Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-02
CURTSEY AND DOVER
MEASURE IN CoN0REss REGARD
ED AS IMPORTANT.
Copy Forwarded to Commissioners for
Their Consideratipn-Provi
sions of the Bill.

The District Commissioners have received
from the Senate District committee copies
of bill to abolish estates of curtsey and
dover in the District of Columbia, to pro-
vide for the custody Of the persons of chill
dren under fourteen years of age, to regu-
late the descent and distribution of the es-
tates OF intestates, and for other purposes.
1t is measure which the Commissioners
regard as of unusual Importance 10 all the
people of the District, and it is said they
would like to have the views of those IA
miliar with the subject before reporting to
Congress. The bill will be given much
thought by the Commissioners.
Its first section provides for the abolish
ment of estates Of curtsey and DOVER In
section z 1t is provided that any married
woman may convey, devise or bequeath her
property, or any interest therein, without
the consent of her husband, and in the
same manner as If she were unmarried. In
ike fashion it is provided in section that
his proptry without the consent of his wife,
and in the same manner as If he were I'M
married.
Mother as Guardian.
In section it Is stated:
The mother is the natural and proper
guardian of the persons of her children I'M
der fourteen years Of age, land her rights
as guardian shall be preferred to those of
the father and all other persons whomso-
ever, unless the mother is shown by COM
petent evidence in open court to be an
haoltual criminal, person of open and
notorious evil life and vicious character or
person of unsound mind, or less said
mother has been divorced from the father
or the children because of adultery COM
mitted by her"
The remainder of the bill is as follows:
D. w bau
ing title to any estate, real or personal, not
otherwise limited by marriage contract.
oies without disposing of the same by will,
said real and personal property Is succeed
ed to and must be distributed, subject to
the payment of debts, in the following
manner:
First. If the intestate leave husband
or wife and issue surviving one-third of
the estate, real and personal. shall go to
the surviving husband or wife in fee SIM
pie. and the residue of the real and per-
scnal property shall go to the surviving
chlld or children or descendants Of de-
ceased children, the children taking equal
shares and the descendants of a child TAX
Ing collectively the share which their par
ent would have taken If living.
Property Descends to Children.
Second. If the intestate leave no hus-
band or wife surviving, the entire estate,
real and personal, shall descend and be dis
tributed to the children surviving and the
issue of deceased children, the children
taking equal shares per capita and the is
sue of deceased children taking per stripes.
Third If the intestates leave a husband
or wife surviving and no issue, then one
half of the real and personal property shall
go to the surviving husband or wife in fee
simple, and the residue of the estate shall
go to the next of kin in the order provided
for in the following paragraphs of this act.
Fourth. If the interstate leave no hus-
md {0crr hnr, hn trn
estate shall go to the father and mother
of the intestate in equal shares; but4if the
father or mother be dead. all of the estate
shall go to the surviving parent of the in
testate.
Fifth. If there be no issue, no husban nd
or wife surviving, nosfather and no mother,
the entire estate of the intestate shall go
to his or her surviving brothers and sis
descendants of brothers and sisters who
are dead, said descendants {. taking per
stripes.
Other Heirs Enumerated.
sixth. If there be no husband or wife
living and if none. of the relatives above
enumerated be living, the entire estate of
the intestate shall go to the surviving
grandparents and the descendants of de-
ceased grandparents; grandparents, male
and female, taking equal shares and said
descendants taking per stripes
Seventh. If none of the relatives above
named be living and there is no husband
or wife surviving, then the entire estate
of the intestate shall go to his or her near
est surviving lineal ancestors and to the
descendants of those deceased ancestors
of the same degree, male and female, TAX
ing equal shares and said descendants TAX
ing per stripes
Eighth. Relatives of the half blood shall
inherit in the same manner as those of
the whole blood in the same degree"