Estate of Lances

This is an appeal from an order admitting to probate the will of William Lances, deceased. The order was made following a contest of the will, before a jury. After the presentation of all of the evidence, the court directed the jury to answer special interrogatories favorably to the proponent of the will and dismissed the contest.

William Lances was an unmarried, illiterate but rather shrewd American Indian, and at the time of his death on April 1, 1930, was of the age of about fifty years. He had no children and lived on real property owned by him in Mariposa County westerly from the entrance…