The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-30
A LEGAL ROMANCE.


years, aud which, in some of its phases, presents
circumstances as romantic as any of those that
are to be found in the French causes ceebres.
The Scottish esrldom of Stirling which was
created, we believe, in the reign OF Charles /,
and which was endowed by that monarch with
possessions in North America, equal in extent
to a European kingdom together with the
privilege OF granting patents and creating digni-
ties, such as are usually considered to be sacred
to royalty alone, is now finally extinguished.
The title, indeed has been dormant for many
years-or, rather, 1t has been In that semi
vital state IN which a person lays CLAIM to
1t without having the power to make his title
good; while, at the same time, he is allowed
to assert 1t because no one has an interest
in disputing his claim. Moro than one of the
old historic titles of Scotland have thus fallen
into abeyance, and have been picked up and
worn, with more or less of genuine belief In
their own right. by individuals OF the humbsst
rank Our readers will no doubt be familiar with
the story told by Hugh Miller of the hodman in
Edinburgh who claimed to be the lineal descend
ant OF the old Ea1ls of Craufurd, and whose as
sertion was admitted while it was ridculed by
the masons, who delighted to call to him:
"John, Earl OF Craufurd and Lindsay, bring me
another hod of llmen The claimants OF the
Earldom OF Stirling had not fallen so low in the
social scale; on the contrary, they had wealth
and wealthy friends, and it was their determi-
nation to bring their right, not TO the title only,
but to the more semi-royal rights conferred on
that title by the sovereign, to the decision of
the courts of law, that first moved the Gro wn to
interfere and remove the investigation of the
case from the civil to the criminal courts-irom
an investigation of the pedigree of the claimant
to an accusation that the principal documents
on which he rested his claim were arrant
f0rgeries.
The documents on which the claimant rested
his title were of singular character aud they
had as singular history. They had been pro.
cured In France through the medium OF a tor
tune-teller, who was OF great notoriety in Paris
In her day, and whom the wife of the claimant
had gone TO consult about the chances OF the
success of her husbands claim. Long and mys-
ferrous communings took place between them,
tle issue OF which that the ParISian slbyl
not only Predicted speedy aud brilliant success,
but rendered more substantial anu worldly aid
by furnishing documents which, if genuine,
placed the reality OF his title beyond doubt.
These documents were produced in the Court of
Session, and the natural consequence was,
that on the faith of them he was served
heir to the title. But on their produc-
tion, strong doubts of their genuineness
sprung up in the minds of the law officers
of the Grown, who, OF course, watched with
Jealous eye the progress OF suit that was to
place subject on a level with the sovereign in
The granting OF patents aud creating dignlties
in a portion OF her dominions Secret and
searching inquiries were set on foot in Paris
and enough hight was thrown on the transac-
tions to induce the Lord Advocate of the day to
lndict Mr.. Alexander the claimant of the case
before the High Court OF Justiciary, for the
crime of forgery. The documents that were
brought Onward to establish the claim were
now used to demonstrate bis crime; and many
witnesses were brought from France to testify,
not only to the spurlousness OF the documents
but also to the manner IN which the forgeries
had been manipulated.
One piece of evidence was remarkable for the
subtety, precision, and fulness with which
forgery was shown in case where at first sight
there seemed 10 be no po sibflity OF fraud. 1t
was an Old map OF the Canadas, drawn at
time when Canada was in the possession of
France, and which, it was averred had been in
the possession of Louis XIV. This was evident,
for on the back Of 1t were written some remarks
= by the kings own hand in reference to Canada
and to the adjoining English province OF Nova
Scotia. The map indeed seemed to have passed
tnn nt all he pa al lahr nf
that period, tor not only had the king scribbied
on the back of it, but Bossuet, Mazarin, and,
indeed, the whole Court circle mad followed the
royal example. And, what was still more re-
markable, the notes OF every one of them bore
reference in one iorm or other to the extensive
rights in, North America, granted by the
charter of the English monarch to the earldom
of Stirling. The map purported to be
executed IN a given year by an engrayer
who styled himself map maker to the king. So
far all was clear 1t was curious that all these
royal or courtly personages should nave so fall
q knowledge of the rights of the Stirling family,
and should take so much interest in their for
tunes, but plausible reasons were given why
they should do SO; and 1t was impossible 10
prove the negative But from out of this appa-
fently solid and compact evidence the ingenuity
of the Grown lawyers culled the means OF its
complete destruction, and the tearing to tatters
of the whole clevcrly constructed evidence in
the case. witness was brought from the
French archives in Paris, who proved that at
the date OF the map, as given in the margin, the
engraver did not enjoy the title OF map-maker to
the king, and that he dio not attain that honor
till several years afterwards IN the following
reign. To explain the discrepancy which was
thus apparent between the title aud the date,
she witness stated that it was common in
France, as we believe it is in this country
also, to engrave on the plate from which the
map is printed every new honor 10 which the
engraver attains, hammering out, if need be-
any previous honor he may have held, but not
altering more than is necessary, and especially
leaving the date OF tho year when the plate was
first engraved untouched. That it was plain to
demonstration that The particular copy of the
map on which the prisoner relied could not pos
sibly have been printed until the engraver had
attained the office which 1t certified; and it was
clearly proved that at that date all the illustr-
Gus persons who had written their comments on
its back had been long dead. The evidence was
Conclusive-the forgery palpabe.
But it was not so clear who was the forger.
There was great sympathy felt for the aged
prisoner, as he stood there IN the 1elon's dock,
knew him most intimately believed him to be
incapable. This was shown i'll a touching
manner by the appearance by his side in the
dock of that distinguished military officer, Sir
Charles d'Albrac, the then Commander of the
Forces in Ireland who came over expressly to
testify 10 his belief in the character OF his
friend. The trial lasted for several days; and
day by day, as duly as the prisoner was placed
at the bar, the grand old soldier, in the true
spirit of chivsry, took his place at his side.
His appearance could not but have its effect on
the Jury; aud besides, while the evidence was
full and precise rs to the forgery, and while it
went far TO implcate some other members of
the prisoners family in suspicious dealings
with the tortuneteer, there was nothing to
initiate against the idea tnat the prisoner him
self was the dupe OF CleVerer and less scrupulOus
wit hon hiG Wa Ui