The story of William Roberts Lindsay is a sad, lonely, and slightly bizarre one.

Lindsay amassed a fortune as a successful investor in Los Angeles and retired to Las Vegas in his mid-50s for the desert climate and low tax regime. He was a bit of a recluse – he never married and named his barber, Elton Marvin, and his pet pug, Midget as his closest friends.

When he died, he left only Midget and some dog treats to Marvin and the remainder of his estate he left to Scotland.

Yes, Scotland. The land of William Wallace, bagpipes, castles, and kilts.

For at least the last 10 years, Lindsay had been supporting Scottish interests. He funded the William R. Lindsay chair in public health at Glasgow University, and two years ago he made a $4 million donation to the National Trust for Scotland, a charitable organization dedicated to preserving Scottish heritage and history. Interestingly enough, he had previously been turned down for another Scottish academic chair because he was believed to be a “crank.”

Yet, Lindsay had never been to Scotland. His entire vision of the country was shaped by the movie Brigadooon, based on the Broadway hit musical of the same name, and staring Gene Kelly as one of two Americans hoping to discover a hidden Scottish village that emerges from the mist just one day every 100 years.

But Lindsay’s ancestors hailed from Scotland and that connection was the last important thing to him, imaginary though the impression was.

He bequeathed his estate – minus the dog – to the NTS before shooting himself in his home in November at the age of 79.

Bi aig fois, a’ Uilleam. (Rest in peace, William.)

James D. Perry