Opinion ID: 2374775
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Making of the Will

Text: The testator not having made a will, Bernard Little (Bernard), a nephew and one of the caveators, in March 1959 went from Baltimore to Hancock to visit his Uncle Ed. Bernard had previously discussed the making of a will by his uncle with Father Kerr, pastor of the testator's church, and suggested to Father Kerr that he influence his uncle to make a will. On his second visit to his uncle in late March, 1959, Bernard suggested to his Uncle Ed that he make a will. His suggestion was apparently not appreciated by his uncle. Bernard described the result of the interview as follows: He was downright discourteous to me and ordered me out of the room. He told me to get the hell out. Father Kerr, who administered to the testator and brought him his communion at regular intervals, testified that he had discussed with the testator the advisibility of making a will and reported later that in a subsequent conversation with him, Mr. Little had followed his suggestion. In a conversation a week later with Mr. Little, Father Kerr learned that he had had a lawyer draw up the Will and, at a still later time, that the will had not been signed by the testator. It is to be observed that the original suggestion to make a will was directly made to the testator by Bernard, one of the caveators, and thereafter indirectly through Father Kerr. As Bernard testified: I am the one who pinpointed the whole thing. Philip testified that his Uncle Ed had requested him in April 1959 to have an attorney prepare a will for him, giving him explicit instructions of what the will would contain. Philip relayed these instructions to an attorney who prepared the proposed will in accordance with the instructions. This proposed will was given to the testator later in April. The testator put it in his coat pocket stating: I won't sign it right now. I may want to make some changes later on. The testator kept the proposed will unsigned until December 30, 1959. On that day, in the middle of the morning, the testator asked Chlorous to go to the bank and ask Mr. Smith and Julie Ayers if they will come down to the house. He did not state for what purpose he wanted them. She drove down to the bank and delivered the message. The two officials of the bank came to the house. Chlorous let them in and then left. Brooks Smith testified that the testator took the proposed will from his pocket to sign and asked him and Juliana to witness it. He stated that it was his will and asked Brooks if he wanted to read it, but Brooks declined to do this. After the will was signed, the witnesses visited for a while and the testator offered Brooks a cigar. No one was in the room when the will was signed other than the testator and the two witnesses. Thomas came in later but no one mentioned to him that a will had been signed. The evening the will was signed  or the next morning  the testator gave the executed will to Philip to put in a safe place with these other stocks. Philip carried out these instructions and later delivered the will to the Orphans' Court. Other facts will be stated in discussing the issues presented to us in this appeal.