The Portland daily press., 1884-11-14
Be Careful in Making Your wills.

Boston Letter to Hartford Courant.)
We have another will Case in our courts,
and there are points in it that are instructive
to testators. John P. Townsend died leaving
by will all his property to his wife. 1 knew
Mr.. Townsend, and l have seldom known
more estimable gentleman or one Of cooler
head and better balanced Judgment He wac
devotedly attached to his wife; they had no
children and no hope of any at the time the
will was made, and it was his desire that she
should possess his property. A year or two
later they adopted q niece Of Mrs. Townsend.
and the necessary form of law to make the
adoption legal was some time afterward COM
piled with. The child grew mp and proved 10
be an interesting but singularly eccentric
young lady. Her eccentricity at last took tho
form OF running away from her hone when at
the age of 20, at the time when her adopted
father was on his deathbed, going to New
York alone, engaging board in an uptown
boarding house of a shabby character, and
seeking 10 make her own way in the world.
She did this after the most careful and kind
rearing, leaving q home of luxury and refine
meDt for the purpose. She was traced ssut for
and brought back. Mr.. TosDsend was coeniz-
ant OF it all, aud was greatly troablsd by it.
He expressed his SORROW to his most Intimate
| friend, who performed the duty OF bringing
| the daughter back TO him, aud expressed espe-
cial regret for the "irresponsiOility" of the
daughter He stated about that time to the
| same friend that his will was made and his
| property given to his wife. He oied shortly
| alter and the will was set up. The daughter
| Was not mentioned in it., but her adoptsd
| mother made her allowance Of 81 200 a
| year, with the added privilege of a homs Sith
| sersef. This latter the daughter after a tims
| refused to accept. She struck out for herself,
| taking her allowance regularly, bat leading au
| eccentric lie, considerable OF it being passed
As an actress On the variety stage, uudsr vsr-
| GUS names, and also IN attempts At acting a. a
| iortune-teier ana Spir ualistic medium
| This went on for year or two. A couple Of
| months ago she entered suit for her rights in
| her adaptive fathers estate, oa the ground
| that the will bv which be had bqsuea,hsd il tn
his wife was Invalid, from the fact
that her Lame was not mentioned
thst ia case the name of q ohld is nut ms,-
| toned in q will it is to be presu ned that the
/ onission was unintentionsl, unlesa the contrary
i Can be shown, and unless IT Is shown the will
/ cannot stand. A mistake WAS apparently
| made by the executor iu not notifying the
| daughter that she was a. heir to the estate,
| aud giving her an opportunity to object to the
| will when 1t was set mp. There have been two
| hearings in the cas'-Jne before he supreme
court, which decided that the will could not
1 o. properly executed without the daughters
| notlhcation OF her rights, AID a subsequent
one before the probate judge, who b ,s dscreed
that the will shall stand, a. the omission of the
daughters name was intentional. The case
has been appealed to the supreme court from
this latter decision. II the daughter gains il,
| as there is danger apOFeheuded that she NAV,
| it will give her two-tnirds OF the property and
| will leave the wife, tne sole legatse under the
| will, with only half that amount. The case
IS another warning Of the need Of care In will.
ng property.