Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-08-02

The ea-s al E.safsn@ tesrs-nnss "a
sfsnssT ~. atc<--.

- a.4kk ) viii Evtn though his az
hsf ~frisIy qosses>tcus nav 20 bat
tFtS1s, tnsfo = sue.ci-ut amount u
selstlusens sttaeksa - then e. oocasi,sn
s~siFe fss ti>eir psssper dsstfihnsi.aa
after ae.lA. s..y. tar New Nerk News.
IAl. Is especially .rrs ~ regards
personal efSrsts How many ~ ~
rossssss hslrlssasns va the saapc II lock
ats, w.nket~, rugs All shuf s,sxc>.
whose o..lT vssiae Il ina they heen
teleestasd - as by sosnr OIL sua, ~
aa.ile long sinre dsad. Very probably
they lave devised their houses. s,ocks
anil tbnrs - sstens tavcrite niece or
nephew. bat tles are ~, thenght of
cur feA.irTs e leave as entirely ont ia
Their wii = - Ne are remembered"
~ The giit 81 trsfing hsahle. which
sentiment Demands of nS 10 regard as
cx-eraeiy precious. Yet these good
ole people are generally ignorant Of
she expense % whsch the transfer ~
such petty hsqsests win subject their
estate II the beneecisrics happen 10 BE-
MAJORS For in that case IL was the
duty OF thS sarru.ate-in New York
state at least - IN appoint especial
guardians 10 look after the interests Of
the ycong lcga,ees until resounting
of the estate had been made. The re-
Enumeration allowed 20 these persons Is
frequently far in excess OF the value of
the requests. The surrogate has abb
solute authority 10 award q special
guardian any sum be may see fit There
Is wise law limiting the fees paid To
the attorney Of an accountant cxccu-
tor. but none describing the fees that
. special guardian NAV collect
Here are few cases in point Not
long 40 an old lady Of New York city
died and left a will bequeathing her
property u be divided equally between
her son and daughter She had
grandson also HON she remembered
by leaving him an old mahogany
bureau that was an heirloom in the
family. The boy was n minor and con-
sequently special guardian was APP
pointed by the sur rogatc. The neces-
say labor entAiied upon this man need
net have occupied him for twenty min
rses ~ the utmost. yet he was allowed
fifty dollars for his services. In view
OF the fact that the bureau was valued
by the appraiser ut only FIVE dollars.
the enorrnity of the special guardians
fee is apparent. An old gentleman
died In Harlem year ago, leaving
small amount of propv -ty 20 De divided
among n host Of nieces and nephews.
some Of whom had attained their
majority. while others were minors
FIR these latter three different gaardi-
ans were appointed. The old gentle
mans estate consisted Of personal eff
fects and was worth At the most fifteen
hnndred dollars Tho special guardians
were awarded one hundred and fifty
dollars. which WAS equivalent To u tax
OF ten per cent upon the estate.
In one 90 the northern counties Of
New York state an old woman died re
eantly, leaving. among other requests,
y brass loclcet containing a lock Of her
hair - grananieee. who Is still In
swal1ling clothes The trinket was
not worth fsty cents. yet. according
% The law. special guardian had Ia
be- appointed - look after the infants
interests. tie was allowed TIVE nt!-five
dollars for his services. and the old
woman estate had 20 suffer - tha,
extent OF course the special guardian
IN this case was paid for performing a
fnrcicsl duty. but the SURROGATE was
supported by the law in awarding him
the money. and the executors had -
pay L.
Ia each OF these cases the money
paid ont to special guardians might
have been saved u the eStase IL the
small requests 20 minors had been ex-
e.naed from he viii. Whcr. n person
desires - give token Of remembrance
- amiuor IL j. always the best policy
- give IL personally while living.
rather taan % bequeath IL in viii
after death. The fees % special
xuardiars sTe a part Of the patronage
controlled BY surrogates. and il Is
only uatarui that they should usc them
TO increase their prestige That they
should invariably make these fees
commensurate with the amount 90
work done by their agents. or even
commensurate with the value ~ the
i-sqaesss these men src appointed 10
project. j. out q. the QUESTION This
should DC the ease. but unfortunately
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