The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-08-26
EXPENSIVE FOR HEIRS.
Making Requests to Minors by VIII Cost
Ger siderable.

Considerable.
1t has doubtless occurred to every one
to make a will. Even though his or her
worldly possessions may be but trifling,
there is sufficient amount of sentiment
attached to them to occasion a desire for
their proper distribution after death.
This is especially tue as regards
personal effects How many of us
possess herrlo)ms in the shape OF lockets
trinkets, rings aud snuffboxes whose
only value is thas they have been be-
queathed u as b, some old aunt or uncle
loug since dead? Very probably they
have devised their houses, stocks aud
bonds to some favoIite niece or nephew
but they are too thoughtful of our feel
ings to leave us entirely out III their wills.
So We are remembered" by the gifG
OF trihing bAube, which sentiment
demands of us to regard as extremely
precious.
Yet these good old people are generally
ignorant of the expense to which the
transfer OF such petty requests will
subject their estate if the benefclaries
happen to be miners. For in that case
it was the duty o! the surrogate-in
this state at least-to appoint special
guardians to look after the interests OF
the young legates until = recounting of
| the estate has been made.
The remuneration allowed to these
| persons is frequently far in excess Of the
value OF the bequesls. Tie surrogate
has absolute authority to award special
guardian any sum be may see fiji. There
is a wise law limiting the fees paid to
the attorney oi an accounting executor
but none prescribing the lees that a
special guardian may collect.
Hero arc a few cases in point. Not
long ago au old lady of this city died and
left will begueathlng her property to
be divided equally between her son and
daughter. She had a grandson also
whom she rendered by leaving him an
old mahogany bureau that was an her.
loom in the family. The boy was a
minor, and consequently special
guardian was appointed by the
surrogate. The necessary labor entaileo
upon this man Lesd not have occupied
him for 20 minutes at the utmost, yet
he was allowed $50 Tor his services. II
view OF the fact that the bureau vas
value, by the appraiser at only s., the
enorm:ty OF the special guardians lee ii
apparent.
| An old gentleman died in Harlem {
year ago, leaving 4 small amount o
property to be divided among host o.
nieces and nepe"s, some of whom hac
attained their majority, while Others
were minors. For these latter three
different guardians appointed. The
old gentemaus estate consisted largely
of personal fleets ard was worth at thu
most 81, 800. The special guardians
were awal ded $50, which was equvalen
to tax of 10 per cent upon the estate.
IL one Of the northern couties of thu
| btulS an Oli WOliiah ultG lNSSuIIf, lCdS
ing among other requests u GRASS locke
containing lock of her hair to a grand
niece who was still in swaddling clothes
The trinket was not worth so cents, ye
according to the law special guar {
had to be appointed to look after thu
infants interests. He was allswed So
| for bic ola
estate had to suffer to the extent. o
course the special guardian in this cas-
was paid for for performing farcica
duty but the surrogate was supported
by the law in awarding him the money
and the executors had to pay it.
In each of these casses the money pait
out to special guardians might have
been saved to the estate il the SINAI
requests to minors had been excluded
from the will. Where person desires
to give a tOk ell OF emembrance to
to give it personally while living rath 81
than to b:queatn it in a will af, E
death.
The fees of special guardians are
part OF he lalIorGEe controlled b.
surrogatCs I'D it Is only natural tina
they should use them to increase thei
own prestige. That they should in
variably make these fees commensurate,
with the amount of work done by thsil
agents, or even com mensurate with tn
value OF the beQuests these men are
appointed to protect, is out of thu
question. This should be the case, bu
unfortunately it is not.