Ouija Board Inheritance
A follow-up to my Ouija board post of last week. This may be the only case of a Ouija board involved in an inheritance dispute.
When Mrs. Helen Dow Peck died in 1955, she left almost her entire estate to "John Gale Forbes," whom she met via Ouija board. Which is to say that John Gale Forbes was not a corporeal entity. Mrs. Peck's surviving (flesh-and-blood) relatives sued, arguing, in essence, that Mrs. Peck was clearly nuts. The court eventually agreed and voided her will. This has established the legal precedent that ghosts can't inherit money. Read more about the case here.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times - Mar 13, 1956
When Mrs. Helen Dow Peck died in 1955, she left almost her entire estate to "John Gale Forbes," whom she met via Ouija board. Which is to say that John Gale Forbes was not a corporeal entity. Mrs. Peck's surviving (flesh-and-blood) relatives sued, arguing, in essence, that Mrs. Peck was clearly nuts. The court eventually agreed and voided her will. This has established the legal precedent that ghosts can't inherit money. Read more about the case here.
Corpus Christi Caller-Times - Mar 13, 1956
Comments
That ruling sure couldn't have happened in today's Uber-PC environment.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/24/15 at 09:24 AM
You´d get the same ruling today because anyone with even a minimal grip on reality knows ouija boards are just a game.
Posted by F.U.D. on 02/24/15 at 10:29 AM
Sorry, F.U.D., but you seem to be suffering under the delusion that the US Judicial system has anything to do with reality.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/24/15 at 10:31 AM
Should have left the estate to the cat.
Posted by KDP on 02/24/15 at 10:37 AM
To the other expat: It must suck to be so angry all the time.
Posted by F.U.D. on 02/24/15 at 12:32 PM
Who's angry??? I'm just talkin' truth.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/24/15 at 12:33 PM
It's be quite different today.
As soon as the will was read, the story would have hit the Internet. There must be a John Gale Forbes somewhere in the world, and they, or someone they know, would have seen it. They could have stepped forward, claiming she found him after his name came up in her game and that they corresponded briefly. That would probably be enough of a connection to allow the will to go through.
I should egosurf the pen names I've used over the years. Who knows, maybe I could lay claim to some ditz's fortune!
As soon as the will was read, the story would have hit the Internet. There must be a John Gale Forbes somewhere in the world, and they, or someone they know, would have seen it. They could have stepped forward, claiming she found him after his name came up in her game and that they corresponded briefly. That would probably be enough of a connection to allow the will to go through.
I should egosurf the pen names I've used over the years. Who knows, maybe I could lay claim to some ditz's fortune!
Posted by Phideaux on 02/24/15 at 02:00 PM
I'll bet they didn't even let the Ouija board have a chance to present his side of the story in court.
Posted by Gary Foster on 02/24/15 at 03:59 PM
Wait wait wait John Gale Forbes was my father, who passed away many years ago. obviously Mrs. Peck made contact with him via ouija, they became good friends and she decided to name him in her will. So if the funds were to go to my father who is deceased, then those assets should come to me, his heir/executor. Where's my money???
Posted by Courtney on 02/24/15 at 08:26 PM
John Gale Forbes left me his fortune in Nigeria.
Posted by ges on 02/25/15 at 12:02 AM
If a ghost could inherit then she could just as well take it with her.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 02/25/15 at 11:39 PM
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Category: Law | 1950s