Opinion ID: 1282574
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Statements of the testators

Text: While Martin's testimony about Lillian's remark that she would go along with Charles was the only evidence of a statement by Lillian about her testamentary intentions, three witnesses testified to statements by Charles, Sr. One witness, long-time family acquaintance Gene Greenslitt, merely stated that on one occasion Charles, Sr., told him that his two grandchildren would end up with [the property]    they was both going to be equal and I didn't see any difference. Greenslitt testified to no statement indicating disagreement or agreement with Lillian. The second, Lorraine, said that in September, 1964, Charles told her that I want to divide whatever I have equally between my grandchildren, as he couldn't leave much to his son because it just makes family matters worse since Lillian did not want Will or Charles [Jr.] to have anything. He said he had fixed the will so plaintiff and LaVonne will both share alike. In 1968, on the family farm, Charles, Sr., told Lorraine and plaintiff that plaintiff and LaVonne are going to be treated exactly alike. The third witness, plaintiff, testified that in December, 1967, in early summer, 1968, and on the 1968 occasion when Lorraine was also present, Charles, Sr., told him that he would give very little of his estate to Charles, Jr., but that when Charles, Sr., and Lillian were both dead, the estate would be split evenly between plaintiff and LaVonne. During the first of these conversations, Charles made the remarks about a tradeoff to keep peace with Lillian and during the second, the comment that this was the only way he could get [Lillian] to agree, to which we have already referred, Part IV C, supra.