The case was further complicated by the fact that, previous to his conviction, De Tourville had (not perhaps so cleverly as he thought) assigned his interest under the will to another person.
The Master of the Rolls and Lords Justices James and Bramwell, however, reversed the decision of the Vice-Chancellor, and granted the application for a commission, the Master of the Rolls remarking that he was at a loss to understand why the application should have been refused.
He answered the Questions
About the year 1875, “Scotch” John Wilson, a native of Scotland, then living near Tecumseh, Nebraska, drove from his home his son, John Wilson, and told him never to darken the doors again. The son had graduated from an Iowa law school and wanted to practise law; the father wanted the son to stay on the farm; they disagreed and this resulted in the son’s being driven from home. He rode away on a circus train and never saw his parents again.
A few years ago, the elder Wilson died, leaving an estate valued at thirty thousand dollars. By his will, he directed that this estate be turned over to any claimant who might appear and say he was the missing son, and who could answer thirty questions. These thirty questions dealt largely with family history, dates, and other matters which were peculiarly within the knowledge of the son.
The son appeared, after an absence of thirty-five years, and answering satisfactorily the thirty questions before the Probate Court, was awarded the estate. After the decision in his favor, he began crying and remarked, “I would have preferred to have seen my mother rather than to take this money.”
From under the Sea
On April 15th, 1910, while manœuvering off Kura in Hiroshima Bay, Submarine No. 6 of the Royal Japanese Navy was sunk: her commander, Lieutenant Saguma, and fourteen men were lost. When the vessel was raised two days after the catastrophe, a document written by him was discovered; it is a remarkable instrument and may be regarded as a testamentary log. This paper, written when the commander was slowly choking to death from the gases generated as the submarine lay helpless at the bottom of the sea, is a striking instance of the spirit of silent sacrifice and immolation found in the Japanese character. It reads as follows:
“I have no excuse or apology for having sunk His Majesty’s No. 6 submarine by my carelessness, but the crew of the boat bravely and calmly discharged their duties. We now die for the sake of our country, but we regret that the future development of submarines will receive a heavy blow as the result of this disaster. It is, therefore, my hope that you will engage in deeper study of the submarine without any misapprehension of disasters. If you do this, we shall feel no regret at our deaths. We were making a gasoline dive when the submarine sank lower than was intended, and we tried to close the sluice valve, when the chain unfortunately snapped. I therefore closed the valve with my own hands, but it was too late to avert disaster, and the boat sank with a list of 25 degrees. The boat sank at 10 A.M., and it is now 11.45 A.M. The depth of the water is about ten fathoms. I always expect death when away from home. My will is therefore prepared and in the locker, and I hope Mr. Taguchi will send it with this paper to my father.”
There were numerous other requests, one to the Emperor, an earnest appeal to supply the means of livelihood to the poor families of the crew.