Show OLD HOME HINGES ON PUNCTUATION Period or Comma in Old Hamilton Ham Hamilton ilton Will to Determine Division PAPERS RETURNED TO FILES FIES MISSING rOB FOR TWENTY YEARS DOCUMENT IS BACK AGAIN Upon the construction of a will filed flied 25 years ago in the county clerks of office I fice lice hangs the ownership of the old Hamilton homestead at Mill Creek valued at several thousand dollars and the whole question of the intent of f James Tames L Hamilton hinges upon whether er a period or a comma was written Into the wilL The property will either be awarded to the four sons or the six daughters of James Tames L Hamilton who died on November 9 1875 1575 at Mill Creek a widow and ten chil chII dren For 20 years the will has been out of the clerks office and it Is not known by what means It was allowed to get out of the flies files It has been in inthe inthe Inthe the possession of attorneys for the Hamilton boys and not until a few days ago was It known that the will had bad ever left the clerks office When It became known to Mrs Margaret Zane Witcher county clerk that the will had been taken from the files she called upon the attorneys to re return return return turn it and it is now again a part of the records of the office The Hamilton boys now grown men I claim that their father placed a period I In the will thus leaving both the homestead and the farm to them whereas he only gave money to the six girls Feeling between members of ot the family has grown rather acute during late years and It Is probable that the matter will be taken into the district court In a short time to determine the meaning of the Instrument I Probated In The will was admitted to probate on November 13 1875 by Probate Judge Elms Elias Smith It was witnessed by Ea Ed Edward ward Fairbourne and William D Park At the time of death Mr Mi Hamilton was 57 years old oldIn oldIn oldIn In the will Hamilton gave the home homestead homestead homestead stead to his widow Mary Ann Hamil Hamilton Hamilton Hamilton ton during her lifetime In case she shedid shedid shedid did not remarry But If she remar remarried ned ried the homestead was to go to the boys John CX C c James c d Joseph and William H Hamilton Further in the will all aU written in the hand of Mr Ir Hamilton with few punctuation marks and scant capitalization it states that the four girls were to receive the fol following following following lowing money upon the death of or their mother Sarah Jane Elizabeth 50 Caroline Charlotte Nora NoE D and Priscilla I Then comes question which nas has caused estrangement in the family and may result in court action The will states and sand Priscilla In connection connection connection tion with the homestead at my decease I 1 wish Divided Among My Iy Four Boys the farm of thirty acres After the there is either r a period or ora ora ora a comma determining the disposition of the homestead The sons have had an expert examine the will with a strong magnifying glass for the purpose of determining whether the mark is a comma or a pe period period nod but no conclusion has yet been reached Over the Ink mark there Is Isa Isa isa a pencil mark making it appear like a comma The will Is being carefully guarded In the county clerks office now after twenty years and it will not be allowed out of the office except when taken into court In case cas legal ac action action action tion Is brought to finally determine the exact meaning of ot the Instrument |