Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-09
wu,us OF wuL-MAKERs.

wHIMs OF wILL-MAxERs.
II some LAWYER who Is weary OF dusty
calf-skIn volumes and boring reports OF
| appellate courts were 10 take week OH
and devote his energies to an examina-
zion Of the whims Of wlll-makers he could
snin a wonderful yarn OF human eccen-
tricity and freakshness. An examination
| OF the testamontary records III various
parts OF the world would disclose some
marvellous peculiarities on the part OF
those disposing of their worldly goods.
In a recent issue Of Household Words
an English periodical. very peculiar Will
made by an American. is cited as illnstra-
| tive OF the curious whims which Will
makers sometimes exhibit. The testator
was evidently patriot OF the hrst de-
gree. for II was his desire that In death'
as IN life. his body should proclaim the
glory of our republic. He left 41,Vo TO
the late Professor Agassiz, In return Tor
which the legatee was, by an extremely
scientific process set forth in the VIII, 10
tan the decedents skin into leather anu
| from, u have a drum made. Two of the
4
most suitable bones OF his body were to
be made into drum-sticks, and with these
another legatee, to whom was bequeathed
the reslduum of the property, was on
every 18th of June 10 repair to the ioot
Of Bunker Hill. and at sunrise beat on
the drum. the parchment OF which had
been made out OF the testator's skin' the
splrit-stirring strains of Yankee Doc
de-"
We have often heard Of cases where the
hides Of small boys were tanned for
juvenile populations. but this is the nrst
instance where an adult has exhibited
desire to undergo such a process. Un-
fortunately, our contemporary fails TO
state whether the provisions OF the Will
were carried out. The probabilities. how
ever, are that they were not, as the re-
quest was somewhat against public policy.
And II is not probable that British tri-
bunal would have assisted in the fur
therance of such a project.
Misery people frequently make wills
which contain provisions looking TO the
continued accumulation of their wealth
after death, and so common is this
frenzy of posthumous avarice" that spe-
cial laws have been enacted against It.
OF such a character was the case growing
out of the will Of Peter Thelusson,
Frenchman, who died in London in 1I97
He left a fortune OF over 100000, which
occasioned a prodigious legal wrangle ex-
tending over many years.
Wills are the mediums through which
many hobbies are INDUCED. and quite fire.
quently too. the testator uses the instru-
ment as a means for revenge or spite.
But there have been thousands Of cases
where the courts have interviewed, and
where the wishes OF decedents have been
thwarted by the skill of attorneys. In
fact, more litigation has been created by
testamentary causes than by any other
subject matter within the scope of the
law. Vagueness and uncertainty OF ex-
preston are frequently responsible for
this forensic strife, while hundreds OF
wills have been invaldated by non-com-
pliance with the statutory requirements
as to witnesses. the signature Of the tes-
tator. etc. 1O-year old child. provided
it had the ability TO express itself clearly.
could be taught the necessary require
ments incident TO the making of wills in
half an hour. And yet. scores of men,
many of them well versed in the law,
have overlooked some essential and
caused infinite trouble or the entire re-
lection of the will.
1t would be well for every man in this
State TO remember that unless he writes
and signs his will entirely in his own
handwriting the signature should be
made or acknowledged in the presence of
at least two competent witnesses present
at the same time. and such witnesses are
required to subscribe the will in the pres
ence of the testator And. above all
things, the testator should say what he
means without ambiguity or obscurity of
expression.