Detroit evening times., 1942-05-24

w other day in a court fight the will Of f b
Stuart 53yearold Texas recluse who died few weeks
leaving his entire fortune TO his two English settlers
Snapper" and Big Boy"
slart's legal heirs are two sisters, Mrs J. l. Waters
and Mrs. F. c. Schuer. who convinced that their
brother could not have been of sound mind when he ened
the will that designed put his canine companions
easy street FOR the remainder of their natural lives
Whether the court will rule in favor OF or against STU
sanity to be seen but the will itself filed
the county Houston leaves vesge of doubt
that the Texas man intended 10 leave everything dogs
In his handwriting, Stuart filled five pages out
lining the should be disposed of in behalf of
the settlers and putting down specific instructions for the
animals TO the number OF times a month they
should be bathed
SO that would be no doubt about the authenticity
Of the will Mr. Stuart put mis- fngerprnts the bottom
Of each The wwhich has been characterized by
Attorney r. r. Lewis "one of the best Wills ever
far being legally sufficient goeswas drawn October
5,
The recuse named DR. J. p Mock his personal phys-
can to administer the estate with instructions that he hire
caretaker who loves dogs and will let my dogs sleep in
the house they have all their lives"
"Dr Mock that my dogs given the best of
including medical aid for the remainder Of their
natural lives the will provided specifying that the dogs
be fed good grade Of dog food and that they be bahed
with flea soap twice month III the weather good and
exercised in a large lot every day.
The entire net income from stuarts estate consisting
primarily OF real estate holdings reserved for the
OF the dogs until their death DR. Mock empow
cred TO Of the principal II he considered ii
sary to do so for the dogs comfort
After the death OF the settlers the is to 20
Dr. Mocks woyear-od in trust until he is 21 Also
after the death of the dogs Stars home at Seabrook
Texas to be used hospital and for other pur
pose purposes"
The terms OF win according to mock, were a
total surprise to him. Il had idea he had anything in
mind relation me- explained only
his personal physician and there many others who
closer to him He ntimated that he going
to include me in any plans for his dogs or estate
He a great lover Of dogs, however, the doctor
added Il have heard him he thought more Of dogs
than OF himself"
The Judges deciding the issue may find precedent in
Tho eofM Anna Marie Aho cd in
Montesano Washington leaving estate of 100000
handsome portion Of which wied to her four cats.
Three Mrs Bradleys charged that their
eccentric that she insisted that her cats eat at
the table with her and from her plate and therefore
incompetent to write a will. Superior Judge George r.
Simpson, hearing the case upheld
S9year-od Mrs Bradley, ruling that her desire
her eat off the table insufficient evidence
Many strange wills have been written involving animals
the oldest that OF Mrs Ellen r. Webb,
society matron, who died in 1889 leaving her
Scotch terriers legacy of death.
Apparently Of the belief that dog deprived of
master is better off dead Mrs Webb stipulated her
pets be killed Immediately after her passing That
clause her will stated:
I desire and therefore request that my executors
will Immediately after my death that the particular
dog or dogs which l killed a humane and pain
less and cremated."
of the estate reluctant to carry out
the To make way with the dogs, they declared
would interpreted a heartess act and might make
them prosecution by humane societies Not TO
carry out provisions would be violation of the law
In a dilemma the executors turned o County Judge G.
f. Ketterng that the dogs assets of Mrs
Webbs estate therefore could not be destroyed with
good and suff ,ient cause.
WHY did the society matron her dogs killed?
of Mrs Webb expressed the belief that when she
wrote will she motivated by desire to her
pets from wasting away in grief.
They told Mrs. Webb had been profoundly affected
some years previous death when dog she had
friend Nevada spent six months walking 1000 miles
back to her Denver home After that Mrs. Webb
often remark that dog without its master must
be the unhappy creatures her request that
her own SCotties be put TO death.