The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-03-28
A MISER'S
LITTLE JOKE.

Henry Tweed was InlSeI. 1ucIc
was only one saving clause In the
mans whole life. His word was as
good as his bond. He exacted the last
penny, but he also paid the last. AT
twenty years Of age he was lending
money and buying real estate. AT the
same time he was living on raw veg
etables and wearing clothing begged
here and there. 1t Is not ON record
that amy man ever bested him In a
trade of any sort. When his father
and mother died it was generally I'M
derstood that Henry had no near rela-
tives.Y He wass never heard to refer
to any zone, nor did any one claiming
relationship ever visit him. he died
at the age of fifty from exposure to q
storm and was supposed to have left
q fortune Of about $4,000. IT was
soon discovered that he had left
quarter of million dollars.
Henry Tweed had no friends. He
had never given a human being his
confidence. While he had not quar-
relied with men, he had been misery
and hard hearted and exacting. Very
little could be said in his favor and
great deal against him. One of the
things remembered against him In his
own town was that of dispossessing a
man who had borrowed money Of him
and then failed through no fault of his
own. He was i'll when Tweed ordered
the law to carry him out Of the house.
He always claimed that he was right
In this though he realized that all
others berated him for his f1inty heart.
After his death it was found that he
had made restitution. He had left all
his property to the man who had call
ed him a Shylock and scoundrel.
He had appointed as his executors
two men who had been most Outspo-
ken against him.
The will was found, admitted to pro-
bate, and the executors began their
work The heir had almost been put
into possession when a man claiming
to be cousin of Tweed appeared and
put in claim. He had will of later
date than the other. 1t also appointed
different men as executors. The law
saws that the last will stands. ThlS
will upset the other, but 1t did not
stand for long A woman who easily
proved that she was a cousin came on
from a distant state and exhibited
letter and a will making her the sole
legatee. This was dated two weeks
later than the second. 1t was perfect
" legal, and again there was change
of executors Things had scarcely be-
gun moving under the new will when
a flood of relatives appeared. There
were uncles and aunts and cousins ga
lore, and all had will
It transpired that one lawyer had
drawn I'D all the wills as sort of job
lot. There were fourteen of them in
all, and he had given Tweed whole
sale rate. Each one down to the last
had later date than the other and
named different executors. Not one of
the relatives had known Tweed in life
or cared about him in the slightest,
and he stated to the lawyer that he
wanted revenge on the whole crowd.
There was bitter feeling among the
heirs and much loud talk about law
suits to break the will, but the final
legatee agreed to give each one q GER
tain sum and thus brought about
peace. In due time he entered into
his own and began to enjoy himself.
The newspapers had got tired of pub
fishing columns about the eccentric
Henry Tweed, and people who knew
him best had talked the matter out,
when there was a new development. A
lawyer who had not before been men
toned in connection with the case
came forward with paper signed and
witnessed reading that the last and
true will had been concealed and that
1t named a different legatee from any
Of the others. Whoever was in pos
session when this paper was presented
should remain SO until the will men
toned should be found
All the old excitement was at once
revived. The heirs under the other
wills returned and began searching,
and at one time over 100 persons were
hunting in every likely spot for the
paper The man in possession had the
house taken to pieces and every inch
of barns and sheds gone over There
was digging in the cellar and outdoors.
Wooden and brick walls were search
ed. Men hunted through orchards and
fields and thickets, and for q month
scarcely any other work was done in
that part of the county. If it hadn't
been for old Granny Benson, the will
might never have been found She
was old and light headed, and no one
gave her any attention. She heard
the talk all around her, but had moth
ing to say for some weeks. Then
storekeeper asked her in a half humor-
Gus way where she supposed the pa
per had been hidden, and she said:
"Why, we all know that Henry
bought a coffin at bargain five years
before he died and kept it in the
house. He was buried in it. l guess
he had pocket in the coffin and put
the paper in it''