WHIPPET FOUNDS FORTUNE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22212, 15 March 1934, Page 4

WHIPPET FOUNDS FORTUNE

PUZZLE vOF £57.000 LEGACY

A little black whippet named Billy raced away with a big sweepstak? prize at Oldham 30 years ago—and laid the foundation of a £57,000 fortune, over which a fight in Chancery is expected. In prizes and bets Billy brought hundreds of pounds to his owner, Mr William Hurst, of Little Hulton, Bolton. The investment of this money, and a legacy from his father, was the means by which he J accumulated his wealth, says the Sunday Chronicle. ' Mr Hurst had some lucky gambles, in speculative shares, but he reinvested much of his gains more safely, and though there were > occasional, heavy losses on the cotton market the fortune grew. Yet Mr Hurst, who had been successively collier, coachman .and licensee, continued to live in a tiny house and to wear clogs. The personal expenditure of Mr Hurst rarely exceeded 30s a week. He died last July at the age of 79, and left the bulk of his money to the "King Edward VII Royal Hospital,.'London " n non-existent institution. : ! The bequest was made after Mr Hurst bad revoked a decision that the residue of the estate should, be divided between Salford Royal Hospital and Bolton Royal Infirmary. Some dispute may arise over this point, which will have to be decided in the High Court. There is also stated to be a further possibility that two sons of the dead man's brother will contest the validity of certain clauses of the will. •