogate's Court He
may draw his will never so wise
ly; be may provide with impair
tial Justice for all who have or
think they ought 10 have claims
on him for aid; for his church;
for his mother-in-law; the un-
fortunates of his weaknesses;
the profligate son, or the man
who would have ruined him if
he could, or he may die intes-
tate. His estate, under the pres
ent system Of laws in New
York is thrown into the Surro-
gates Court or the Probate
Court, as the case may be.
In support of these rather
general statements we give a
briefsummary of theproceedings
of a recent meeting of the NUM-
cipal Society OF New York, and
some of the statements made on
that occasion. They are espe-
cially interesting to newspaper
men, or any others who are like
ly TO have large fortunes for
post-mortem distribution. I'll
was stated that private estates
were despoiled in the Surro-
gates Office. Under some pre-
text or other, whenever a man
or woman died leaving proper
ty to a sufficient amount to make
it an object for these human yul-
lures, say from 100000 up, a
system had been adopted by |
which most of the property was
absorbed in Office and attor-
ney's fees. OF course in a con-
tested will case this was to be
but it now transpircs
that when there was no con-
test on the part of the heirs,
nor even a will to be probated,
under some preteXt or other the
estate would be held in sns-
pense until it was exhausted.
Mr.. Schultz stated the case of a
prominent leather merchant who
died some years ago leaving an
estate of 100000; that his ex-
ecutors had never yet been able
to get their accounts settled by !
the Surrogate's Court, and that
on some excuse or other more
than twenty lawyers had had
fees or allowances out of the es-
tate. The property of imbe-
Giles or minor heirs does not
stand the ghost Of chance of
ever inuring to the benefit of
its lawful owners. The contes-
ting of wills has been reduced
to system. No man worth a
of dollars who is indis-
Greet enough to die in New
York, but somebody is instiga-
ted to contest his will. Very
recently an estate of a quarter
of million of dollars was en-
tirely absorbed in fees and costs,
and the worthy attorney who
had had the plucking of the
golden plumage caused the
trunk of the widow and heir to
be sold under an execution for
the balance Of his professional
charges.
In one case it was stated that
$500, 900 was left by a will in
such a way that none of the
devisees desired to contest the
disposition of the property made
by the testator. But even that
did not prevent the estate being
thrown into litigation, and now,
after a lapse of five years, it is
still being litigated. So many
cases of similar nature were .
cited as to show that this evil
was the result of a system. 1t
is not confined to New York.
While the pen of Dickens and
he spirit of legal reform had
wiped from the English docket [
Ill the Jarndyce cases, they
nave been increasing at a fear
iul rate in the United States. !