EXTRAORDINARY PUZZLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 84, 3 January 1920, Page 5

EXTRAORDINARY PUZZLE

THE WILLS OF AN M.P. An extraordinary puzzle wns presented to the President. of tlio Probate Court, London, lecenlly' in relation to (lie affairs of 'the Into Major Ifraneos Bennett Goldney. who was M.P. for CantcrKiiry. 'Eight •separate testamentary document of various dat'S wcto laid before the Court, two of them either found or «v:ecutM in tlie House of Common':. The matter wes eoinnlicatcd by vnlnrninowi memoranda made by Major Goldney a 1; fohlier (ho died in military hosuita' in France), and the problem was whethe-' those n.4es with' marginal aniphhu.Hons had <'!•> forr° of a "old!'"''': wtii. Major Oohlney lived at ,W"t P">rton. Canterly.iry. and was a bachelor and a collector of works of art. His wills included references to picture? in Canterbury and, T/melon museums, his Black Prince relies, his china, and lbs collection of diamonds. The plaint id's lver? Sir .Tohn E. Twisden and Mr. G. J[. Shiner. The defendant .was the testator's brother, Mr. Sebastian Evans, who was lint represented, and a Mr. Jo=t*]jh Piik-fell intervened. Mr.. Goldney was the am of Dr. Sebastian Evans, p.nd he adopted his mother's name' of Goldney in 1832. A lady giving evidcnce'said the testator was very anxious the signature should M adequate, and signed one document four times. The President, giving judgment, said it was an odd fact (hat the document which Major Goldney signed fo many times was invalid because. though he attached his signature in many places, ho attached it after the signature of the witnesses had b"en attached. Hi* T.ordslion gave the plaintiffs what they asked, pronouncing for (we documents of October, 1!5I7, and (he two. documents executed in (lie House of Commons in Ariril. IPH>. a= conHinin? the last will of the tesfatni® The President added that there was no language which revived or purported to. revive the codicil in favour of MiK inton-en■>>'. tn wdioTii that document had criginallv left .ciono. i The estate thus goes to the testator's brother.