The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-25
HIS OWN EXECUTOR.


To the members Of a happy social cir
Gle there is nothing which appears at
once more distressing and Incompetent
sible than the enmities among the mem
bers of the same household which spring
from the very coffin. Hardly have the
eyes been closed in death before the
kindred, often the very children. Of the
dead engage themselves in brutal war
fare over the remains. All the veneer of
love and reverence disappears, and a
scramble for money reveals the wild
beast of greed in the human heart.
Within few days the press reports
told the story of the Chicago millionaire
whose son is contesting his will on the
ground that he was insane when he made
It, The sons test of sanity or insanity
is of course his understanding of his dead
fathers liberality. There were no imme-
date kindred to fight over the millions
of the millionaire Stewart, Of New York.
But his bones had not been consigned
to Mother Earth before blackmailers
sprang up on all sides and tried to seize
some share of the money prey he left
behind. And they succeeded too. Jay
Gould and his millions were the media of
giving the public glinlpses of the same
disposition. and but few weeks have
elapsed since woman seeking to estab-
lish that all his children were born out of
wedlock was placed on trial for black
family story underlying their deaths
Samuel J. Tilden, philanthropist and
great lawyer as he was, failed to give to
the people. whom he loved. the benefit of
his money accommodations. Those who
neither loved nor regarded him in his
life too successfully asserted the acct
dent of family relationship.
Is it not wonderful that men who read
of such things will go down to their
graves burdened with money, and leave
the disposition of that money to all the
mischances which they every day see
exemplified In the case of other men like
themselves who leave to others after
their death the duty which they shirk Ia
life of disposing of the bulk Of such
wealth on the lines most acceptable to
them, whether for the benefit Of the pub.
lie, or of their children or friends? And
do just this. Many of them recognize In
their wills, too. their feeling that there
may be trouble, by ordaining that those
of the legatees who contest the provi-
sions made for them must so without
1t is pleasant, in view Of this sad record.
to observe a man here and there whom
neither greed of possession nor cowardfce
nor indifference can control, and who haa
sense enough to dispose of his wealth as
he nears the grave as he would wish to
see 1t disposed Of after his death. Such
a man is there In Chicago, Of all places
on earth. His name Is DR.. D. K Pear
sons. He is O. man of large fortune, and
a good portion of that fortune he had
already disposed of according to his own
preference. He has already dispensed
something like $2.50O,000 in public be-
quests. The remainder of his fortune
amounts to $1,5OO,0OO. and he has made
his will regarding it. His will, however,
is to be executed while he is above,
rather than while he Is under, ground
For the maintenance of himself and his
wife while they live he exacts per cent
on the requests which he will hereafter
make. This will give him an income of
$4,000, which will cease only after both
himself and wife are dead.
How sensibly this man talks about his
purposes. He says: ST do not propose
to leave to others to do what I can do
myself, as I wish to do it. I propose to
act as my own executor, and to see
some Of the good. at least, that may
spring from what I try to do. am as
sured of sufficient income while my
wife and I live, and there is none who
will or can gainsay my right to do what
please with my own while I am alive.
What mistakes may make can try TO
mend. 1 could not If were dead
Andrew Carnegie says no man ought to
die rich He is right. Right in more