Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-12-11
A Romantic Lawsuit.


Loois.i Ledger, which has been for
some time pending in the courts of Ken
lucky and Indiana, was brought to ter
minaiion day or two ago by the agree
ment of the parties to the suit to COM
promise.
1t will be remembered that some years
ago German gentleman named Gustavus
Schurman resided in Louisville. He was
the posses.or Of considerable amount of
property. lived in good style. drove fine
horses. sported fooiman in livery and
claimed to be a German nobleman. He
was married to a German lady, had
young and interesting family, and to all
was prosperous and happy.
But, as in so many families. there was a
ghost in this one, the secret of whose
existence did not come to light until the
death of the principal actor in tais little
social drama
Gustavus was resident of AK Ia
Chabelle. little city in Rhenish Prussia
pursued the business of cloth manufac-
turer, and was what might be considered
well off. his real and personal estate be-
ing worth about $4,000 thalcrs. 81
about SlOO 00O He loved, or thought
he loved, lady named Amelia Eberhar-
dine Coll, daughter of one of the royal
counsellors. and in 1915 he proposed
marriage, was accepted, and the marriage
was performed in that year. An ante
nupt.al contract was entered into between
the two. according to the code Napoleon.
which was in foroe at AK la Chapelie by
which in case of the death of the hus-
band before the wife she became entitled
to one eighth in fee simple of his entire
estate, aud one fourth of the estate during
her lifetime, besides having community
of interest in all acquisitions to the COM
mon fund after marriage. which commun-
ity of interest would en,itle her to one.
half
The two lived happily together for
some time or apparently so. The life o.
the wife. however, was soon rendered
wretched by the discovery that another
had supplanted her in her husbands
affections. This. however, @ss not e1-
actly the case it was she in reality who
had taken the place which nature had
assigned to another. Schurman had in
his employ a number of factory girls, one
Of whom Catherine Bengels, was possess
ed of more than ordinary beauty. The
yodng bachelo. was smitten
with her beauty, but the ine1orable laws
of society governing the little Rhenish
province in which he lived held over him
a terror of prescription which prevented
him from doing that which his heart
prompted He loved Catherine Bengcls
and his love was returned but he mar
ried Amelia E. Coll, who brought to him
a proud name and an extensive dover.
But for the crimo which Schurman had
against his nature he was am
ply punished.
His married life was unhappy. while
his love for the lowly Catherine Bengels
became even more intense, now that it
was impossible for them to be legally
united. They met clandestinely, and the
coming to the knowledge of
the unhappy wife, she became distressed
beyond measure, upbraiding her husband
with bis perfdy, and threatened divorce.
This rendered the husband desperate,
and. openly avowiug lis attachment took
Catherine Bengels into his domiciIe Be-
coming discontented with this condition
Of thinss. Sehurnan decided upon cmi-
grating to America, and came to this
He returned in 1915, and
gathering together what property be
could, departed in 1856 for the United
States, in company with Catherine Ben
gels Before hi. departure his wife in
stituted suit for divource. On the arri-
val of Schurman he proceeded to Louis
vile. where he took up bis residence,
and sued for a divourcc from his wife
Amelia. which was granted. when he i'm
y married the woman who had
eloped with him.
Gustavus Schurman Purchased real
estate in indianapolis and Louisville and
by his tact and business management in
creased his wealth to over million of
dollars At the time of his death he had
seven children-two by his first wife and
i've by his second wife. In making his
will he left his Prussian property to his
two German heirs, and his American
property to his American heirs.
The first wife, Amelia, learning of the
Heath OF her husband. obtained possession
BY legal process. Of the Prussian estate,
md sued for her share, az per marriage
Of the decedent's estate in
America. Her son-Gustayus f. Schur-
nan-represented her with powers Of at
orney, and the ablest lawyers in the city
we're employed to prosecute the case.
rhe pleadings were voluminous, and as
'ast amount Of property was involved.
,reat interest was manifested in the re-
'ult. It appeared, however, that as the
.ase progressed the plaintiff weakened
'omewhat in enforcing her claims. Be
NO in n foreign country and comics of