The New York herald., 1870-08-25

Who Are tho Heirs of the Virgin
Queens Admiral?

Will Made In the Time of Elizabeth Raked
Out Of the Dust The Way the Admiral's
Brother Made His Will and the Way
His Ssn Didn't Do "the Square
Thing 900, 600 at Stake.
Yesterday, little before noon, HERALD reporter
entered the BrandreJh House, Of Canal street
and Broadway. After marching ana counter.
marching In q room wnere trunks and boxes were
lying around rather loosely he found his way the
once. The clerks were busy behind the desk, and
80 he encountered OF all work about the house,
whom he accOsted.
"What part OF the building is parlor A2n he
queried.
$50 you want 10 90 there too, do you Y' was the
Yankee reply OF the nataralized cizen who was not
Of African descent.
THAT ls my Intention.' - remarked the reporter.
II suppose you're one OF 'emY'
Under ordinary circumstances the reporter In
question Is an individual OF great presence OF mind
but this interrogation came TO MN In such an indie
Unite shape and suddenly that he was tor a mo-
ment at loss To know what to say he said
nothing.
"Your name Is the same as the rest, suppose f'
Again was the reporter nonplussed, but ne
finally plncked mp courage and asked the man
what he was driving at?
"Oh it's the likes OF you don't know ut all, and
you gon to parlor A. Why, know your name.n
IL was intimated that the garrulous individual
might be possessed OF such wonderful knowledge
without detrlment to the hotel business.
''lsn't your nalne-
"Wnatr'
"pRAKBi'
AS the man rolled OUT this duck OF n word he
immoderate nt OF laughter, which he reduced TO
great moderatlon however, when he was informed
tnat such was not the reporters name. The inior-
nation, III TACT, changed the mans whole facial ex
pressien from that OF extreme drollery to one OF
sober thOughtuness, and, extending his hand TO the
visitor, he said quietly, 'Pon my soul Pm glad TO
hear IT. for I've had nothing bur brakes here all the
day day Conductlns nun up one night OF stairs ne
exclaimed, 'rhey're all there, every mothers OF
then,' and then disappeared.
1t was not long before the reporter found out the
secret OF the nuns mirth. The two rooms, par
lor and bedroom, were jammed with a mixed
gathering OF men, women and children. There were
several persons speaking ali In the same breath, and
every few sentences the word "Drake," with a pre-.
fix OF Mr. or Mrs. or John Charles, struck harshy
on the There were three ancient looking danes
IN the corner OF the room who had their neads TO-
gether and VINO were talking earnestly about
made In her argument on the ends OF her long bony
fingers; and as finger after finger was counted, the
word ''Drake" seemed to serve as period to every
sentence uttered. There were close beside them
two young girls, alttred in wash poplln dresses
oil nounced and irilled TO the
EXTREME OF FASHIONABLE PERFECTION
They wore jaunty round hats, with an abundance
OF artificial flowers on them, and they nodded
their heads in the excitement OF conversation the
MOVERS nodded, too, as II 10 lend weight TO the
words that came so gliby from out their pretty lips
Several country looking people, with tawny skins
and hands the color OF crisp burned sole leather,
another part OF the room, every once IN while
joined their voices the general hum prevailed
tleman, with snow white hair, falling down TO his
shoulders who sat and looked and sat aud looked
syng n% az 10 .ae sg w or
somebody mentioned "Drake,n and then the old
man tfor he was deafl put his head TO one side.
placed his hand behind one ear aud listened, n no
knew tale hung Dy that particular ''Drake.n
The HERALD reporter was mystIned. 5ut q commu-
him. He was the midst OF the linesI descendanis
OF the great English Admiral SIR Francis Drake,
mad assembled together to ind out who was who
and what was what in the matter OF the
LAST TESTAMENT AND WILL
OF Sir Francis. Thus was the magical influence Of
the word Drake III the meeting made plain as day
and the reporter at last discovered why 1t was Ut
tered with such uncti0n and why the deaf old gen.
| tleman could hear 1t pronounced better than any-
thing else. The meeting. It was explained, was q
every one was Drake, or the son or daughter OF q
s5n or daughter OF Drake, or the son daughter
she was alive and strutted about on this earthly
stage OF ours. It appears that Sir Fran
by Queen Elizabeth made most men do who
have plenty OF this worlds goods, will just before
to mis- brother Tnomas The later Sed ~ ~ s dns sn
and 1t was found BY his will that he had lett the
estates to ms five sons. Francis, Joseph, william,
John ana Thomas successfully, with the provso that
the property SHOULD belong to Francis and upon his
death 60 10 his male heirs. When his male heirs
ceased 1t was to belong TO Joseph, and SO on under
the same conditions, be handed down 70 the other
brothers II his male heirs ceased This In 1862
aled ana ac on Sopepns am MS WIN It was dis
will Of his iather, Thomas His male heirs had ceased
all being dead, before he made the VIII. and
heirs he maze It In favor OF his female heirs. This
in 1794. The brothers had died meanwhile
who len son who was called Francis This latter.
It 10 believed, came to this country, and 1t will thus
be that M the Sam made Y the Drake dsscen
scendants OF Joseph and have prior right the
female aron OF the family VINO now hold the estates
and who got them through the will made by Francis
the second born, the nephew OF the great Admiral
VALUABLE PROPERTY.
The bulk OF the property at stake lies In the county
occupied by parts Of the city or London. The whole
is estimated TO be at present worth $l25, 900 OoO
sum quite ., pig enough to tempt any man o
all odds. DR.. Berkinst. OF Philadelphia, who
married one OF the Drakel family, was the
first person to inaugurate the movement FOR the
restoration OF the property to the rightful hers and
has now IN his possession copies OF the viii OF Sir
Francis himself or Thomas, his brother and that OF
the descendant who broke the entail Al the meet
ing yesterday he read the copies and very eabo-
Investigations into the matter OF the right of the
present holders TO the property The report showed
that actual descendants OF Joseph Drake were now
living in New Jersey, Maine and Orange county in
tins State. Before the meeting broke up after the
reading OF the report permanent committee was
appointed to collect assessments from all parties
interested in the estates in question, the funds so
obtained TO be used In paying the expenses that
would be incurred In the searching after the 'lost
helrS' and their lost rights
ALL EAGER FOR THE FORTUNE.
As the meeting came to an end several very
rather advanced in years, sat talking together when
one exclaimed, "Why, you don't tell me so: then
you're my cousin.n Then came the reply, "Yes in
deed,n but accompanied Dy q look which showed
that the party Of the second part lelt in her own
mind at that particular moment that the fewer the
cousins the better, II that $125, 900 to
home to those who Thought 1t was theirs by right
Another couple (women) got into an animated dis
.'shoe buckleso which mad belonged to some ancient
member of the Drake family and upon which
hfnvod To udue from the Tenor Of the combat a