Estate of Bletsch

The trial court analyzed the evidence and determined that the testator’s purpose was “to help crippled children through Masonic charitable organizations of the state of Illinois.” The following conclusion of law was entered:

“That the only organization whose operations closely reflect the intent of the deceased is in the ‘Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children’ located in Chicago, Illinois.”

The designated beneficiary in the instant case is nonexistent; this gave rise to a latent ambiguity which made it appropriate to examine the extrinsic evidence. In Estate of Gibbs (1961), 14 Wis. (2d) 490,…