Ancient, Curious, and Famous WillsHarris, Virgil M. (Virgil McClure)
History
Ancient, Curious, and Famous Wills
Harris, Virgil M. (Virgil McClure)
Wills
The testator left to his daughter, Ina, in addition to her compulsory
portion in accordance with the law of France, his automobile and the
contents of his studio not otherwise bequeathed; a sum of 5000 fr. to
his friend, Mr. Hawkins; 15,000 fr. to the Société des Artistes
Français, the income from which is to be awarded annually as a prize to
be known as The Theodore Ralli Prize; to the Fine Arts Museum in Athens,
all pictures of Greek subjects and framed studies in his studio; 5000
fr. to his model if she should still be in his service at the time of
his death; and the residue of his property to his brothers, Spiridon and
Manati, for life, with remainder to his daughter Ina.
Appended to the will is a letter expressing his wishes in the following
manner: “Let me be placed in my coffin as quickly as possible after my
death, and let nobody outside the household be admitted to my death
chamber before I am placed in my coffin. In a word, I do not wish
anybody to attend through curiosity to see how I look. Let no
photographs be made of my corpse, and let me be buried as soon as
possible. For the love of God, do not weep for me. I have lived a life
happy enough. The aim of my life was painting, and I gave it all of
which I was capable. I might have lived twenty years more, but I could
not have progressed any more, so what was the good of it? And how
content I should be if no one wore any marks of mourning for me. I
always had a horror of it. So, if you cannot do otherwise, wear the
least of it possible.”
ASHES IN A GOLDEN RECEPTACLE
Carl Schumann, a pedlar who died in May, 1910, at the Home for the Aged
in Cincinnati, Ohio, directed that his body be cremated and the ashes
tossed to the winds. The will also bequeathed the sum of Fifty Dollars
to the Herwegh Maennerchor Society, with instructions that after the
cremation the members spend the money having a good time.
The ceremony took place at the crematory at two o’clock in the
afternoon, and was conducted by Mr. A. Goldstein, the leader of the
Herwegh Maennerchor. While the body was being consumed, the society sang
two German songs which were Schumann’s favorites.
When the body was reduced to ashes, they were gathered and placed in a
golden receptacle, and as the final words were spoken, they were tossed
into the air by Mr. R. Schueschner. The society then began the
celebration.
DIRECTIONS FOR CREMATION
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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