New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-01

wills What a curious collection might be
made of these last testaments exhibiting the
EXTREMIST forms of vanity, benevolence, mallg-
nancy and humorl y
It will be remembered that H. Rider Hag
gard in one of his books has the will of a man
tattooed upon his shoulders, and that the
same was admitted to probate in the Chancery
Court in England. "
And now this author is indicated by the
action of a miser named Monecke who died
recently in Mexico His relatives were I'M
willing that his body should be inferred, as he
had tattooed his will over his chest with some
red pigment, instead of using pen and ink
The court decreed that the remarkable human
document" should be copied and the repre-
sentation duly attested in the presence OF wit
nesses This was done, and the court has
pronounced the queer will genuine.
A French woman recently died at the adj
vanced age of ninety years. Her will con-
tanned the following provision: e. leave to my
physician, whose enlightened care and wise
prescriptions have made me live so long, all
that is contained in the old oaken chest in my
boudoir The key of the chest will be found
under the mattress of my bed" The heirs
were much disturbed, for they foresaw 4 mater
ial dininution in their share OF the property.
The fortunate and expectant physician at
length arrived. The notary delivered to him
the key of the chest. 1t was opened and found
to contain solely all the drugs and potions,
still intact which the worthy physician had
given to his patient for twenty years back.
1t has been settled that man always cannot
do as he will with his money after death.
The disposition OF his property must be reason
able, or the courts will set his will aside.
John Stuart Mill deplored this Judicial inter
ference with the wishes of the dead. He
argued that eccentric wills often were bene-
fetal to the race. He mentioned the case of
a rich man who left a large property to be
used in caring for wounded birds. Mill argued
that the carrying out of the provisions of
this will would have thrown world of light
upon the animal economy.
But what defense could Mill have made on
behalf of the last testament of Josiah S. Twiss
of Hollis New-Hampshire, with whom the
writer was acquainted? The provisions of his
will were that his funeral music should be a
brass band which should be paid forty dollars
for its services; that his body should be buried
under clump of Balm of Gilead-trees which
he had set out a few years prior to his decease;
that twenty dollars should be expended for
peanuts and candy with which to treat the
mourners; that his wife should have half the
property; his six children two dollars each;
and that one thousand dollars be held in
trust forever for the purpose of educating his
Childrens children in the generations to come.
The will was presented to the judge of pro-
bate, who refused to set it up. His property
therefore was disposed of in accordance with
the State law.
But some queer wills do stand. Thirty-fve
years ago in birmingham, England. a man
died whose will was contested, but finally
allowed by the court. The provisions of it
were not to come into force in a quarter of a
century, so that though he left four million
sterling to be divided among three persons.
one of them in the meantime has died in the
worlhouse. Their relatives, including the de
ceased pauper's heirs, are numerous, and all in a
humble position in life. Some are factory oper-
atives, some cabmen, some beer-shop keepers.
After twenty-five years of hope, despair