The times., 1899-09-10
QUEER Wills ON RECORD
Some Curious Papers Found in The
District Probate Court.
Last Testaments Written on Cards,
Envelopes. and Odd Slips of Paper.
Strange Request for the Sake of
Science - other Odd Documents.

than in any other act Of a persons life,
does the charity, pride, judgment, strength
or weakness, or eccentricity of the testator
become apparent. In this last message 70
his friends and relatives and to the world
generally does the testator say much that
has perhaps been kept hidden in his mind
for years upon years. II may be that in
the disposition of an estate the deceased
would not for worlds have it known that
ii was his or her intention to cut off some
near relative without penny, or. for fear
OF being called a craver after public praise
would &c let it be known that he intended
to endow some religious or charitable in
stitution. Nor would the testator give to
the world his views upon any particular
subject. for fear that his predictions might
not be fulfilled, and so he would come 10
be called a false prophet.
In no other city in the country is the pos
sibility for research in this direction more
favorable than in Washington. The wills
and last testaments Of many of the great
est men the country has ever seen or prob
ably ever viii see, have been filed in the
Probate Court OF the District. Among
them are those of Presidents OF
the United States and many peo-
pie of national and even uni
versal prominence. Besides these, there
are also the wills and testaments innumer-
able of people in the ordinary walks of life,
who, in their last messages. said some very
quaint and curious things There are also
wills OF criminals, who imagined them
selves martyrs and asked that they be re-
membered as patriots.
The recent war with Spain, however, re-
calls 10 mind the will of Thomas Ritchie,
which was filed for probate nearly a half
century ago. II is evident from the refer
ence which the testator made 10 the con-
ditions existing in Cuba, that he had by
deduction concluded that some day it must
be Wrested from the sovereignty OF Spain
in speaking Of the expansion OF the United
States, he said:
We are already the greatest power
among the nations; We are destined 10 be
greater still, but let us not be too ambi-
tious OF inordinaie acquisition or too rapid
In our advance. Let us ill up the i'm
mense territory which we own-Iet US not
be too anxious TO step our foot from the
mainland TO the islands unless, indeed, as
IN the case Of Cuba, we are threatened by
the barbarization OF that beautiful island
and its conversion into black and hostile
neighbor
The testatoF also spoke OF what he called
the mission OF the United States 10 the
world. Ii was TO state il briefly, for the
advancement Of the interests, the better
ment Of The conditions of mankind, and
the dissemination Of the right Of religious
and political liberty 10 all.
In the case OF the will of Mrs Caroline
Brown Winslow is TO be found a remark
able instance Of the sacrifice which a per-
son Is willing TO make for the advance
nent OF science and the relief OF suffering
humanity. Mrs. Minslow was physician
by profession, and il would appear, was
wealthy. IL is not known, however.
whether this wealth was accumulated IN
the practice Of her profession or inher-
ited. However this may be- some oI 1t
was left for the advancement OF science.
So devoted was Mrs. Winslow TO her FRO
fession that her willingness TO afford 9th
er women an opportunity for advancement
led her 10 beouesth her body TO the How
ard University for the purposes OF dissec-
uon. IN making this bequest, however,
she stipulated that her remains should be
oissected by a female student OF medicine
WHO should be selected by the dean OF the
university.
This was not all; she also requested that
after her body had been dissected, the
bones should be carefully put together and
the skeleton placed in the Miner Normal
School OF the District for the benefit of the
students The school just mentioned. it
may be stated, was founded by MarflIa
Miner, OF New York, who for many years
was close friend OF Mrs. Winslow In
case the university declined her bequest,
Mrs Ninslow expressed the desire that her
body should be cremated.
The Late war also was prolific in the way
Of producing queer and often very brief
wills written, no doubt, under very unusual
circumstances. One OF these is that OF
Manford Riley, dated November Is, 1898.
The writing is upon & single envelope, in
the corner OF which are crossed Cuban and
American flags, indicating that the testa-
tor al the time OF his death was member
OF the American forces engaged In the war
with Spain. His last request was made to
Mary Z. Mahoney, to whom he left his
all, which consisted OF a trunk, and asked
that she bring him home for burial An
other brief message is found in the last
will and testament of Lucius Green. dated
September J. 1883. His will was written on
two small clips Of paper. one white and
the other yellow. II briefly stated that ne
vas going on journey and If be never re-
burned ne gave directions for the division
Df ss15 among his relatives.
Possibly, the shortest of all the wills on
record in the District is that OF Tony UIl-
man, who committed suicide some four or
i've years ago in this city. The testament
is written in large chirography on two
small business cards II was never rro-
hated
The viii OF Dolly T. Madison, the wife OF
President Madison. is also on record Il
dispOses OF the $780, 900 appropriated by
Congress for the purchase OF the papers of
her illustTious husband to her son and
adopted daughter.
The viii OF George Washington is also
accorded ~ the District. In his day Wash
SngtOn was ole OF the richest men in the
United States. owning great deal of land
I'd property in the District which was pur-
shased after it lad beea decided 20 locate
he capital here.
Andrew jackson, whose will Is also OIL
secord, was perhaps the poorest Of all the
Presidents OF the United States. He con-
fessed his poverty and admitted that he had
been ruined financially by his nephew,
whom he adopted and treated as a son.
An inspection OF the wills on record will
disclose the fact that there are some law
yers who are very ignorant OF some OF the
fetsils OF the Law. This is shown in the
case Of Salmon p. Chase. who was for many
years Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court
O. the United States. His will was in his
OWE handwriting. but was never probated
on account OF its many legal iTnperfections
and irregularities. The same may be said
ef the wills OF Samuel J. Tllden and Charles
O'Conor.
The VIII Of Charles J. Guiteau, who as
ss-rsinated President Garfield, is also on
record. X is dated June 2s. 1882. having
been written the day before Gulteau was
hanged IN the District jail. The r1ur-
T-q. l.