He left a clause in his will stating that his sons could not collect his money until they were in their 80s.
Considering that the average life expectancy is under 80, what a BIZARRE thing to do!
Can you imagine if Grandmama Edith had done that in 1897?! I can just see Edward, Judith, Quentin and Carl trying to figure out how each was going to outlive the other siblings.
But considering that women generally outlive men, Judith might still have ended up with everything in the end anyway - well, provided she lived at least until 80 and didn't succumb to an "unfortunate accident" beforehand.
And poor Gregory Trask - he might have had to marry that woman in Fall River (
) to gain his wealth and power. Perhaps it might have even been Lizzie Borden, and his fate wouldn't have been all that different...