Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-01-24
. ANANANN44NNe
PROBATE LAW IN MISSOURI .

fKansas CITY star)

why should ! be required 10 pay
more than $i00 TO clear the title TO
$500 equity IN my little homer"
A lahoror asked that question re-
Gently in the probate court and no one
could give a satisfactory answer OK.
cept 20 say that II Is the law and the
laws toll must be collected. All are
treated alike aud are equal under the
law, even TO The last penny. Then tho
man told this story
He had Just enough money TO buy
the license ana pay the preacher when
he was married ten years ago In
the ten years his wages have increas
cd from S25 a month 20 $40 a month
His family increased az greater
rate-he has four children. In seven
years he managed to save 5000 and
used that to make a payment on
home--bought Il on the monthly pay~
ment plan. lust as matter OF pre-
caution he had the deed TO the prop
erty placed IN his wiie's name. as SO
many poor men do.
Each month he paid a little on the
principal until he had paid a total OF
$500. Then the wife died He was
making enough barely 20 pay the in
stallments on the home and the living
expenses. hut the doctor and the
undertaken had to be paid and the
four little children had to be clothed
aud fed The payments on the house
became due with unfalling regularity
too After struggle of few
months some OF the bills we're paid
Then he learned that the title to
his property would be clouded II he
did not have the wife's estate admin
istered In the probate court. He could
never sell the property II he did not
The holders of the mortgage on the
place demanded that IL be done lie
would have TO have an attorney for
that, Of course and an attorney con-
scented 10 draw the papers for small
fee But he must pay a filing fee OF
g. In the probate court and the cost
of running the FIRST notice OF puhlica-
ton was $50 BY deprivlng himself
: and his children OF the necessaries
he got the s35 and the attorneys fee
Then other costs accumulated lie
! had to file his reports The time came
recently to make his final report. Il
was necessary to run another legal
notice which would cost another $50,
/ II was absolutely necessary under
the law 70 clear the title to that little
equity in the home. he was told. u
was the law sure enough. Excessive
winter weather. high cost Of living
and loss Of time had made him debt
or for the household expenses. The
i flnal settlement and the notice OF pub
| ilcati0n had been delayed a long time.
/ II must be made. because the law
provides that an estate may be closed
In one year lie couldn't mortgage
4 the 'eQIty, because no one would
accept the security with a clouded
title. He couldut permit the children
to starve or ddlriye them of too
lmuch during the excessively cold
weather
The law simply would have to wait
or the cloud would have TO remain on
the title 10 that little equit. he said.
| Probate court officials decided the
law must wait-wait unil by din os
struggle ana priyation that man could
save AT least $50 from his salary OF
Sl0 a month while he was providing
for the four children and making the
payments on the home II must come
finally. II win come when he gets tt,
he tod them.
That Is the exact situation ia many
estates The penalty of the law must
be paid In the estates OF the poor lust
the same as In the estates OF the rich
Administrators and probate court Of
iicials agree there Is "A way to cheaper
the administration on the estates OF
poor people by making e free Sam 49,
Str0ther public administrator, and
others connected with the probate
court sag they will JOIN In a request
70 the next legislature TO provide Tor
free administration In the estates OF
the poor