New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-11-17
LOVE AND CARRIAGE.
4 Romantic lawsuit Involving On Estate
Of Over n Million Dalinrs.
tFronI the Louisville Ledgerl


A very remarkable lawsuit which has
been for some time pending in the courts oi
! Kentucky aud Indiana, was brought to q
! termination day or two ago by the agree
ment OF the parties to she suit to q com.
promise.
1t will be remembered that some years
ago German gentleman named Gustavus
| SChurman resided i'll LOuisviiIe. He was
| the possessOr Of a considerable amount OF
| property, lived IL good style, drove fine
| horses. sported, a footmaD in livery, and
claimed to be German nObEeman. He was
married to a German lady. had Young and
! Interesting family, and to all appearances
was prosperous aud happy. But, as in
| SO many families, there was q ghost in this
| one, the secret Of whose existence did not
| come to light until the death Of the princi-
! pal actor in this little social drama.
GustaYus was resident Of Aix-la Cha
| pelle, a little city of Rhenjsh Prussia, pur-
sued the business OF cloth manufacturer,
and was what might be considered well off,
his real and personal estate being worth
about 100000 thalers, or about 100000.
He loved, or thought he loved, lady
named Amelia Ebcrhardine GoIl daughter
of one of the royal counsolors, aud in
1885 be proposed marriage, was accept
ed, and the marriage was performed in that
year. An ante-nuDtiaI contract was en-
IGE5N iltLU BGLHtSH LG6 L8D, dGCOIuIES 10
the code Napoleon, which was in force at
AK ia-Chapetle, by which, in case Of the
death Of the husband before the wife, she
became. entitled to OEe-eighth in fee simple
Of his entire estate, and one-fOurth of the
estate during her lifetime, besides having
community OF interest in ali acquisitions to
the common fund after marriage, which
community OF interest would entltle her to
One-haf.
The two lived happily together for some
time, or apparently Sc. The life of the wife,
however, was soon rendered Wretched by
the discovery that another had supplanted
her in her husbands affections. This, how
ever, was not exactly the case; it was she,
in reality, who had taken the place which
nature had assigned to another. SChurmRn
had in his employ number OF factory girls,
one of whom, Catherine Bengel, was pos
sessed Of more than ordinary beauty The
impreBsible young bachelor was smit- |
ten with her beauty, but the memorable |
laws of society governing the little Rhen- |
ISL province in which he lived, held OYER |
him a terror OF prescription which pre- |
vented him from doing that which his heart |
prompted. He loved Ca heriDe BeDgel4, |
and his love was returned; but he married |
Amelia g. Coll, who brOught to hlm proud |
name and an extensive dover. But, for |
the crime which Schuunau had committed |
His married lie was unhappy, while his
love for the IowIy Catherine BengeIs be
came even more intense. now that 1t was
impossible Tor them to be legally united
They met clandestinely, and the intercourse
coming to the knowledge of the unhappy
wife, she became distressed beyond measure, |
upbraided her husband with his perfdy, |
and threatened divorce. This rendered the |
husband desperate, aud ops My avowing his
attachment, took Catherine Bengels into
lis donicile. Becoming discoDtented with
this condition of things, Schurman decided
upon emigrating to America, and came to
this country. He returned in 1919, and
gathering together what property he could.
departed in 1880 for the United States il
,G g Ttn b $500? ,s g.,5 64rr
livGce On the arrival Of Sc4urman b.
proceeded to Louisville, where be took us
lie residence, and sued divorce from. hi
wife Amelia, which was granted, when he |