The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 68, No. 15, Ed. 1, Friday, January 16, 1981 Page: 1 of 23
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Optimist
Jan. 16 1981
Abilene Christian University
Volume 68 Number 15
A good student turnout was evidenced Tuesday
night as the first of the Tuesday night devotionals
got underway. Despite the chilly temperatures
Agreement made out of court
Masten relatives ACU reach settlement
By KEN GATES
Optimist Staff
When F.O. Mastendied of cancer of the
mouth and tongue in Lubbock Methodist
Hospital Jan. 8 1980 he left behind a
hand-written will 18 disgruntled rela-
tives and an estate worth millions.
The 89-year-old cotton-cattle baron left
most of his holdings including 113310
acres of farming ranching and oil prop-
erty to ACU in a will written on a buff-
colored page marked "Methodist Hospi-
tal Progress Notes "
Eighteen of Masten's relatives planned
to contest his will in 154th District Court
Jan. 5 but the parties reportedly
reached a settlement out of court and
the 163-member jury panel was dis-
missed. No details of the settlement
have been released.
According to a story in the Lubbock
Avalanche-Journal the lead attorney for
the relatives told District Court Judge
Pat Boone that a settlement had been
reached with attorneys representing
ACU.
Jerome Kirby of Littlefield speaking
for ACU told Boone he had no objections
to the settlement but that additional time
would be needed before filing the judg-
ement in order to work out some "tax
problems" said the Journal.
Boone issued a "gag" order Oct. 16
that prevents "all counsel parties and
officers of this Court" from saying any-
thing about the trial. Because of the gag
order President John Stevens and school
attorney Gaston Wellborn declined to
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Devotional Devotees
comment on the case.
"I am not at liberty to discuss any as-
pect of the case" Stevens said. "I would
be tr own in jail for contempt of court."
Ah depositions pertaining to the case
have been sealed by Boone said Kay
Bell city editor of the Journal. The
Journal was the only media representa-
tive to see the depositions before they
were sealed.
One of the Journal's reporters Marc
Flake has been researching the story.
Bell said the gag order has hindered his
attempts to get information.
Masten had shown an interest in ACU
for more than 30 years. He was co-chairman
of ACU's first development fund af-
ter the organization of the development
office in 1948 and late chancellor Don H.
Morris was a long-time family friend
according to a 1965 story in the Abilene
Reporter-News.
In two notes scrawled on sheets of a
yellow legal pad given to Stevens the
same day as the handwritten will Mas-
ten indicated that he wanted something
left to his relatives and hired hands but
these amounts were small in comparison
with the amount left to ACU.
The first note according to the Reporter-News
reads in part "I just now
got through writing my will again to the
university. That will get it if you will
handle it right. I want all my nieces and
nephews to have someng like enough to
look well. My hired men some Mexi-
cans Negroes some are just plane
working white people Dr. Stephens
Photo by Rodnay Goodman
students gathered on the steps of the Adminis-
tration Building to begin the weekly devotionals
that will continue throughout the semester.
there will be plent if handled right."
The second note says Masten wants a
friend in Amarillo to have his house
there plus "my loghouse on ranch at
Morton and the white houses and farm
there."
Early estimates of the value of the
Masten estate ran as high as $50 million.
However in a deposition filed with the
district court in Littlefield a certified
public accountant testified that Masten's
possessions amounted to about $12 mil
lion said the Lubbock editor and cur
rent estimates in the Journal place the
s
value at $11 million.
W.C. Masten a nephew of the
ceased showed that the elder Masten
had $1055198 in cash in five banks. A
major portion of the Masten estate is a
Ill-section portion of the Matador ranch
which he purchased in 1960.
Before F.O. Masten died W.C Masten
and F.O. Masten's brother Robert were
named temporary guardians of the es-
tate by Lamb County Court Judge Don
L. Joyner because "the farming and
ranching operations require immediate
attention" according to the Reporter-
News. The Reporter-News said Joyner ruled
the same day that F.O Masten was not
of sound mind and appointed Robert
Masten to provide for his medical care
and W.C. Masten to oversee all farming
and ranching operations.
Masten's relatives objected to Stevens'
visits to the ailing man while he was
(conlinued on page A-16)
Proceeds won't
go to campaign
Sing Song proceeds will not be used for
the Spring Break Campaign or other
evangelistic efforts this year said Presi-
dent John Stevens.
Stevens said that while he is "fully
supportive" of the Spring Break Cam-
paign he believes that mission work is
for the church and should be supported
by the church.
Stevens also said that the Sing Song
participants should spend the proceeds
from their performance on projects that
will most benefit the ongoing work of
ACU. "Proceeds from Sing Song should
be used to benefit all of the students of
the university now and in the years to
come" he said
'Projects to be proposed for consid-
eration should be those that will improve
the physical plant expand the in-
stitution's permanent equipment andor
finance scholarships" said Stevens.
Last year Sing Song participants voted
to donate $2500 to the Spring Break
Campaign.
Senior David Fraser coordinator of
the campaign this year said he believes
that since Sing Song is produced totally
by the students they should decide what
on-eampus and off-campus projects the
proceeds will benefit. "The students
should decide as opposed to the adminis-
tration dictating" he said.
"If students want it the money should
go to intramurals and the Spring Break
Campaign not necessarily permanent
things" said Fraser. "Investments in
people's lives might be more beneficial
than investments in more sidewalks" he
said.
Fraser said he does not think the Sing
Song participants are given enough pro-
ject ideas to choose from. "The ballot
last year did not give the students any
choice" said Fraser.
John Duty Sing Song coordinator said
ideas for spending the proceeds will be
submitted by Sing Song performers to
club or class presidents. The presidents
will then give the ideas to Duty and co-
chairmen Leesa Liles and Glen Fink.
"We will compile and research the list of
ideas to see what is and is not feasible"
said Duty.
The ideas will then be sent to Stevens
for approval. The approved projects will
be voted on by Sing Song participants.
Fraser said he thinks only a few
people actually decide which projects the
proceeds will be used for. "Somewhere
in the process we're limiting the number
of ideas presented to the students" he
said.
SoQsMte
Air Supply
SA to sponsor concert
Page A-11
Space Invaders
The electronic game cult
Page B-1
Women's roundball
Janice Mulford shoots
for the top
Page B-7
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 68, No. 15, Ed. 1, Friday, January 16, 1981, newspaper, January 16, 1981; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth99571/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.