234 The Farmer's Business Handbook 



seal. The testator may, in some states, either 

 subscribe the will in the presence of the wit- 

 nesses, or acknowledge to them that he has sub- 

 scribed it, showing the signature and the will, 

 and may even do this to each one separately; 

 but if he does this he must declare the will to 

 each of them. A testator may also sometimes 

 ask another to write his name for him, and if 

 the latter does so in his presence and signs his 

 own name as a witness to the will, with a state- 

 ment of the testator's request to him, and of 

 the fact that he did sign for the testator, the 

 signature will generally be good; but it is 

 always better to have the testator at least make 

 his mark. As a final caution, let me say 

 that it will be found far safer and better in the 

 vast majority of cases to take no chances upon 

 the probabilities of safety in omitting any of 

 these details. Of course, any credible compe- 

 tent person may be a witness, except that any 

 one who takes anything under the will is not com- 

 petent as a witness. 



The following may be adopted as a brief and 

 simple form of will with a proper attestation 

 clause : 



I, John Doe, of the city of Ithaca, N. Y., do hereby 

 declare this to be my last will and testament. 



First, I direct the payment of my just debts, if any. 

 Second, I give, devise and bequeath to ,,.,.,, 



