Once upon a time, there was a kindly old lady who specialized in creating gruesome murder dioramas. Her name was Frances Glessner Lee, and her little scenes went on to educate criminologists for decades.
When Texas resident Charles Walker died on March 13, 2000, he left this handwritten will:
I hereby direct my Executor to sell tract 3 of the V.M. Donigan 456.80 Partition for cash and to invest the proceeds in safe and secure tax-free U.S. government bonds or insured tax-free municipal bonds. This trust is to be called the James Madison Fund to honor our fourth President, the Father of the Constitution. The ultimate purpose of this fund is to provide a million dollar trust fund for every American 18 years or older. At 6% compound interest and a starting figure of $1,000,000.00, it would take approximately 346 years to provide enough money to do this. My executor will head the Board of Trustees . . . . When the Fund reaches $15,000,000 my Executor's function will cease, and the money will be turned over to the Sec. of the Treasury for management by the federal government. The President of the U.S., the Vice-President of the U.S., and the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives shall be permanent Trustees of the Fund. The Congress of the United States shall make the final rules and regulations as to how the money will be distributed. No one shall be denied their share because of race, religion, marital status, sexual preference, or the amount of their wealth or lack thereof. . . .
The Texas courts ruled the will invalid because it didn't meet the criteria for a charitable bequest. That is, it served no social purpose beyond the mere "financial enrichment" of the American public. So it's okay to help the poor. Just make sure you keep 'em poor.
Posted By: Alex | Date: Mon Feb 06, 2012 | Comments (6)
Category: Death, Law
This cartoon is a few years old now, and no sequel is apparent. Too bad! I wanted to see how an alcoholic beetle and a voracious spider did with their love match.
Category: Death, Law, Judges, Recreation, Regionalism, Monuments