The Press., 1889-12-12
SOME CURIOUS WILLS,

The St. Louis Republic, some time ago, had chapter on wills, showing the testa. tors to have possessed minds singularly constituted. ~
 Often quoted is the remarkable will of Solomon Sanborn, of Medford, Mass, who died about fifteen years ago. Sanborn was great patriot, and specially gloried in the part Massachusetts took Tn the revo. lutionary struggle. In his will he left his body to Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes and Prof. Agassiz, not, however, without inn posing some of the most unheard of pro- visions and conditions. His skeleton he desired prepared in the most artistic man. ner known to the profession, and placed with the many others in the anatomical department of Harvard College. While preliminary preparations were being made in carrying out this extraordinary request, he desired the surgeons to be very careful with the skin 50 that it could be tanned in pieces of sufficient size to makea palr of drumheade. Upon one of these drum heads the "Declaration of Independence' was to be written, and upon the other Pope's Universal Prayer. |" Fitted in its proper wooden frame tbis ghastly relic was to be presented to local drummer, whom the testator designates 'slistinguished friend" upon condition that he would promise to carry it to the foot of Bunker Hill monument on each succeeding anni- versary of the battle, at sunrise, and beat upon 1t the invigorating strains of "Yankee Doodle"
 The skeleton of Jeremy Bentham. in the Hospital Museum, London, is there at the request of its owner, who made special provision in his will to have it presented to the curators of the hospital, who. upon accepting the gift, were to have the skele. ton mounted and put in the presidential chair at each meeting of the hospital di- rectors.
 Dr. Wagner, an American, is up to or even. ahead of the English precedent in the dismemberment idea. During his life his relatives had given him but little thought. When it came time for him to die.he had little money, about $1 ,0OO his brothers became-very kind. After his death, when the will was read, the follow ing remarkable clause was disclosed
 "To my brother, Napoleon Bonaparte, | beaueath my left arm and hand to George Washington, my second brother, my right arm and hand to my other relatives my legs nose, and ears, My money, $1, ,OOO in cash, now in the B. Bank, I bequeath to the RANJCASAsAA3 0AAu ou1k$cOuh WHO carry Out N0y request by rdismembering my body and givinR to each of my relatives the portion allotted to him or her."
 Horatio e. Onderdonk, a brother of the bishop of New York, made provisions in his will which would have turned, old Dra- co green with envy. Draco was. strict, and we'll understood the meaning of the expression, ''ruling with rod of iron :' but had MT. Ondefdonk lived at the tine the old man was preparing his famous code, he could have helped to make it more binding. The last paragraph in the On- derdonk will read as follows:
 No heir must be an idler, sluggard, profit gate, drnnkard, gambler use liquors or to- bacco; go hunting or fishing on Sundays; attend races enter . bar-room or porter house; neglect to rise, breakfast, and be ready for business bys9 o'clock !, sOr get mar ried before he or she arrives at the age of 25 years."