Title: Crosby v. Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation
Citation: 276 So. 2d 661
Docket Number: 46953
State: Mississippi
Issuer: Mississippi Supreme Court
Date: April 16, 1973

276 So. 2d 661 (1973) Mrs. Ida May CROSBY et al. v. ALTON OCHSNER MEDICAL FOUNDATION. No. 46953. Supreme Court of Mississippi. April 16, 1973. Rehearing Denied May 14, 1973. *662 Hall, Callender &amp; Dantin, Columbia, Heidelberg, Woodliff &amp; Franks, W. Swan Yerger, Jackson, Sherman Muths, Jr., Gulfport, for appellants. White &amp; Morse, Gulfport, Malcolm L. Monroe, John Thomas Lewis, New Orleans, La., for appellee. INZER, Justice: This is an appeal by the Executors of the Estate of Hollis H. Crosby, deceased, and his heirs at law from a decree of the Chancery Court of Harrison County holding valid a charitable bequest in favor of appellee, Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation. Hollis H. Crosby died on March 25, 1971, leaving a last will and testament dated January 20, 1971. He was survived by his wife and two daughters. His will was probated in the Chancery Court of Harrison County in common form. Thereafter on June 4, 1971, the joint executors named in the will filed a petition for probate of the will in solemn form and for construction of Item III of the will. This item bequeathed one half of the residue and remainder of the testator's estate to his wife and one half to Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation. The petition alleged that the medical foundation was a scientific, educational, literary and charitable corporation and in view of the fact that the testator died within ninety days from the date of the will, the bequest to it appeared to be void under the provisions of Mississippi Constitution § 270 (1890), as amended, and Section 671, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (1956). The petitioners asked for adjudication as to the validity of the bequest to Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation. Appellee, Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, sometimes referred to as medical foundation, answered and alleged that neither Section 671, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (1956), nor Mississippi Constitution § 270 (1890), was applicable to the bequest for the reason that the bequest to it was not more than one-third of the gross estate of the deceased. Appellee further alleged that even if the Mortmain Statute in Mississippi were applicable, it could have no effect other than reducing the amount of the bequest to an amount equivalent to no more than one-third of the gross estate. It was also alleged that the doctrine of dependent relative revocation applied. The answer was made a cross petition against the executors and the surviving wife and daughters alleging that on September 11, 1970, at a time when fully competent, Hollis H. Crosby had duly executed a will by the terms of which he had made a similar devise to the medical foundation, but that the instrument was no longer in existence because Hollis H. Crosby thought he had executed a valid new will and attempted to revoke the instrument by physical destruction. It was alleged that the revocation was ineffectual as to the bequest in favor of medical foundation as it was only meant to take effect, if and when another will carrying out the intent of the testator was properly executed. *663 The cross petition alleged that if it were held that the bequest under the January 20, 1971, will was ineffectual, then that portion of the September 11, 1970, will, insofar as it dealt with the bequest in its favor, should be entered for probate under the doctrine of dependent relative revocation. Mrs. Ida May Crosby, the widow, and her two daughters answered the cross petition, denied the allegations of the cross petition, alleged that if Hollis H. Crosby had executed a will on September 11, 1970, it was not then in existence and that he had destroyed it, intending that the same be revoked, and further alleged that all former wills were expressly revoked by the will of January 20, 1971, and such revocation rendered invalid all parts of the will of September 11, 1970. The executors of the estate filed a similar answer to the cross petition. On the hearing of the cause, petitioners introduced into evidence the proceedings probating the 1971 will in common form. It was then stipulated that medical foundation was in fact a charitable foundation and was at the time of the death of the testator and that the bequest to it under the terms of the will would be less than one-third of the distributable estate. It was also stipulated that his widow, Mrs. Ida May Crosby, and his two daughters, Mrs. Henrietta C. Levings and Mrs. Molly May Crosby Taggart, were the sole surviving heirs at law of Hollis H. Crosby. Over the objection of the executors and the heirs, medical foundation was allowed to introduce evidence establishing that on September 11, 1970, Mr. Crosby had executed a will that was properly attested in which Item III of that will was virtually identical with Item III in the January 20, 1971, will. Mr. Bernard Callendar, who was Mr. Crosby's personal attorney and as such handled all of Mr. Crosby's legal work, prepared both wills at the request of Mr. Crosby. Mr. Callender had in his possession a conformed copy of the September 11, 1970, will as to dates and signatures. Mr. Callender testified that he advised Mr. Crosby relative to the mortmain statute briefly before he executed the will on September 11, 1970, but did not discuss the mortmain statute with him before he executed the January 20, 1971, will. It was established that the September 11, 1970, will was duly executed, but it was destroyed at the express instruction of Mr. Crosby after the January 20, 1971, will was executed. There was also testimony that Mr. Crosby was for several years a director of the medical foundation. Medical foundation offered testimony showing that Mr. Crosby had made ample provision for his children before he executed both wills. An objection was sustained to this testimony. The chancellor took the matter under advisement and briefs were submitted by counsel representing opposing parties. The chancellor rendered a written opinion, which is a part of the record. The chancellor was of the opinion that the bequest to medical foundation was valid under the January 20, 1971, will. The chancellor also was of the opinion that the doctrine of dependent relative revocation applied and admitted to probate in solemn form the January 20, 1971, will and Item III of the September 11, 1970, will thereby sustaining the bequest to medical foundation. It was his opinion that although the will of January 20, 1971, contained an express clause of revocation, it was not the testator's intention to revoke the 1970 will insofar as Item III of the will was concerned because this Item was the same in both wills. The chancellor also observed that the provisions of the 1970 and 1971 wills are very similar in their terms, provisions and bequests and that this was a significant factor in applying the doctrine of dependent relative revocation. A decree was entered in accordance with the opinion admitting to probate in solemn form the 1971 will and Item III of the 1970 will, thereby validating the bequest to medical foundation. Hence, this appeal. *664 The pleadings raised two basic issues in the trial court and the same basic issues must be determined by this Court. The first issue raises the question of whether a charitable bequest of less than one-third of the estate made by a person who was survived by a wife and children is void when the testator dies in less than ninety days after the date of the execution of the will under the provisions of Mississippi Constitution § 270 (1890) and Section 671, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (1956), and secondly, if it is void, was a similar bequest contained in an earlier will revived by the doctrine of dependent relative revocation when the last will expressly revoked the former will. We will concern ourselves with the first question because if the bequest is valid under the January 20, 1971, will, then the second question becomes moot insofar as this appeal is concerned. The pertinent part of Mississippi Constitution § 270 (1890), is as follows: The pertinent part of Section 671, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (1956), is for all intents and purposes in the same language. Prior to the adoption in 1940 of Section 270, in its present form, Section 269 of the Constitution prohibited a devise of lands for religious or charitable purposes. This section was repealed at the same time that Section 270 was amended. Prior to the amendment of Section 270 it prohibited any bequest of personal property to religious or ecclesiastical corporations or societies. By the adoption of Section 270 the restrictions on the right of a person to make a will were liberalized and such devises and bequests were permitted under certain specified limitations and restrictions. It seems to be clear from a reading of the pertinent part of Section 270 that it provides that any bequest by any person leaving a spouse or child or descendants of a child of over one-third of testator's estate is void to the extent that it exceeds one-third of the estate and that any will containing a devise of more or less than one-third of the estate must be executed at least ninety days before the death of the testator or such bequest or devise will be void. However, medical foundation contended in the trial court and contends here that if the bequest or devise is not more than one-third of the estate, then the ninety day provision does not apply. With this contention we cannot agree. In Bell v. Mississippi Orphans Home, 192 Miss. 205, 5 So. 2d 214 (1941), there was involved several charitable requests by a testatrix, who did not leave surviving her a husband or child, or descendants of a child. The will was made less than ninety days before her death and it was contended that the ninety day provision of Section 270 applied to every charitable bequest. In rejecting this contention this Court said: The Court in substantiating the foregoing statement quoted from and adopted the holding of the Supreme Court of Georgia in Reynolds v. Bristow and Kent, 37 Ga. 283, 287 (1867), wherein that court construed the words "and in all cases the will containing such bequests or devise must be executed at least ninety days before the death of the testator" to apply to all cases where the testator leaves a wife or child or descendants of child, whether he attempts to devise as much as one-third of his estate to charitable uses or a lesser portion of his estate for that purpose, and in all such cases the devise must be executed at least ninety days before the death of the testator. The court stated that the object of the statute was to protect the testator's wife and children from improper influence that might be exercised over a person when in extremis, thereby inducing him to devise any portion of his property to charitable uses, and in all cases when that is attempted to be done the will must be executed ninety days before death. Medical foundation points out that in Hood v. First National Bank of Columbus, 219 Ga. 283, 133 S.E.2d 19 (1963), that the Georgia court has now interpreted their statute to mean that it is only where a testator leaving a wife, child or descendants of the child, devises more than one-third of his estate to any charitable, religious, educational or civil corporation does the ninety day provision apply. In so holding the court said: In so holding the Georgia court expressly overruled several of their cases holding to the contrary. It is argued that since this Court adopted the interpretation the Georgia court had placed on their statute at the time we adopted it, we should now follow the interpretation that the Georgia court has now placed on this statute. We did hold that by adopting a mortmain statute patterned after that of Georgia, we adopted the interpretation which Georgia had placed on their statute at that time. This does not mean that this Court is bound by any and all interpretations which the Georgia courts may subsequently place upon their mortmain statute. Especially is this true when the court changes a former interpretation of the statute. For a discussion of this subject See 50 Am.Jur., Statutes § 460, 82 C.J.S., Statutes § 373(b). A reading of Hood v. First National Bank of Columbus, supra, indicates that what the Georgia court did was to amend their mortmain statute by a judicial decision. While the Georgia court may be free to legislate, we are constrained to leave legislation to our legislative branch. Furthermore, our mortmain law is imbedded in our Constitution, and our Constitution cannot be changed except as provided by the Constitution itself. Having construed Section 270, we do not think that we should change that construction by judicial decision. We are content to follow the interpretation that was heretofore placed on our mortmain statute and hold that the ninety day provision was applicable to the bequest to appellee in the January 20, 1971, will of Mr. Crosby. Therefore, the bequest is void unless, as found by the chancellor that Item III of the September 1970 will was revived by the doctrine of dependent relative revocation. *666 Appellants contend that the chancellor was manifestly in error as a matter of law and fact in allowing the probate of Item III of the September 11, 1970, will in addition to the will of January 20, 1971, under the doctrine of dependent relative revocation. Appellants point out that the first paragraph of the 1971 will contains the statement: "... do hereby make, ordain, publish and declare this my last will and testament, hereby expressly revoking all former wills by me made." (Emphasis added). Appellants contend that this unequivocal revocation of the 1970 will is final and that it cannot be revived under the doctrine of dependent relative revocation although the provisions of the 1970 will are practically the same as the 1971 will. It is argued that a number of states including Mississippi are committed to the rule that the doctrine of dependent relative revocation cannot be applied to revive a prior will which has been revoked by an express provision of a properly executed and attested subsequent testamentary instrument. It is also argued that in such a case there can be no question, nor can the court indulge in any presumption as to the intent of the testator to revoke all prior wills, since his intention in this regard is unequivocally expressed in the latter instrument. In support of this argument appellants cite and rely upon Hairston v. Hairston, 30 Miss. 276 (1855). It would probably be helpful at this point if we inquire as to the meaning of the term "doctrine of dependent relative revocation." The doctrine is not a substantive rule of law, but is rather a rule of presumed intention. In discussing this doctrine the Supreme Court of Florida said in In re Pratt's Estate, 88 So. 2d 499 (Fla. 1956): Thus, it is apparent that ordinarily the revocation dealt with under the doctrine is either a conditional revocation or a revocation under a mistake. Warren in his article referred to above suggests that these two classes may be properly considered from the point of view of (a) revocation by act to the document, or (b) revocation in writing. It is also of interest that Professor Warren states in his article that Hairston v. Hairston, supra, is one of the two leading American cases on this subject. In Hairston, the testator executed his first will on September 22, 1841, wherein he named plaintiffs in error as legatees. On March 6, 1852, the testator executed a second will in which he named a slave girl as the primary beneficiary thereunder. On the following day March 7, 1852, the testator executed a third will in which he specifically *667 revoked all prior wills and devised all of his estate to the aforementioned slave girl and died a few hours later. The will of March 7, 1852, was admitted to probate in common form by the probate court. The plaintiffs in error, who were the beneficiaries under the will of 1841, thereupon filed their bill of complaint seeking to have the probate of the will set aside and have the will of 1841 established as the last will and testament of the decedent. After the filing of the defendant's answer a jury was empaneled to try the issues as to mental capacity of the testator and due execution of each of the wills offered for probate. The jury found that the testator was of sound and disposing mind at the time of making and executing each of the instruments, and all the instruments had been executed and attested according to law. The court, being satisfied with the verdict of the jury and being of the opinion that the will of March 7, 1852, was a good revocation of the former will, confirmed the probate of the will of March 7, 1852, and dismissed complainant's bill. On appeal this Court stated: At this point it should be noted that this part of the statute referred to above has been brought forward in all our codes and is now Section 658, Mississippi Code 1942 Annotated (1956), and the pertinent part reads as follows: It is apparent that for all intents and purposes this part of the statute is the same now as it was in 1855. It was contended by the appellants in Hairston that the last will did not operate in law as a revocation of the former because the will having failed as to a testamentary act by reason that the slave girl was prohibited by law from taking under the will, and it was clear that the intention to revoke was conditioned on the new disposition becoming effective. It was also contended that it was clear that the testator did not intend to die intestate. It was further contended that the express clause of revocation in a will only amounted to a prima facie evidence of intent to revoke and its efficacy depended upon the intent or motive of the testator. This Court in answer to these contentions said: The court pointed out that it was well settled that a will containing the express revocation clause and duly executed according to the statute, though prevented from taking effect for some matter dehors of the will as the incapacity of the person to whom the devise is made to take, is a revocation of a former will. The Court then by way of dicta said that the same result would follow when the devises of the last will are inconsistent with the disposition made of the estate by the prior will, although there is no revoking clause. This dicta has been adopted by this Court and there is now well-settled law in this state. See Crawford v. Crawford, 225 Miss. 208, 82 So. 2d 823 (1955). The Court in construing the statute pointed out that an act of destroying, cancellation, or obliteration set out in the first part of the statute is never regarded as conclusive of the intent to revoke and amounts only to a prima facie evidence of intent. The Court said in such a case where the act of cancellation is associated with another, upon which it is dependent and which fails in effect, the prima facie presumption is rebutted. Then the Court in construing that part of the statute which states "or by a subsequent will, codicil, or declaration in writing made as aforesaid," said: It is clear from what was said in this case that the doctrine of dependent relative revocation cannot be employed to revive a will that has been expressly revoked by the testator when the revocation is expressed in a subsequent will or a declaration in writing duly attested, it is conclusive of the testator's intent and evidence to show to the contrary is not admissible. This holding was followed in Vining v. Hall, 40 Miss. 83 (1866), wherein this Court stated: In spite of the clear and positive holding in the foregoing cases, the chancellor was of the opinion that the rule announced in Hairston did not apply to the facts of the case now before us. It was his opinion that the express revocation clause contained in the January 1971 will should not be given any greater weight than any other provision in the testator's will. He concluded that to put undue stress on the revocation clause rather than giving equal stress to the positive provisions of the will would not only defeat the testator's intent, but is contrary to the well-settled legal principles and particularly with reference to charitable bequests. We are unable to agree with the learned chancellor. It has been well-settled law in this state since 1855 that an express revocation clause in a will revoking all former wills when duly executed and attested according to law is unequivocal and conclusive of the intent of the testator. The fact that a legacy fails because the devisee cannot take under the law does not affect the revocation. Where there is an express revocation clause it is conclusive of the testator's intent and it is incompetent to introduce evidence to show otherwise. Medical foundation contends that the case before us is distinguishable from Hairston for the reason there are no inconsistencies in the two wills involved as to the devise to it and there was an entirely different dispositive scheme in the wills in Hairston. In this connection it is argued that we recognize the doctrine of dependent relative revocation and that this Court indicated in Crawford v. Crawford, supra, that the doctrine depends on consistency among the instruments involved. It is true that we recognize the doctrine of dependent relative revocation, but the only reported case in which it has been applied is Wilbourn v. Shell, 59 Miss. 205 (1881). The evidence in that case established that the testator had destroyed his holographic will under the mistaken belief that the copy executed by him was a valid will. The Court held since the case involved a destruction of a will, the material inquiry was whether the destruction was animo revocandi and that evidence was admissible to show the circumstances. In this particular case all the circumstances in evidence pointed to the fact that the testator meant the revocation of the one destroyed to depend upon the validity of the copy. This holding was consistent with the construction of the revocation statute announced in Hairston and in no way modified the holding that an express revocation in a will properly attested is conclusive of the intent of the testator to revoke all former wills. It is argued that we refused to apply the doctrine of Crawford, supra, because of *670 the inconsistency of the two wills involved. In this case the testator executed a will dated January 12, 1946, leaving all his property to his sister. On October 10, 1947, he executed his last will leaving all his property to his nephew. The will did not contain an express revocation clause. The nephew, who was the devisee under the will, was a subscribing witness and could not take under the will. The trial court admitted the last will to probate but held since the devisee in the will could not take the testator died intestate and his property descended to his heirs under the law of descent and distribution. On appeal, the appellant argued that since there was no express clause of revocation in the last will and since it could not take effect because of the incapacity of the devisee, the latter will did not revoke the prior will. In other words, it was contended that the revocation of the first will by the execution of the last will was conditioned on the latter being effective to dispose of his property and under the doctrine of dependent relative revocation, the first will should have been admitted to probate. After discussing several cases, including Hairston, we held that a second will perfect in form, and duly executed, which makes a different disposition of the testator's entire estate from that made in a prior will may be set up as a revocation of the prior will although there is no express clause of revocation in the second. Further that this was true even though the dispositive provisions of the last will failed because of the incapacity of the devisee to take. We further held that since the first will was revoked by the second, it could not be revived by the doctrine of dependent relative revocation. Nothing was said in Crawford that in any way changed the holding of this Court in Hairston, but rather followed what was said in that case. It was argued in Crawford, as it is argued here that the principle upon which Hairston was decided is unsound and we should adopt the more modern rule. In answer to this argument, we simply stated "but we think that decisions of our own Court are sound, and the rule adopted by our own Court in the cases cited above finds ample support in the more recent decisions of other courts." (225 Miss. at 223, 82 So.2d at 829). In support of its argument that the law announced in Hairston should be abandoned, Medical foundation cites and relies upon In Re Kaufman's Estate, 25 Cal. 2d 854, 155 P.2d 831 (1945), and Linkins v. Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, 87 U.S.App.D.C. 351, 187 F.2d 357 (1950). The Court held in these cases under facts similar to those before us that the doctrine of dependent relative revocation should be applied to give effect to a devise to a religious society although the wills contained an express revocation clause. It is not indicated in either of these cases whether the court considered the effect of the statute governing the revocation of wills. Since the revocation of a will is governed by statute in this state and the statute has been construed by this Court to mean that an express declaration in writing duly attested revoking a former will is conclusive of the testator's intent, we could not follow these decisions unless we overrule Hairston and other cases insofar as they follow Hairston. The construction that we have placed on the revocation statute has in effect been approved by the legislature. The legislature has met many times since 1855 without any enactment directed toward the revocation statute and thereby has approved the construction of the legislative intent placed thereon. Thus, the decision in Hairston has become in effect, a part of the statute. When a statute is repeatedly re-enacted in essentially the same language and by its retention in all subsequent codes, a decision of this Court interpreting the statute becomes in effect a part of the statute. Therefore, if the statute is to be amended, it should be done by the legislature and not by judicial decision. In Re Estate of Kelly, 193 So. 2d 575 (Miss. 1967), *671 and Kittrell v. O'Flynn, 203 Miss. 164, 33 So. 2d 628 (1948). We held in Childress v. State, 188 Miss. 573, 195 So. 583 (1940), that a decision of this Court is binding in its effect and unless mischievous resulting in detriment to the public, it will not be overruled although wrongly decided. We do not think that it can be maintained that Hairston was wrongly decided or that its results are detrimental to the public. In fact, we are of the opinion that the law announced therein is sound. A person has a right to make a will and so long as it is in conformity with the law, he or she may leave his or her property as desired. By the same token such person has the right to revoke a will for any reason he or she may have. Due to the construction we have placed on our revocation statute, the only way that a person may be sure that the revocation of a will is unequivocal and certain is by a declaration in writing either in another will or in a separate writing duly attested revoking the former will. When so revoked such a person is assured that after death no one will be heard to say that he or she did not intend to revoke the former will. We think this is a valuable right and should not be disturbed. The decisions of this Court on this point, and the law announced therein have been followed and are supported by many decisions of courts of other states. In the case of In Re Pratt's Estate, supra, the facts are very similar to the facts in the case before us, and appellants relied there upon In Re Kaufman's Estate, supra, and Linkins, supra, but the Supreme Court of Florida refused to follow the holding in these cases saying: In Ely v. Megie, 219 N.Y. 112, 113 N.E. 800 (1916), the Court in considering the express revocation contained in the codicil of a will states: In the case of In Re Hartman's Estate, 320 Pa. 321, 182 A. 234 (1936), the Court held that a will containing the express clause of revocation in disposing of testatrix's entire estate revoked a prior will containing certain charitable bequests, and the bequests of the same character in a later will having been made within the time limited by statute failed, despite contention that it was not the intent of the testatrix to cause such a revocation but only to increase the charitable gifts. In the case of In Re Eberhardt's Estate, 1 Wis.2d 439, 85 N.W.2d 483 (1957), the testator executed a will in 1948 and later executed a will in 1953 which contained a revocation clause. Testator later destroyed the 1953 will in the presence of an attorney and made an oral announcement that he wanted to reaffirm his 1948 will. The court held that this revocation clause in the second will effectively revoked the prior will as soon as it was executed by the testator and that the principle of dependent relative revocation could never be employed for the purpose of reviving a former will which had been validly revoked. The court also held that a will which had been revoked by a revocation clause in a subsequently executed will cannot thereafter be revived and reinstated by a testator except by a written instrument executed in a manner required by statute for wills. See also Newman v. Newman, 199 N.E.2d 904 (Ohio Prob. 1964); Cash v. Cash, 212 Ga. 416, 93 S.E.2d 346 (1956); and Briscoe v. Allison, 200 Tenn. 115, 290 S.W.2d 864 (1956). In reaching a decision in this case we have not overlooked the argument that the testator had a large estate and had made ample provisions for his wife and children. However, we are of the opinion that this factor is not material. If the case could be decided on this basis, we would have no difficulty in holding the bequest to appellee to be valid. This case must be decided on the basis of the law as reflected by our statutes and the decisions of this Court. Even though the results in this particular case may seem hard, we have no legitimate power in order to prevent hard results in an occasional case to set aside well-settled rules of law based upon statutory construction and sound legal principles. Austin-Wetsern Road Machinery Co. v. Webster Co., 170 Miss. 601, 154 So. 723 (1934). *673 For the reasons stated, we hold that the bequest to appellee in the January 20, 1971, will is void because the will was executed less than ninety days before the death of the testator. We also hold that the chancellor was manifestly in error in applying the doctrine of dependent relative revocation so as to admit to probate Item III of the September 11, 1970, will which had been expressly revoked. The decree appealed from will be affirmed insofar as it admitted to probate in solemn form the January 20, 1971, will but will be reversed insofar as admitting to probate in solemn form Item III of the September 11, 1970, will and judgment will be entered here in favor of appellants adjudicating the bequest of Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation to be void and of no effect. The cause will be remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded. GILLESPIE, C.J., RODGERS, P.J., and SMITH and BROOM, JJ., concur. SUGG, PATTERSON, ROBERTSON, and WALKER, JJ., dissent. SUGG, Justice (dissenting): I respectfully dissent because the testator in his last will dated January 20, 1971, repeated the bequest to appellee contained in his will of September 11, 1970. In my opinion, a testator who repeats his purpose intends to confirm rather than revoke it, and does not intend to have his new will operate as a revocation of a consistent devise. The 1971 will of the testator made only minor changes in the 1970 will, these being as follows: Item One. The last will devised unto the widow all household goods owned by testator whereas the 1970 will limited the devise of household goods to those located in the home of the parties. It was not shown in the proof that there were any household goods located outside the home of the parties that would have passed under this changed disposition. Item Two. In subparagraph (c) L.O. Crosby, III was stricken as a remainderman in the 1971 will, while he was included in the 1970 will. Item Three. The devise to appellee, Ochsner, was the same in both wills. Item Four. The 1971 will added L.O. Crosby, Jr. as a co-executor in addition to the two executors named in the 1970 will. The majority opinion relies on the case of Hairston v. Hairston, 30 Miss. 276 (1855), as authority to preclude inquiry into the question of the intention of the testator when the last will of the testator includes a clause revoking all former wills. In Hairston, supra, the Court stated: The facts in Hairston are set forth in the majority opinion and it is apparent that Hairston was dealing with inconsistent provisions of two wills and there was no basis on which it could be held that the revocation of the will of 1841 was equivocal. Hairston recognized the doctrine of dependent relative revocation and this Court applied the doctrine in Wilbourn v. Shell, 59 Miss. 205 (1881) to permit the probate of a will which had been destroyed by the testator. In Wilbourn, testator had a holographic will and carried it to the witness, Hobgood, for the purpose of having the witness make a legible and correctly spelled copy and immediately attempted to execute the instrument as his will. After the will was written by Hobgood it was signed by testator and attested by two witnesses instead *674 of three as required by law then in existence. The testator destroyed his holographic will after the last will was signed. The will was ineffective because of the want of attestation, but the Court held that the revocation of the holographic will was conditional and not absolute; that the original will was, in law, still the existing will of the testator, and was entitled to probate. Wilbourn cites as authority Hairston v. Hairston, 30 Miss. 276 (1855); James v. Shrimpton, L.R. 1 P.D. 431; Barksdale v. Barksdale, 12 Leigh, Va., 535; Onions v. Tyrer, 1 P.Wms. 343; 1 Jarman on Wills, 294. On September 11, 1970, testator expressed his intention for appellee to share in his estate. This intention was reaffirmed in his last will of January 20, 1971. After the execution of the last will the preceding will was destroyed at the direction of the testator. A reasonable construction of the intent of testator would be that since both wills contained the same devise to appellee, the clause of the last will revoking all former wills and testaments was not unequivocal as to the bequest to appellee since the bequest to appellee was contained in the same instrument which revoked all former wills. When the 1971 will was signed by testator and duly attested, he reaffirmed the bequest to appellee by the same act that revoked his prior wills, thus the bequest to appellee was in existence without interruption from September 11, 1970, the date of the first will. The revocation of this bequest was therefore not unequivocal. As expressed in Wilbourn, supra, it was conditional and not absolute. The testator, Crosby, was advised before he executed the 1970 will that he would have to live 90 days in order for the bequest to appellee to become effective, but when he executed his 1971 will, he was not advised that he would have to live 90 days thereafter for the same bequest to become effective. He was not advised that he might, by codicil, change the 1970 will, and he was not advised that he could make the revocation clause inapplicable to the bequest to appellee. In view of the fact that the last will of testator duplicated the purpose of the preceding will with reference to making appellee a beneficiary, it naturally follows that repetition of the same dispositive plan in the last will was clearly equivocal; therefore, it was competent to seek the intention of the testator outside the instrument itself. The court properly admitted evidence as to the execution of the will of 1970 as an aid in determining the intention of testator as to the effect of the revocatory clause of the 1971 will. In Linkins v. Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, 87 U.S.App.D.C. 351, 187 F.2d 357 (1950), the doctrine of dependent relative revocation was applied although the last will contained an express revocation clause. Judge Edgerton, in a specially concurring opinion stated: In the California case of In re Kaufman's Estate, 25 Cal. 2d 854, 155 P.2d 831 (Cal. 1945), testator executed a will dated March 18, 1940, in New York. He moved to California and executed a new will on April 30, 1941, containing the clause: "I, Samuel B. Kaufman, do hereby make and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, revoking all former wills." Testator died on May 2, 1941, and it was explained to him by the attorney who drew the will *675 that he would have to live 30 days in order to make the will effective and he was advised to draw a codicil to the will because if he died within 30 days the will would not be effective. The testator stated: "No, I want to make a new will. I don't want a codicil." Thereupon the attorney drew the will of 1941. The California Court applied the doctrine of dependent relative revocation, and, speaking through Justice Traynor, stated: In 95 C.J.S. Wills § 267 the subject of conditional or dependent relative revocation is thoroughly discussed and the text writer makes the following statements: The testator was not informed of the true situation of the effect the revocatory clause of his last will thus, the doctrine is particularly applicable in this case because of that fact. An additional reason is that testator changed his testamentary purpose only as to minor details and repeated the dispositive plan to appellee. I recognize that there is respectable authority to the contrary, but it appears that the cases which apply the doctrine of dependent relative revocation have a sounder basis in reason. The chancellor stated in his opinion the following: This State recognized the doctrine of dependent relative revocation in Hairston, supra, applied it in Wilbourn, supra, and in my opinion, this is a proper case for the application of the doctrine. While not directly applicable to the case at bar, it is noted that this Court, in construing Section 270 of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, has adopted a liberal construction toward upholding the validity of bequests controlled thereby. This Court had occasion in Mississippi School for Blind v. Armstrong, 216 Miss. 348, 62 So. 2d 369 (1953), to construe Section 270 of the Mississippi Constitution which provides that if a person leaving a spouse or child, or descendants of child, bequeath or devise more than one-third of his estate to any charitable, religious, educational or civil institution, to the exclusion of such spouse or child, or descendants of child, the will containing such bequest must be executed at least 90 days before the death of the testator, or such bequest shall be void. In Mississippi School for Blind, supra, the testatrix died on July 20, 1951, leaving a last will and testament executed December 1, 1950, providing for payment of taxes, debts, expenses of last illness and funeral, and expenses of administering her estate, directing the erection of a modest monument, a bequest of $1,000 to a friend and then provided in Item 6 as follows: The will was admitted to probate in common form and the son and sole heir at law of the testatrix brought suit to have the quoted provision of the will declared void as being in violation of Section 270 of the Mississippi Constitution. The trial court held the bequest was void in its entirety and adjudged that the Mississippi School for Blind take nothing by the will, giving the entire residue to the son. On appeal, this Court stated: This Court held that under the will in question, Mississippi School for the Blind was entitled to take one-third of the estate. The Court did not declare the entire bequest void as a strict construction of the constitutional provision would have required, but held the bequest valid up to the one-third permitted by the Constitution and stated: "This impresses us as being a fair, reasonable and just conclusion." (216 Miss. at 357, 62 So. 2d at 372.) In summary, I do not deem it necessary to overrule Hairston, supra, because as previously discussed, the revocation of the bequest to appellee was not unequivocal, but I would overrule it rather than defeat the expressed intention of the testator in this case to leave a portion of his estate to appellee. The record reflects the generosity of testator to his family during his lifetime, and the provision for his widow and others in his will; therefore, I would not defeat his intention, twice expressed, to make appellee the object of his bounty to further the laudable purposes for which it exists, viz., to alleviate the physical suffering of mankind. PATTERSON, ROBERTSON and WALKER, JJ., join in this dissent.