T.M. Zink $35,000, T.M. Zink, attorney in Le Mars, Iowa died in 1930. His wife and daughters were no doubt shocked to read his Will.
But then, the residue of his estate, worth about $35,000, was to be held in trust for 75 years (until 2005).
With accrued interest, the trust fund would then be cashed out and a library built which women would not be allowed: the Zink Womanless Library.
The Will explained his bequeath:
“My intense hatred of women is not of recent origin or development nor based upon any personal differences I ever had with them but is the result of my experiences with women, observations of them and study of all literatures and philosophical works.”
Dude! Can you spell therapy?!
Mrs. Becker successfully challenged the Will based mostly on persuasive arguments that it offended public policy.
The judge agreed and her and her mother were given the estate and the ass’ library was never built.
A contemporary newspaper article (image, above):
“Mrs. Margaret Becker … termed the final testament of her father an insult to the womanhood of America, a libel and a slander against public morals, and said that Zink’s hatred of feminity had grown into a partial insanity….
“[T]he strong, silent sex was unanimous in agreeing that Zink had done well to save his bombshell until after his death.”
But then, the residue of his estate, worth about $35,000, was to be held in trust for 75 years (until 2005).
With accrued interest, the trust fund would then be cashed out and a library built which women would not be allowed: the Zink Womanless Library.
The Will explained his bequeath:
“My intense hatred of women is not of recent origin or development nor based upon any personal differences I ever had with them but is the result of my experiences with women, observations of them and study of all literatures and philosophical works.”
Dude! Can you spell therapy?!
Mrs. Becker successfully challenged the Will based mostly on persuasive arguments that it offended public policy.
The judge agreed and her and her mother were given the estate and the ass’ library was never built.
A contemporary newspaper article (image, above):
“Mrs. Margaret Becker … termed the final testament of her father an insult to the womanhood of America, a libel and a slander against public morals, and said that Zink’s hatred of feminity had grown into a partial insanity….
“[T]he strong, silent sex was unanimous in agreeing that Zink had done well to save his bombshell until after his death.”
