Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-03-15
1ad8egUJaWp.
Interesting Developments relati,e TO The Pultney
Estate in Western New York.

are several Fjectment suits now re,di,o
wherein the state of New York is p,aiu,iff
alleging that the holders Of the fee Of these
manofIal lauds have no legal title TO the same.
ihls Is the 'esult of the late anti-rent move
ments. and fne object is TO have these lands
escheai 20 the state, so that the actual settlers
can get the lands at a mere formal price. The
Attorney General gives the following interes-
ting history Of the = Pultney estate lands so
called IN Steuban county. He thinks there is
no doubt tilas the State, under the law of es-
cheats is the righsful owner of those extensive
lands:
suit has been commenced. which is in the
hands Of Robert Campbell, Esq. of Bath. who
has the charge and management of it, in The
name OF the Attorney General, under specIal
appointment by the Governor From the best
Information have been able 20 obtain in rela
ton to this suit, Il have no doubt the aid Of the
Legislature has become necessary to the fur
ther PToseCut!oa Of it. Many intricate and
complicated legal questions are involved in the
controversy, and much Of the testimony relied
on By the State il to be found. (if found a, all.
in London and Edinburgh, and must 6e souuht
for among the records of Doctors Commons.
and the ecclesiastical courts Of EnganI and
Scotia d.
Witnesses must be examined in Lnndonand
Scotland, and Gheir evidence should be taken
under the direction Of skilful lawyer of un-
doubted int egrisy. TO be specially deputed for
hal E,- -sJ,,,
may not be improper. in order to enable the
Senate TO form a correct. judgmen, of the pro-
priety of making an appropriation for the pur-
pose of procuring the necessary testimony in
this cause, for ne to submit such facts as are
within my knowledge connected with this
Pultney estate. 20 your honorable beody.
1t is matter Of history that Massachusetts
originally claimed p1a-emptive title 10 large
Partof " stern New York, and this claim was
the subject II compromise between New York
and Massachusetts. think in 1898, joint
commission was created by the two Stat ;,
and the boundaries of the Massachusetts lands
defined ty the commissioners. Soon after.
and | think IN the same year, Massachusetts sold
her interest in the large tract TO Phelps and
Gorham, WHO short time subsequently con-
yeyed il TO Robert Morris. Of Philadelphia
bout this tIure Mr.. Williamson, a Scotch
gentleman. caHe % America as tie agent of
Sir William I.,,aey, IS Is Supposed. and after
becoming 4 citizen under our naturalization
laws. took conveyance TO himself nf the
Phelps a"d G2-ham purchase from Robert
Morris. b., So secret trust f,r sir Wan. Palt-
Uey. u no Wa E.ra|able of holding real estate
in tins Sta;a bfing NONRESIDENT alien. IL
1898, NiItiamson was member Of The Legis-
lalure, and procured the passage Of the law
TO enable aliens to purchase and hold real
estates within rhis State" which by its terms
was 70 continue and be in force three wears.
This was tie commencement If long serie
Of lagislatnu sor the exclusive beLeft of tine
nobility of foreign countries, aud " Nhich has
literally made the hardy pioneers # our beau
tifrl west. and their descendants, "hewtrs IF
wood and drawers of water" 10 a ps:urered
and diSsoluae .aristoracy abroad. Under this
act, Williamson three days fore it expired
By its own ausitaiion, conveyed the PuItney
es.a;e & Sir William Pultnry. the consider
alton expressed in tho deed being one dol
lar.
Sir William. died in 1905, intesta,e. as it is
alleged, lea~irg Henrietta Laura Pultnoy, bet
ter known as the Countess of Bath, his only
heir.
In 1903. Lady Bath died without issue, and
intestate as ia the real estate of which she
die seized. having made a will. as i, is alleg-
ed. Of her personal property only. Her heir
was said to be- Sir Henry Lowther Johustone,
Of Scotland. IL seemed that the person who
claimed tins vast estate by descent, did notsup-
pose the act ofI79S to be sufficiently compre-
hensive to secure the title to them, and in 1907
procured a. act 10 be passed, by a good natured
Legislature. explanatory of the act of 1898,
securing the estate TO the heirs and devisees
Of the aliens who could purchase and hold
under that act.
SiE Joha Lowther Johnstone dieh in 1871,
without issue, but it is said hp made deed Of
in Scotland and will in London.
devising this Putney estate in fee to Ernest
Augustus, Duke Of Cumberland. Masterton
IRE, and Andrew Cathcart. (Lord AlIoway.)
in trust, first to pay and discharge the debts
and incumhrances on his estates in Scotland;
ID, 90 pay and discharge the debts and incum-
brances or his English estates; and So, to
purchase coPyhold estates adjacent TO his es-
tates IN Scotland, and directed his trustees
speedily 70 sell the lands at auction OF private
sale, and close the trust. Nearly half cen
tury has elapsed, and the trust is apparently
as far from being closed as it was when Sir
John Lowt ther Johnstone expired. Why it
is kept on foot can best be explained by the
trustees, who are annually atified by
princely remittance from the az. nts here, and
by those agents who are daily growing rich
and powerful by means of their situation as
agents. Who are the eestui qui trusts now
in being is unknown. Whether single scion
of that once powerful and naughty family of