The evening times., 1899-09-21
BURCHARD S STRANGE WILL.
The Author of "Rum, Romanism, and
RebeliiOn."

Vice Chancellor Emory. in Jersey City,
cision in the friendly suit over the will of
the late Rev. Thomas Herring Burehard,
of the Presbyterian Church. who made the
rum, romanism, and rebellion speech
in the Blaine-C Cleveland campaign in 1884.
When Mr.. Burchard's will was read after
his death In the fall of 1896 it was found
that he had written it himself. 1t was
probated in the county of New York on
December s. 1896, and was puzzle TO the
lawyers, and has for three years puzzled
the New Jersey court which was called up
on to interpret it, as Mr.. Burchard owned
considerable property in Bergen county.
At last, however, 1t has been interpreted to
the satisfaction Of the chancellor and the
heirs.
The will is a strange mixture of law and
religion. In it, IL it is read literally, Mr..
Burchard makes three distinctly different
dispositions of his property There could
be no mistaking the religious portion of the
document, but the legal end was so mixed
up that the Farmers Loan and Trust Com
pauy, representing the TWO sons, Stewart
! and Leeds Burchard, and the widow. Olive
Wilmot Burchard. applied to Chancellor
McGill to unravel the tangle. Mr.. Bur-
cbard first bequeathed to his wife for the
term of her natural life the interest Of one
third of such estate, real and personal, as
may die possessed Of
Further on the will reads with regard TO
his SONS: ITO EACH individually, share
and share alike, 1 devise, will. and be-
queath one-third of such estate, real and
personal, as l may die possessed of. thus
sharing with their mother, my present
wifo m NinDoaUOl
ties, and such other property as l may be-
come possessed of through the will OF the
| late Hon. Thomas II. Herring (the Bergen
county property"
| Although he had already ordered an equal
division of his personal property, Mr
| Burchard next declared that to his sons
| ne bequeathed "all my personal belongings
and jewelry.' He named as his executors
his brothers, William j. Leeds and Roswell
B. Burchard, and required them to furnish
no bond or security. He finally made this
provision: Il leave to them (the execu-
tors) absolute authority to reserve or to
sell, to apportion and to divide my estate
according in their Judgment to its best in
| terests."
| In the following provision contained in
the will Mr.. Burchard displayed considera-
| BILE sentiment: IF in accordance with the
wishes of Mrs. William r. Stewart and he-
family. desire to be inferred in the same
| grave with my first wife, Irene Stewart
Burehard, and furthermore, upon the SIM
pie stone I have erected in loving remem-
brance Of her desire the name Tom and
the conjunction and to be added-tha'
the stone may read, Tom and Irene OF
the reverse, as the appearance of the stons
best permits To his sons he gave reli-
gious advice ''adjurfng themselves to dedi-
cate themselves in their youth; their lives
energies, and talents 10 the God who Great
ed and the Saviour who redeemed them
that they may lead earnest Christian lives
land die heirs to the kingdom which failetf
not and passeth not away"
The heirs were represented in chancery
by Lawyer Henry Ewald. Vice Chancellor
Emory has decided that the estate shall be
equally divided into three parts and thai
each of the heirs shall receive third abb
solutely.