Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-02
Dead Hands
That Handicap
The Living

rHERE hands that refuse piously folded
l death. They attempt to stretch out shadowy
fingers from the grave and NEEDLE in the business of
those they have left behind
And a sardonic fact worthy of the cynicism of
La Roehefouoaud, that these ghosty hands are not
held enreaty loving persuasion but welding
budgeon of dollars and cents seeking obedience
unattainabe in life IF beloved wife or son or daugh
do exactly say declares Old Curmudgeon
will which is read to his bereft family the day fol-
lowing his obseques then let them shift for themselves
search through some wills which have been actually
probated reveals that the hates and ealousies of mankind
lasting than the minds which thought them up
Just the other day bitter conflict was stirred up by
Jesse Burrigh of Kansas City Missouri. BurIeht
old printer who found himself in the grip of
that threatened to be his last He appealed to his
relatives with whom he had not been IN communication
many years and he completely ignored Then the
grim old medtating the heartlessness of his
kin worked out this scheme:
lie printer friend to turn out circular
which purported to be a copy of will which he had
drawn disposng of about s2S 600 He brothers
each and distributed cash and real estate
he millionaire. The circular also carried the
his death and to each corresponding relative he
sent a copy
They all hurried to bedside, but he too i'll to
them And day two later with sardonic smile
tight lips the old schemer died without revealing
the of his wealth Scarcely he in his grave
when his kinsmen made efforts to break his will
Attorneys engaged to prove that the deceased
when he died and that was when the truth
came the relatives considerable money to find
they had been the victims of hoax and their expenses
were increased by the lawyers suit counsel fees
Worthy of emulation. it just the opposite was
the action of Dyman Odell of White Plains, New York
provided his will that if his widow married again.
parcel of the estate to be sold and the pro-
devoted buying her handsome wedding present
which he CALAMITY desired should be handed over with his
wishes
Another of a bgSheart wealthy Mrs Polly
Fischer of Allentown PefAylvania Like good Dutch
housekeeper provided her will for the welfare of
deceased husbands and the comforts of the
who been her fifth She directed that the
four should be kept and in order forever
and with admirable impartaty she left earthly house
TO her fiance who outlived her
Another loving provision for left behind made
by Elsa Howard of Lexington Kentucky Her father, the
Southern Colonel type had two pet joys in life-the
smoking of fat cigars and the wearing of fancy waist
daughter. Caroline is often the
with daughters tried down these two
amusement of his restricting him to cigar
day and sober grays and blacks for his adornment
Elsa Howard left her estate to her sister condition
father be allowed to take his constitutional
veloped cigar smoke, and expansvely dis
playing whatever color effects in vests he desired while
enjoying his mint 1uep
Dogs cats parrots and horses often royalty pro-
vded the wills of their affeconate owners but
ordinary barnyard hen was the unusual beneficiary of
Allen Foster. Of Little Rock Arkansas
than years before Fosters death,
large Rhode Island Red his only companion, and
friendly the that he left his property to
sister condition that she maintain his old associate in
The to which she had become accustomed
Local humorsts declared that the hen became
arrogant with her elevated position boarder that
completely ostaczed by the other inhabitants of
the farm died a advanced old age
Perhaps the most curious Will of all was made several
years ago by John Crom of Shamong. New Jersey, in
which he left imaginary estate to the late John d
Rockefeller The bequest duly signed and executed
and the death Of the estator years before
Rockefelers death the will actually offered for
probate the District Court Of New Jersey spite
its apparent worthlessness The full
II John cron. do hereby give and bequeah all my
personal property and real estate including
ranches cranberry boys cattle railroads
ships canal boats transports automobiles airpanes tele
graph lines oil wells cables my Spain
my castles in the air. 10 John y. Rockefeller
vidlng he find them John Croul" -
hi oil ate A.ssa of fie
not probable that he gave mp much Of his valuable
hunting for the possessions Of John Crom perhaps
the had estate but the VIII shows he certainly
had a big heart