Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-04

lily lie nl0Qen there, II is z ciOSeu OoOf
to the skeleton closet and only one per-
son, possibly. holds the key. That one
is the mother of the man now on trial
for his life. If she goes on the stand
in his behalf. Pittsbure believes the
door will be unlocked and the unex-
pected reason for William Thaw's dis
inheritance OF his son will became
known.
1t is not believed here that William
Thaw wrote the codicil cutting off Ear-
ry Thaw with $4,000 a year for life
simply because he was convinced that
the young man was not capable of us
ing rightly the fortune which was lefs
him in his original will.
The conclusion which Pittsburg has
reached i'll the l. years since the mil
lionaire died is that some one act came
to the knowledge of William Thaw to
convince him that it was his duty to
revoke the clause which left Harry
Thaw an equal share with the other
children.
The will ana the codicil We're both
signed on July ), 1889. The circurr-
stances indicate that William haW
had the will prepared, but delayed
making it effective by his signature
for some time. When he did decide to
sign it, he had changed his mind as to
his son Harry. and in Il different hand
the codicii, containing nine sections.
one cutting off his Maynard son. vas
added ami the same witnesses attestcd
the signatures affixed on the same day
to both will and cuiicil.
Indicative cf william: ThaW's origi-
nal regard for Harry is the article Of
the will which directs that all Of his
children shall share alike. 10 parts out
OF the Is Of the whole estate being set
apart for them.
The chief para graphs of the codicil in
which Harry is cut off from his equal
share reads as follows:
with great regret and reluctance.
and solely from Il sense Of duty, |
hereby cancel and revoke any and all
conditions of my said Will directing
payment, assignment, delivery or con-
vey-t,ncc Of money or property to my
said son, Harry Kendall Thaw, and in
lieu thereof do now will and direct that
the equal part or share OF my estate
hereinbefore directed to be allotted TO
or set apart for my said son. and any
ota"r money. property or estate. which
under the provisions of my said viii
would go To him, shall be taken, held
or managed by the executors Of my
will (save as herein otherwise prOvid-
ed in trust to pay from the income
the proper maintenance of my said son
during minority, and. further. to pay
him after he shall have reached his
jority for and during his natural
life, the sum Of two thousand four hun
drcd CS2i00) dollars per annum III
monthly payments without liability to
assignment, charge or anticipation by
him"
y second paragraph of this portion of
the codicil directs that if the son Harry
die with legal issue his children shall
come into the share of the estate as
originally provided in the will.
A third paragraph reads:
'AIl the foregoing conditions of that
codicil arc. however subject to the fur
Their condition respecting my said son.
viz: That if at any tine in the judgment
of a majority Of the executors Of my
said will he shall have shown such set
tied character and course OF life as to in
dictate proper capacity and discretion for
the receipt, care and expenditure of the
income or estate originally designed for
him under the provisions Of my said will,
the said executors and any trustee. act
ing under said will, are authorized and
empowered then and thcnceforth to car
ry out and perform in all respects (save
as previously carried out by virtue there
oD all the provisions for or in respect to
or for the benefit of my said son, Harry
Kendall Thlw''
Many have been the reasons assigned
by gossip for the practical disinhcritarce
Of Harry X. Thaw, including the one
upon which hope was based by tho young
man that he could break his fathers will
That idea was abandoned when the fami-
~ decided to give Harry a larger proper
ton of the estate. 1t was suggested by
his lawyers that William Thaw's mind
was failing and that he cut his son Oft
il Il moment of impulse. but this idea
has never had serious consideration.
PittsDurg is still waiting for the Whit
murder trial to bare the real secret OF
what Harry Thaw did to bring upon him
self the dspleasure of an indulgent pa
rent.