George v. Smith

Griffin Smith, Chief Justice.

Effectiveness of the attempt of Peter M. Smith to make a will is the subject of controversy. The document expressed the mutual or reciprocal purposes of two bachelor brothers who, living together, had much in common. They were joint owners of real and personal property, shown in the inventory to be worth slightly more than $10,000.1 After providing that each should take in succession to the other, the concluding paragraph of the will reads, “If both of the makers . . . should pass away, all of our . . . property shall go to our brother, William I. Smith”. The…