William Marsh Rice and His Institute: The Centennial Edition

Appendix 4

( 137 ) Appendix 4 the forged or “patriCK” will June 30, 1900 the state, City and) (ss.: County of new yorK.) Be it Known, that I, william m. riCe, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, hereby revoking any and all other wills heretofore by me made, do hereby make, publish and declare this, my last will and testament, as follows, that is to say: First: I nominate, constitute and appoint my nephewWilliam M. Rice, Jr., of Hyatt, Texas; James A. Baker, Jr, of Houston, Texas and Albert T. Patrick, of New York, the survivors or survivor of them, as and to be the executors of this my Last Will and Testament; and I will and direct that no bond or other security shall ever be required of them as such executors; that for the services performed by them as such executors, they shall receive a commission of five percent (5%) upon the aggregate value of the whole of my estate, coming into their possession as such executors , excluding such gifts from me to the William M. Rice Institute hereinafter mentioned as may be vested otherwise than by this will; that no other action shall be had in any Probate Court in reference to the administration of my estate than to probate and establish this Will and to return an inventory and appraisement of my estate, except as is otherwise required by law, and that, for the purpose of paying debts and carrying out the provisions of this Will, full power and authority is hereby given to my said executors, the survivors or survivor of them, to sell any and all of my estate, real, personal or mixed, as they may deem best. Second: I give, devise and bequeath unto the “William M. Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Science and Art,” a corporation under the laws of the State of Texas, a sufficient sum of money, which together with and inclusive of the vested gifts, real, personal or mixed, heretofore or hereafter in my lifetime made by me to the said Institute, will amount in value to the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) provided that if the vested gifts, real, personal or mixed, appendiX four ( 138 ) heretofore or hereafter made by me in my lifetime to said Institute shall, at the time of my death, equal to or exceed in value the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), then this legacy is to be null and void. Third: I give and bequeath to my brother, Frederick A. Rice or to his lineal heirs, per stirpes, if he die before me, the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000). Fourth: I give, devise and bequeath the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) to each of my brothers and sisters, surviving me at the time of my death, and also to the lineal heirs, if any, per stirpes, of each of my pre-deceased brothers and sisters. Fifth: I give and bequeath the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) to each of my nephews and nieces surviving me at the time of my death, and also to the lineal heirs, if any, per stirpes, of each of my pre-deceased nephews and nieces. Sixth: I give and bequeath to each of the persons who at the time of my death may be directors of the said “William M. Rice Institute for the Advancement of Literature, Science and Art,” the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for which I desire and expect them to manifest an interest in said Institute all their lives. Seventh: I give and bequeath the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) to each of the following named persons, that is to say: CharlesT. Adams, of Montclair, N.J.; A. B. Cohn, of Houston, Texas; John D. Bartine, of Somerville, N.J.; and W. O. Wetherbee, of New York; and also to Frederick L. Blinn, of Springfield, Mass., if he does not otherwise take under my will. Eighth: I give and bequeath the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) to each of the following named persons, that is to say: William Rice Carpenter , of Dunnellen, N.J.; Mrs. John W. Boothby, W. F. Harmon and John H. Wallace of New York. Ninth: I give and bequeath the sum of five hundred dollars ($500) to each of the following named persons, that is to say: Charles Carpenter, his wife Isabel Carpenter of Dunnellen, N...