The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-29
|ODD WILLS ARE FILED
At SOMERSET HOUSE
wrssten On scxnps of Psper. GiOves
: Rocks and Cuffs--lfcnorcd
In Oourta

London. Feb. ss.---Ncyer before have
30 many men OF property been fisnt-
ting In the ranks OF the British army
an In the present war, and one OF the
probable results will be that wills
inscribed on all sorts OF strongo OBJ
jects may be filed 1t Somerset House.
The soldier Is supposed to make his
win before going on aetive service.
and the majority OF those forming the
new army are likely to do %. but
here and there win be found some
who put II OFF and put IL off until It
is almost too late.
in former wars many a strange will
has been admitted to probate; VIII
LASTLY scrubbed on nm odd bit Of
paper, the back Of q letter, or else
where, has been found on a mortaily
wounded man. Dying requests have
been written on the old pipe-clayed
belt, on a pugarce. In the fiyieaf of a
pocket Bible, and on one occasion by
means OF a Martini bullet q testament
was roughly scrawled on . cavalry
mans glove.
1t has been said that soldier lying
dying beneath rock In Afghanistan
in Lord Roberts famous campaign
with hts fingers dipped into his blood
wrote on . stone: II want mother to
have ALL" A guardsman killed at
managed to inscribs q short will en-
his helmet, bullet being the pen.
Another private in the same war made
his will on an odd piecs Of brown
paper. writing In chalk.
However. IL II not only soldiers
who leave make-shtft willis In this
manner. Legend says that a ship
wrecked man wrote will on q plank,
while some willis drafted In ordinary
circumstances have been written on
any odd scrap. One was written on
an old envelope torn open. while It is
said that III. c. Richards. at one time
NJ. r. for Ftnsbury. used some House
OF Commons notepaper. a iettercArd
and bit of foreign notepaper.
A lawyer sent for hurrfsdly by 4.
farmer living IN the wiids forgot to
take any paper, and hasty search
revealed nothing suitable In tho house.
Time was pressing. and the dying man
dictated his viii, which was written
in Chain on the hearthstone. the tes-
tator being lifted out of bed to APP
pend = hasty signature. In another
ink bottle was dry and q pencil was
chiId's slate and pencil were disccv-
cred. and the dying man signed his
will. one revolving former requests
to relatives.
Novel readers know Rider Hag-
CARDS story of Mr.. Meeson's WILL"
tattooed on \ mans back.
More romantic than any OF these
cases waa that of viii leaving 4 for
tune of $4,000 to Hungarian girl
who served In boctmaker's shop.
A bachelor customer who frequented
the shop one day told the girl he was
going TO leave her all his property.
Not believing. his tale of wealth. 81
he did not appsarsto bs rich. she only
laughed. ~
However" he said. ST really mean
It," and unfastening his links. he plac-
ed his cuff on the counter and wrote
VIII with a fountain pen. Calling
two apprentices to sign As witnesses,
he left the shop, the girl and her
companions thinking II q good Joke.
But shortly after leaving he was
knocked down by motor while cross
ing the road, and few days later
the amazed shopgirl learned she was
an heiress.
A man suffering from Illness In
Lancashire took some narcotic poison
while visiting his daughters house.
He was found dead on a sofa with
Will, written on his shirt front with
the message. II can stand this no
longer. Goodbye" while Lincoln
shire iaborer wrote his "wfiI' with
chalk on a manger near which he
hanged himself. A Belgian suicide
scratched his dying testament with a
nail on sheet of rusty iron.