Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-10-13
QUESTIONS ANSWERED.


Some Leg1i Information for Marry Every
jodg Married and Jmcd5ried.
Froa, the Philadelphia Ledger.
The series of articles on wills and
the legal relations of married women,
which has recently appeared in these
columns, has occasioned number OF
questions to be sent TO the Ledger.
Some of these are grouped in the re-
plies given below:
"a married woman, resident in
Pennsylvania" owns several houses,
the rents of which she desires to leave
to her husband for life, so as to be
secure from his present or future cred
itors; after his death she wishes the
property to 20 to another person.
Answer-She can do this by prop
erly drawn will, but the clause which
will secure the income from being at
tached by her husbands creditors
must be carefully drawn BY lawyer.
The form of words which she proposes
is not sufficient. The Ledger cannot
give n long form of will, such as
would be necessary to effect her pur.
pose. She should 20 to n trustworthy
lawyer.
IAN old Subscriber" asks What is
meant By married women's earning ?
Docs it mean that she can claim her
own earnings. and do whatever she
likes with them, and at the same time
the husband will be responsible for
everything, in the broad sense Of the
term Again, il a mans wife lends
money, or buys bonds or property
with money which has been earned by
her and her husband since their mar
riage, cannot he claim such money,
bonds or property, the wife not having
filed her petition p Here are two
questions. To the first we answer that,
il the wife has fled herpetition, under
thc Act Of Assembly. rs set forth in
the article on the earnings 0f Darried
woflpen in the Ledger of August IL,
she claim her, owl Jaarning-s,
thods he husband is refponsible for
the maintenance of the family. If,
however, she contracts debts for neces.
saries and the husband has no means
to pay for them. the tradesmen who
have furnished her with these necessa.
ries can recover the debt from her.
The Law of Necessaries will probably
receive early attention in the Ledger.
Secondly, money earned by the mar
ried pair, and bonds or property
bought with lhat money belong in
general to the husband, especially If
the wife has not filed her petition un.
der the act; but if the money has
been invested or lent in the wife's
name, there is presumption that the
husband has given it to her, and he
must meet that presumption by show
ing that the investments was so made
only for purposes of convenience. A
number of lawsuits have arisen under
such circumstances. 1t must be al
ways remembered that husband may
give TO his wife and a wife to her hus.
band.
"Justice" puts the following case !:
"Mr. c., at his death, leaves a house
and lot by will to each of his daugh.
tiers. After coming into possession Of
her property one of the daughters
marries, but has no children. Can
che make a valid will, and dispose of
the property against the wishes of her
husband. who survives herr"
Answer.-Her husband has life
estate in the house and lot, of which
she cannot deprive him by will but,
after his death, the real estate will 20
TO the person to whom it Is given In
her will. We take II for granted, as
the question is put, that the gift to
the daughter was absolute-not in
trust and not for her life only
IS. ID. H." asks what the Law Is Gin
reference to the disposition Of the
property, real and personal, of . man
who dies iptestate, leaving only his
widow; never having had any chill
dren; and also the same in the case
Of the death Of wife possessed Of
property who leaves only her husband
TO survive her, never having had any
children.
Anawer.-If the intcstate has col
lateral relations, the widow wilI take
one-half Of the real estate for life,
and one-half Of the personal estate
absolutely. The surviving husband