Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-07-13
CJ-RfOTs OLD WILLS.
Hoe the Oddities Of Men Crop o't M A"e''
Last Ycstdments.

yyo,r the Qualities of Men Crop O"t IN 1"e''
Last Tcstd,nents.
Pittsburgh Dispatch.J
Tdiotic md eccentric legacies are, next
to the method OF making VIII. curious
and interesting studies. 1t has only
been few years since two dozen WORDS
written in a grabbed, uncertain hand on
the back Of yellow envelope by SOL
der while dying on a Southern battle
field were admitted to probate as his
will in the courts of Pittsburgh
One of the most remarkable Wills ever
written was that of Joseph Cappur, a
man worth quarter of a million. he
was wholesale grocer in London, and
had amassed fortune by speculatlhg
in securities His eccentric habits OF
life first called attention to his subse-
uuent career. He lived at one hotel for
over twenty-five years, and in that time
engaged his room and board for only one
day in advance. He insisted on sitting
in one certain seat at the table, drink
ing out of the same cup and using the
same knife and fork. He was the pro-
totype of Jules Verne's Phineas Fogg,
in that he ate, slept, and walked by an
unvarying rule. His sole amusement
was that of killing flies in the summer
time He died suddenly when N years
of age. His will was found at the bot
tom of q box Of clothes, curiously
worded and written on the back of a lot
of Old bank checks. He had detested
his poor relations during his life, but
by this strange instrument of his devils
ing every cent was distributed among
them, save $4,000 which he gave to two
nephews.
Among the extraordinary conditions
imposed upon descendants, that of the
Duke of Valmy, Marshal Kellerman
and General of the French Republic,
stands prominently in history. On the
crest of hill just outside the village Of
st. MenehoulG, III France, stands a
monument to mark the spot where the
heart Of Kellerman taken from his body
after death, disappeared in dust in the
soil Of his beloved France. 1t was his
will that his heart might rest among his
old soldiers who had been slain in the
battle of Valmy.
Matthew Robinson, Lord Rokeby, a
prominent and peculiar Englishman Of
the last century, nephew of Richard
Robinson, archbishop Of Armagh and
primate Of Ireland, became famous for
his long beard and his hatred for med
ical practitioners. In regard to the for
mer. it is said that upon one occasion,
when going to an election, he stopped
at an inn, when the country people who
had assembled for miles around took
him for Turk and nearly worried my
lord to death. His dislike of physicians
was carried to such an extent that he
left codicil in his will disinheriting q
favolite nephew if in his Iord Roke
by's) last illness his sympatllies should
be so excited that he would call in a
doctor to attend him.
The present Marquis Of Queensbury,
whose name as patron OF pugilism and
pugilists is known wherever the So
called science Of soaring Gods image
i'll humanity is practiced, comes by his
sportive proclivities honorably. Will
lam Douglas, Duke Of Queensbury, was
an old sport Of the last century, who
rode his own race-horses and performed
other acts that set England by the ears.
It was he who originated matches
against time. Before discussing his
will, the famous match mentioned may
be described. Queensbury made a
wager with Count Taafe that he could
put upon the road four-wheeled ma
chine which should travel nineteen
miles in one hour. With the aid of Mr..
Wright, designer he had built a light
carriage, to which, on the day Of the
race, he harlessed blooded horses,
driven by trained grooms. Vast sums
Of money changed hands on the result,
the Duke winning handilv. In his will,
though he was the king Of the turf for
half a century, he left various large
Sums to charities. He pensioned sew
eral opera singers, and gave $4,000 for
widows and orphans Of the British navy.
This was SO wholly unexpected in a man
of his characteristics that it occasioncd
great talk for Years afterwar,l.
LUCKY IND UNLECKY MEN.
One of the rnluckiest men we have
ever known was even unconscious Of his
ill-luck, and declared that, some how or
another, the oit-chance always hit him.
1t was partly true; bat the intimate
friends who knew and loved him under
stood well that there was in him this
awkwarCness, this Redundancy Of angles
presented to fate, in q very high degree,
that being at once a good man. a
| thoughtful man anil a lin!,Iv c,,1+;v,+o.l