The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-07-26

CuRIoSITiES OF WILLS.
Rules TINT IRE N0s Generally Known
Strange Conditions Imposed.


Two journals of year past have men.
toned an extraordinary number of queer or
contested wills. Are people becoming more
disposed to draw their own wills without EN-.
ploying lawyers? There is no reason why
any one should not draw will who has fair
business-lke ability to write out the gifts
common sense suggests that the paper ought
to be headed as will, and it is not Difficult,
10 learn by inquiry how many witnesses are
required in the particular State this, by the
way, is the State where the testator resides
Cat his death) a will drawn for man ON
journey should follow the law of the stnte
whore he has his home. Neither bad GRIM.
mar nor misspelling in the body of win VI.
tates it If the judges can understand what
9ue' fistreii fiiefsaH rfs q 49,
Wills having nearly every important word
misspelleG and almost destitute of punetaa.
ton have been accepted. Maine papers soy
that court has lately taken proof of n win
made in pantomine by a man who was deaf
and dumb and could not write or use the
manual alphabet Bnt mistakes which oh
scure the meaning make trouble. story
last summer was that Mr.. Matthew yassar,
when drawing his own will, meant to leave
$1,000 TO seven churches. e., 81, 900
apiece-but in copying his rough draft be
inadvertently inserted the word euch,n Civ
ing the churches So, 200 each, or $i9,Ge0 in
all. The general rule as to mistakes is that
il the win is lucid end ineligible and can be
carried into effect as it reads, this must be
done; the language cannct be altered be
cause witnesses say that tho testator meant
something different from what he wrote
But il what Is written cannot be performed,
he courts will then take proof of what the
man meant to write Curious conditions are
sometimes imposed. One testator declared
in his will that If any legatee should attempt
to brenk Il he should be deoarred from an
hare. Another cut of any heir who should
wear mustaches! Another said that each
legatee must inke the pledge before receiy-
ing his share, and should forfeit a half year's
income for every breach of it. Another left
to his family physician $4,000 if testator
should live two years, or f3, 900 if he should
live FIVE; but, unluekily for the doctor, the
patient lived only week. Whether condi.
tons of this kind are operative depends on
the circumstances If they are lucid and
practicable the courts win enforce them, bnt
many are so expressed that they amount TO
nothing. II you wish that your legatee
should not receive the property unless he
complies with condition, say so plainly in
the win, and the condition, if not contrary
to law, will probably BIO enforced. But to
make him give back the legacy because of
breaking the condition after it has been paid
may not be SO easy And do not mention
tho request at all in the win, but write them
in aletter separately, unles You mean that,
if they are not obeyed, the legacy shall ba
forfeited Requests which are not peremp-
tory conditions often make trouble. When
Heller, the magician, died he bequeathed
his apparatus to be destroyed. In some in
stances a testotor has directed that favorite
horse or other pet should be killed, "lest 1t
fall into unkind hands" II is doubtful
whether court would compel an executor
to destroy property because the will so de-
sired. Wills are allowed for giving ones
properly; that useful animals or articles
should be destroyed is not for public benefit.
Directions given in win as to mode of bur-
ial, or for cremation, are also subjects of the
sanitary law of the place. --iSprfnafe'd Re-
publican.