Vestal v. Pickering

It cannot be questioned that the state is competent to become the beneficiary of a last will and testament unless there is a statute prohibiting the state to exercise that power. There is no statute prohibiting this state from receiving property by will. It has been held that the United States government, which is a government of limited powers, is capable of receiving property by will unless prohibited by statute. Compare Dickson v. United States, 125 Mass. 311 (28 Am. Rep. 230), with United States v. Fox, 94 U. S. 315 (24 L. Ed. 192), affirmed in Re Fox, 52 N. Y. 530 (11 Am. Rep. 751).

There…