“STORK DERBY” ENDS IN TIE

Northern Advocate, 2 November 1936, Page 6

“STORK DERBY” ENDS IN TIE

BABY-BEARING , CONTEST FOR £IOO,OOO

[United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright.l (Received 1.30 p.m.) TORONTO, November 1. A ten-year baby-bearing marathon for a purse of 500,000 dollars (£ 100,000) offered by the late Charles Vance Millar in a will which he himself admitted. was and capricious” ended yesterday and has resulted in an apparent tie, with six mothers each claiming nine births. Two expectant competitors dropped out, when prayers and a strenuous regiment of exercises failed to hasten the stork’s visit. The fantastic contest is by no means concluded, however, since a legal battle looms ahead. Mr Millar’s next of kin will challenge the will as being contrary to the public good. Fourteen mothers, who filed claims, are expected to attend a Court hearing on Friday, when it is , hoped that the will’s validity will be decided and the winner or winners named. One of the six in the tie' claims that 12 children were born in the period, although nine only were registered. Four others claim 10, but, on being challenged, have waived all above nine. A macabre touch was the burial of one of the babies at the very hour the so-called “stork derby” closed. Mr Millar was described by friends as bald, as slight of stature, hard of eye, thin lipped and cynical. He was known as a lover of practical jokes and as a despiser of women. He rose from poverty to wealth through a silver mine, and later acquired horses and a brewery. He considered a life a monument to folly. His will bequeaths jockey club shares to clergymen and brewery holdings to temperance reformers.