Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-03-08
a Romance of the Law.

The conclusion of the late Jumel ease
probably Terminates forever what will
class with the causes cslsbrss Of our re-
ports. IL was distinguished legally as be-
ing the first ever tried In this county
before struck" jury Jury procured
by he counsel on either side alternately
striking one from panel Of forty-eight
until twelve only remain. II was, also,
notable f0r the amount at lssue-So, ,00O,.
600 and, particularly, because the Claim.
ant profes4od himself the son OF a woman
who, In .aI career that would have ibebn
pronounced exaggerated IN Ruy upvek
was for lime really the wife Of Aaron
Burr, and was divorced from him on her
own motiqh. n itl
" The stop, dlvested of its iutrlcacies, is
worthy tolappear in the original fiction u
Charles Beade. Briefly, Phoebe Kelley
of dsrepusAble memory, lived with John
Bowen, and had a daughter who was
reared amid natural surroundings. This
daughter, when grown lived with Major
Ballou, who is let by the verdict the prp-
babe father of old G. W. Bowen, who, In
his eightieth year, seeks to establish his
illegitinlate birth In order TO gain PRO-
perty he cannot long enjoy, If he could
enjoy 1t all. But the daughter left the
Major and removed TO New York, married
Jumel and lived with him TO his death.
As he left her money, Aaron Burr married
her soon after but she speedily procured
a divorce. Born In shame, reared In pow
erty and disgrace, and Lying what is
leniently described as fast life, the
heroine, nevertheless, married one of the
most prominent and attractive men of her
day travelled in Europe with every ac-
cessory Of distinction, and mingled with
statesmen, leaders and royalty it-elf; held
to her properly with successful tenacity
that would have done credit to any iinan-
cier held to her life with equal resolution
and success, and when she died, some
eight years since, at the age Of ninety, left
fortune of millions and this p0stnumou:
nOtoriety, She left her property, too, FC
guarded that nothing could be Illegally
subiracted from it.
The reports of the case cos firm the dc
eision; the decision throwing out both th'
plaintiff aud defendant from any interes
in the property for which they fought
though the latter may hold under his new
plea that, Instead Of being Madame JumePi
soG-in-law, as he first claimed, she havins
lelt no children, he inherits througl
his wife as her neice. The disposition
of the property is the least importauc
to the pnblic who will not share in an
, event. Their interest attaches TO th
century-old tale that has so man
, revelations OF an eveatful life, who's
: notriety was not buried even wit
! the grave. Born in shame and penury
reared in vice, living in opulence; assocla
ing with the titled society of Europea
. courts narried to man who aimed 6
u and lad real PTetentions TO the first plac
n in this government, and whose name
E not likely soon TO be forgotten childlcs
. but sought as a mother through evei
legal device by one almost equal to HI
!, greatest years held up to the public
u the light of trial lasting for months
!, certainly the career of this woman is n
! SO common that fiction would have bet
r. pronounced realistic if it ventured simp
"a to copy the facts.