The Portland daily press., 1873-02-25
The Jumel Suit.

The Jumel case certainly one of the most re-
markable ever tried in the courts of this coun-
try, has finally been decided in favor of the de-
PENDANT, after occupying the attention of the
court and jury continuously for several months.
In the amount of money at issue-some six
millions of dollars-the romantic history of
the parties, and the character of the counsel
engaged, the case will take rank among the
celebrated causes of the present day. Its mer-
its have been involved in considerable intrica-
cy, but it may be briefly stated that the suit is
an attempt on the part of George Washington
Bowen, man nearly eighty years old, to prove
himself the Legitimate child of Madame Jul
mel, the testatrix, that, under a law of New
Jersey, by which Legitimate children may in
merit from their mother he might establish his
right and title to some property in New York
which was formerly owned by Madame Jumei,
and is now valued at $6000000 This Madame
Jumel, who was the daughter of John Bowen
and Phebe Kelley, woman of very disreputa-
BILE character, commenced existence amid the
squalor and filth of the vicious classes, but she
came to mingle in the highest society, both in
this country and in Europe, having been on in
innate terms with royal personages and states
men, and became one of the richest women
this country has known. She lived during her
grlhoOd at the home of Major Ballou, an ar
my officer, and, as it rs alleged, it was there the
plaintiff was born, his supposed father being
MAJOR BallOu.
In 1910 she went to New York, and shortly
after married Stephen Jumel, with whom she
lived until his death in 1888 After this event
she met Aaron Burr, and gratifed- her ambi-
ton to mingle in high circles by marrying
n she 1T s6s hr folly n and
thirty years after this, dying in 1866 at the age
of ninety, after one of the most singular and
romantic careers on record. Nelson Chase,
the defendant i'll the suit at first based his
<,1nsv, k.% Al. -
ried the daughter of Madame Jumel, but he
finally abandoned this and asserted that his
wife was madame's niece, she having no chill
dren, as he claimed. Bowen's efforts to prove
that Madame Jumel was his mother were
quite ingenious, and from them have arisen
most of the spice of the trial. He endeav-
ored, for instance, to prove his descent by
showing that certain personal pecuiarities
OF Madame Jumel had been transmitted in his
own person. These efforts, however, had lit
tie moro effect than to excite the ridicule of
counsel. In fact Chase's counsel succeeded in
demolishing pretty much all of Bowen's elabo-
rately contrived chain of evidence, and showed
pretty clearly that he was the tool of lawyer
Tucker, who had put him forward in the vain
attempt to reach these millions. Evidence was
found that Madame Jnmel held only life in
terest in the property, and therefore had no
claim or interest that could descend to her
heirs. The Court therefore decided that as a
matter of law, Madame Jumeps right to her
estate could not descend, and the jury found as
a matter of fact, that Bowen must look else
where for his parentage. Chase has begun a
suit to prevent Bowen from prosecuting his
claim any further, but as alb the witnesses are
on the shady side of eighty, further testimony
will soon become unattainable. This is the
first case that has ever been tried in this coun-
try by Struck jury, the popularity of which
is that, after forty-eight persons who are deem
ed best qualified to try the matter have been
selected, the counsel on each side alternately
strike off one name after another till only
twelve remain The verdict is also brilliant
triumph for O'Conor who has been conversant
with the estate in question for over forty years