The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-18
THE SAILOR EARL.
The Case of the Claimant to tho Title
Of ''Earl of Aberdeen" Decided by
tho House OF Aords-The Youngest
Brother Succeeds to the Title.

OF ssEarl OF Aberdeen" Decided by
the House OF I.ords-The Youngest
Brother Succeeds to the Title.
LONDON, May 4, 1872
While the American public is entertained with
stories about supposed claimant to the estates oil
the late Earl OF Aberdeen, we in England have had
this question brought before in q more real and
prosac form. The legal members OF the House OF
Lords decide all questions relating to claims to
succeed to title, and their lordshIps
were yesterday engaged In nquiring whether
ViscOunt Gordon was entitled to call himself
"Earl Of Aberdeen" on the ground that the
latest owner OF that title, his elder brother,
had been drowned at sea. The case has already
been before the Law Lords and report Of the pro-
ceedings has been published In tho HERALD. When
the case first came on for hearing 1t was shown
that tho late Earl or Aberdeen had gone to sea
under the name of Osborne, and had been drowned.
The evidence yesterday was chiefly directed to-
wards showing that photographs taken in America
of Osborne showed that he and the Earl of Aber-
deem were one and the same person. The first wit.
ness called was the Countess Aberdeen, who de-
posed rs follOws:-
am daughter of the late George Balllie OF
JerviswOode, and was married on the 9Th OF Noyem
ber $780, to George John James NTH LORD OF Aber-
deem and second ViscOunt Gordon Chen commonly
called Lord Haddo, my husband died in March,
only-the eldest George, born on the 10th of De-
cember 1871; the second, James Henry, born on the
18th OF October, 1916, and the third John Campbell,
the petitioner, born on or about the sd of August,
1s47; received letters from my deceased son 1.-THE
ate Earl OF t ssa from time to time the last
produced the lettcrs) have got all the envelopes
In which they were enclosed but the last, and that
that was an enclosure; l also produce letter re-
ceived from George by my second son, which has
since come into my possession, which Is dated
March 10, 1857 wish to be allowed to retain pos
session Letters. / nj
them to be printed.
The Attorney General-As far as am concerned,
so verified by Her Ladyshlp
The Countess of Aberdeen-I have only omitted
parts Of the letters which refer to private family
Sir Roundell Palmer-I propose now to produce
certain photographs Of the deceased Earl
Mr.. Watkins was then examined-I am pho.
tOgraphcr; took several photographs OF His Lord
ship; one was taken on the sth Of July, 1855, and
longed to the scottish Eight !: he has ride In his
hand; identify the small photographs from
America, but they are bad there Is some change in
to find after lapse Of three years: had known His
Lordship previously to my taking his photographs
Lord Chelmsford-It has been suggested TO me by
my learned friend (the Lord Chanceor) that Ii
there had been any opposition TO this claim we
should not receive these photographs as evidence.
The several photographs were then handed to
their LOrdships to eXamine.)
The Countess OF Aberdecn--The photographs
taken by Mr.. Watkins are photographs Of my son
George: my son was always inclined to the profess
sion OF the sea; he was very fond Of children, and
OF telling them stories; he was fond OF making
boats when YOUTH my son George was tail
young man; he was six feet and one and a half inch
high before he lett England The afterwards wrote and
informed me that he had grown another half inch.
He was proficient in music and fond of drawing
his father was applied TO TO got him admitted into
the navy, but being over fourteen lie was too old to
be admitted; he afterwards engaged in remarka-
bic adventure TO 20 over to France in small skifr;
Ii was most dangerous feat: he started from St.
Leonard's and went over to Boulogne, and after
wards returned to Folkestone.
Her Ladyshp then proceeded TO recognize the
late Earls several writings, books, &c. found in his
sea chest on board the Hera.
Her Ladyshp then withdrew
A legal discussion then ensued as to whether GER.
tain evidence taken by q commission In America
was or was not admissible Ultimately their Lord.
ships decided that the evidence was admissible, and
this evidence having been heard they declared that
the claim of Vscount Gordon TO be 'Earl OF Aber.
DEEM had been established.