The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-07
WILLIAM B. MOORE HAS UNIQUE WILL Pioneer Citizen of Av0ndale
 Passes Away HAS NO RELATIVES Insists That "Old Wreck" Be Put Away Without Ceremony, and
 His Possessions Given To.
 Charity

Col. William B. Moore, United States army, retired, one of the pioneer citizens of Ayondale, now a borough of Birning- ham, died yesterday afternoon at g. local infirmary where he had been sick only few hours. Colonel Moore was taken i'll yesterday morning in his room in Avondale. Hearing him fall, Dr. Scott, who has an office in the same building, rushed to the old mans room, and see- ing that he was seriously i'll, sent him to St. Vincent's hospital. Before going, Col onel Moore told pr. Scott that if he hap pened to die while at the infirmary he would find certain papers in drawer in his washstand.
 When he received the news yesterday afternoon of Colonel Moore's death Dr. Scott went to this drawer and took there from several papers, containing a simply worded but quite extraordinary will. The will set forth the manner in which he desired to be buried and the disposition he wanted made of his effects, both real and personal. It follows:
 "Avondale, Ala, August 1, 1911. This, my last request, is that my | friends or one of them below mentioned, | will see that my wishes are carried out: q, William B. Moore, born March 21, l 1886, in Martnsburg. Bedford now Blair) county, Pennsylvania, wish to be buried
 in lot No. 8, block No. 6S, Oak Hill cem- etery Birmingham, beside the grave of Harriet E. Moore, in plain, cheap coffin and no funeral ceremony or service of any kind. The only expense necessary
 is the undertaker's, and one carriage for | four friends to assist the undertaken at 1 the grave I want to be buried as soon after death as possible. Debts, I lave
 none that I intend to pay or want paid,
 except those incurred during my last sick
 ness and burial expenses. After these
 are paid, if there is any money or other
 assets remaining, first give all my per sonal effects, such as furniture, etc., to
 the Salvation Army, and such money as
 may have in bank and amounts due
 me to be collected. to be equally divided and paid, one-half to the Sisters of Char. | ity Orphans Home, East Lake, and one | half to the Children's Mercy Home, non | sectarian, Birmingham. Get rid of the
 old wreck as cheap as possible. Save all you can for the little tots, as it will be | but little left at most. I will request
 my friends or either one of them, John
 E. Ellis, Thomas l.. Hendrix, w. E. Han-
 lin and E. A. Erckert, to see that my wishes are carried out without bond. | 'WILLIAM B. MOORE.' | MT Hendrix, one of the friends men, l toned in the will stated last night that
 it was quite a favorite expression of | Colonel Moore's to refer to himself as
 "the old wreck'' hence the expression noted in the will.
 | As the deceased officer has requested
 he will be quietly inferred in Oak Hil cemetery beside Harriet l.. Moore, hi
 wife, today, with only the men mentionet
 in the will and Lige Loy, the undertaken present.
 The life and antecedents of Colone
 Moore are shrouded in mystery, so far a, his friends know. It is said that he re
 marked on several occasions that he die
 not have any relatives. There are nc 1 children. | Colonel Moore will be greatly missed by the children of Avondale as he took | great pleasure in distributing among
 them niclSles and dimes as he passed l them. Oftentimes as he was passing IT | the streets, the scene of six or eight chil-
 dren clinging to him was quite a usual sight His hobby was children as will
 be verified by the will in giving what | he had to them.
 He was a member of church. In manner he was quite eccentric, forming
 instant and lasting likes and dislikes. He | was an architect and did most of the
 building in Avondale, where every man, woman and child knew him.
 l He drew a pension from the United | States army. It is not known to whae | regiment or company he belonged or ], commanded, as he never spoke of it. and | left no papers giving such information | It is only known that he drew the pen | sion of a colonel.