THE TAMPICO TORNADO
Tampico, Whiteside County, Illinois, Friday, February 4, 1910
SPECIAL BOOM EDITION

TO CONTEST BURDEN WILL

Charles Burden Has Employed Attys Sheldon to Break Thos. Burden's Will

An effort will be made in all probability to break the will of the late Thos. Burden the wealthy Fairfield land owner and stock raiser who died recently leaving an estate valued at some $200,000. Chas. Burden, a son, is not exactly satisfied with his bequest alleging that his portion of the estat is considerably smaller than any of the rest of their heirs and that there is no reason why it should be. He receives but $5,000 cash while the rest all receive a farm each of about 200 acres. Mr. Burden has employed attorneys Sheldon & Sheldon of Sterling to look after  his case and the impending contest.

The will consists of five typwwritten pages and is dated November 1909. It was drawn in Princeton and the attesting witnesses are attorney R. L. Russell and Alfred M. Swengel both reidents of Princeton.

The will provides first that all former wills are revoked and that this is the last will and testament. After providing that all his just debts and funeral expenses should be fully paid out of his personal estate, he gives and bequeaths to each of the heirs as follows:

Elizabeth Graham, daughter, $12,000 cash and about 240 acres of land described as follows: E 1/2 of SE 1/4 Sec: 11 east of the canal. Also E 1/2 of NE 1/4 of Sec 11 east of the canal and S  1/2 of of NW 1/4 of Sec 12.

To Mary Clyne, daughter, $5,000 cash and 320 acres of land described as follows: S 1/2 Sec 12.

To Mary Eleanor Justin McCabe, grandaughter, $1000 cash.

After the cash bequests of $18,000 are made from the personal property the remainder is to be divided equally among the children. As the personal property was appraised recently at $23,000 by the appraisers Marcus Thackaberry, Wm. Dale and Swan Munson it will leave some $5000 cash to be divided among the children in addition to their regular bequests.

To Chas. Burden, son, the sum of $5000 to be paid to him one year after Thos Burden's death by Mrs. Kelly out of her devise of the real estate. This bequest is made as a lein upon the real estate willed to Mrs. Kelly  and is to draw interest at the rate  of six percent sixty days after the death of Thos. Burden.

To George Burden about 400 acres where he lives at present and described as follows: All of Sec. 11 south and west of main ditch of the Union Special Drainage Dist. of towns of Fairfield, Greeneville and Gold, from a point where the ditch intersects the south line of Sec 11 about 70 rods west of the SE corner of said section, north and west to a point where ditch intersects road about 60 rods west of center of said section; all of section 11 east and south of said ditch from point of intersection of ditch and road south and west to a point where ditch intersects south line of Sec. 11 about 40 rods east and south of said sec. 11, all that part of W 1/2 of NW 1/4 of sec. 14 east and south of said ditch, the SW 1/2  of NW 1/4 of Sec 13, and NW 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Sec 13.

To John Burden, son, about 290  acres, the home farm, described as follows: NE 1/4 of Sec 10NE 1/4 of SW 1/2, the E 1/2 of SW 1/4 of Sec 10 and all that part of NW 1/4 of NW 1/4 of Sec 14 lying west and south of Main ditch.

To Wm. Burden, son, about 240 acres in the south part of the big pasture described as follows: NE 1/4 and E 1/2 of NW 1/4 of Sec. 13.

To Nellie Kelly, daughter, about 180 or 185 acres described as follows: All of sec 11 west of the canal and north of the main ditch and east of road lying north of ditch, subject to the bequest of $5,000 given to Chas. Burden.

Mrs. Emma McCabe, daugher, about 175 acres, all of Sec 11 west of the road and north of its intersection with main ditch and also all of sec 11 lying west of ditch and south of where it intersects highway.

All of the remainder of the real and personal property is directed to be divided equally among all of the children. George Burden, Elizabeth Graham and Mary Clyne are appointed executors of the will without bond, it being waived.