ADVENTURES OF A WILL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1911, Page 10

ADVENTURES OF A WILL.

A strange account of a will lostthiough the playfulness of a child Was given in the Probate Court, London, recently, before Mr. Justice fieaidge. Mr. William Golden, formerly a butter, of Bridgwater House, ttuncom. & build* ing used by the directors of the Man. Chester Ship Canal, made his will in June, 1909, by which he left all his pro. peHy to hi* wife. He 'lied on lUh April, 1910, and then the will was not forthcoming, although it had been placed by the testator in his drawer Wifcli other documents. The widow searched the house without success. Then she asked ktt little daughter if she had taken any papor from her father's desk. The child remembered that at Christmas, 1909, she wanted paper on which to make some drawings, and she had taken some from the desk, and after scribbling upon it she tore it and throw it in the fire. Questioned a« to the kind of papev it Was, the child !»aid iier father's harae was on it, there was writing oil one eide, and it was ruled with blue lines. This document was the will, according to tho case put forward by the widow, who w&s plaintiff in the suit to establish the missing document, the defendant being the little girl, aged eight, who appeared by her guardian. TJie child, Margaret Gokten, aged eight, wae one of the witnesses called. She was token to the bench and stood beside the judge. She said that just before Christmas, 1909, Bhe asked her mother for some paper, but her mother only said, "Oh, you ate always wanting paper." The witness opened her father's drawer and took out a paper. $ht» d& scribed it to the court. For the defence Air. Willis raised the question that tho testator revoked the will by himself destroying it. II o said the estate was worth £500, nml if the i mother obtained probate the child would practically get nothing. But if llie child were heiress- at law she would get £300 and two-thirds of the remaining £200. Mr. Justice Hoi ridge, p;i\ing judg' ment, said he was satisfied that tha deceased had made a will tn favour uf Mrs. Gilden, and he pronounced for the will in accordance with the draft before him.