A MISSING WILL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 2

A MISSING WILL

RECEIVED BY POST ESTATE OF £24,000 SYDNEY. Aug. 12. Developments reminiscent. 01 lastcentury melodrama have taken place in a matter recently before tho Probate Court. The missing will has been found. It was the will of a grazier in Die Orange district, who died in July last, year, a bachelor, leaving an estate ot about £24,000. Unavailing search had been made after his death lor a will. In the litigation which followed, the court admitted to probate a. will which had been executed by the deceased, but, could not be produced by the party opposing distribution of the estate as an intestacy. Tho matter came into court on the suit of Mr. Charles James five, who, with tho consent of his three brothers and four sisters, made application for grant of letters of administration of the estate ot their brother, Mr. William Frederick Eve, formerly a grazier at Four Mile Creek, near Orange. The application was supported by evidence of fruitless search for a will and (lie consequential submissions of law. * . , , ' Mrs. Winifred Fawcett, who had been Mr. William Frederick Eve’s housekeeper for 17 years, opposed the grant of administration. declaring that lie had not died intestate, but bad executed a will under which she and her son were given certain benefits. This was supported by the evidence of a solicitor who drew the will, and witnessed its execution. The court found in Mrs. Fawcett’s favour. The other day a letter reached Mr. Charles James Eve, who had been plaintiff in the probate suit, containing part of a newspaper page on which a phase of t]ic court proceedings were reported. TVo days later lie received another and more bulky envelope. Tn this were his brother’s will and codicil. The letters were quite anonymous. Both had been posted at a. country post-office. In each the address had been printed, apparently by a stamp. Mr. Eve immediately informed lus solicitors of wlint bad occurred. The will and the codicil will now be submitted to the court, and application made for probate. It. is understood that Mrs. Fawcett and her son are beneficiaries.