Willmar tribune., 1910-03-16
A TIED UP ESTATE, St
BY MARY A. BOWERS.

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ciation.l
When Miss Olivia Hale died at sew
enty worth million it was found
that she had planned for the DISPOSE
tion Of her money far ahead. She
divided it between a nephew and
niece on condition they should marry
within six months after her death;
otherwise it was to 60 to charity The
nephew, David Hale, was at the time
devoted to- Florence Merritt. whom he
expected to marry. Leona Geddes the
niece, was engaged to be married to
Hamilton Niles. Neither cousin had
seen the other but on few occasions.
Soon after they came to know Of the
bequests and conditions they met for
a conference. Miss Geddes announced
that she would marry the man to
whom she was engaged. This render
ed it impossible for Mr.. Hale to fulfill
the condition imposed upon him. He
was not bound to marry the girl he
had been attentive to and for the sake
Of the beQuest was disappointed at
his cousins refusal to comply with
the terms Of the will. He used every
argument to persuade her to change
her mind. but the best he could do was
to induce her to unite with him in an
effort to break the will. They were
the only heirs-at-law and supposed
they would get the property anyw
But they reckoned wrong. Those
charitable institutions to whom the
property was left in case the cousins
failed to comply with the conditions
arrayed themselves for a sturdy fight
Hale proposed and was accepted by
the girl he had been attentive to. and
with Miss Geddes' fance there were
four people interested in the will be-
ing broken.
The fight was long one. There
was decision against the cousins.
and they appealed to a higher court.
The decision was reversed. and the in
stitutions fighting for their rights ap-
pealed. By this TIME good deal Of
money had been spent. most Of which
came out Of the estate. Besides. while
the case was In court the property
could not BE- sold. and some Of it de-
preciated in value. David Hale was
very much worried. Indeed. his nerves
were on edge. and Miss Merritt found
that his condition affected her own
health. They had many spats. and
their engagement was broken and re-
newed several times. Miss Geddes
was made unhappy by the fear that
Mr.. Niles. who when he offered his
hand had been perfectly satisfied to
take her without fortune. would in
case she was deprived of her inner
itance leave her in the lurch. Hale
considered his cousin to blame for the
situation and conceived an antipathy
for her which she heartily returned.
So these four people were made mis-
erable by Miss Olivia Hale's effort to
manage her property after her death.
The business before the upper courts
was voluminous. and decisions were
delayed. The cousins lawyers inform
ed them that they had little hope that
the case would ultimately be won.
They also told them that If they were
disposed to fulfill the conditions Of the
will they might take advantage Of an
ambiguity in it's wording to do so.
This proved the most unfortunate
turn in the whole affair. Instead OF
Instantly declining this proposition
they took it under consideration. Hale
and Niles both seemed to lean to the
side that this would be a common
sense solution of the problem. AT any
rate, they talked or acted In way
that INDUCED the two girls to break
their engagements. Hale and Miss
Geddes. being free. resolved to take
the lawyers advice and agree to COM
ply with the terms Of the will.
This furnished a new legal conpli-
cation, which not only prolonged the
case in court. but added greatly to the
expense. The cousins seldom met. and
when they did they quarreled. Miss
Merritt. who had spent several years
in misery while engaged to Hale, was
broken in health and went to santa
rum. Niles married wealthy girl he
cared nothing for and was divorced
within eighteen months. Miss Geddes,
who had loved him devotedly. was
broken hearted.
And still the case dragged on.
Finally one day u decision was an
nounced. 1t was decided. first, that the
cousins had not complied with the
terms of the will within the specified
time and could not inherit by doing so
afterward: second. the property was to
20 to the charitable institutions speci-
fed.
Then came the casting Of the ac-
counts. Lawyers fees and court fees
were set down ut $3OO.OOO; deprecia-
tion Of real estate, $2OO.OOO; accumu-
lated interest against the estate. $751;
600. and shrinkage Of stocks and bonds
during financial crisis. $4OO,OOO. leav-
ing $25.OOO to 90 to five institutions. or
5000 each.
When Miss Olivia Hale died four
| young people had every prospect of a
happy domestic life. Had she simply
died without laying plans to manage
her property after her death. leaving it
where she liked without conditions,
she would at least have done no harm
and might have done much good. AS
it was. she wrecked four lives, and the
only real benefit she conferred was on
the lawyers.
Niles was SO disappointed and in
jured at the outcome that he is today
little better than an outcast. Miss Mer-
| ritt died in the sanitarium. Niles lives
at club. He would like to marry