Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-01-10
THE JUN MI WILL C.ssB.

This case, which Ia now proceeding I'm
the United States District Court in New
York city, is doubtless the most remarka-
BILE civil suit in the annals of American
Jurisprudence. In many respects 1t more
than rivals the famous Tichborne case in
England. The amount at stake Is larger,
and the revelations made as to the life of
Madame Jumel surpass the boldest flights
of imagination in the field of romance.
The suit In question, now about 10 under
go its second trial, is for the possession of
an estate consisting Of two tracts of land,
one Of ninety-four acres the other of thirty
two acres, situated on Washington Heights,
and property located on Broadway and
Liberty streets and Seventh avenue, all in
the city of New York. The entire estate is
valued at over six millions of dollars. The
property was formerly owned by Madame
Jumel, and since her death, In 1865, has
been in the possession of Nelson Chase.
Madame Eliza Bowen Jumel was born
in the city of Providence, Il. l., in 1775 or
1777. Her parents we're Phoebe Kelley and
John Bowen, the latter q sailor who was
drowned at sea. Both before and after her
marriage to Bowen, the woman Kelley is
said to have led life of shame, and to
have been frequently before the courts of
Providence as a disorderly character. The
career of her daughter Eliza presents some
of the most striking contrasts ever known
in actual life. Though born in hovel and
reared amid the most abandoned classes,
and frequently the inmate ofjail and work.
houses, she yet lived to enjoy the society of
the great and illustrious, and died possess
ed of princely fortune. In her girlhood
she found home in Providence, at the
house of Major Reuben Ballou, an officer
in the Revolutionary war. 1t is there that
she is alleged to have given birth, in 1894,
to the plaintiff in the present suit, George
Washington Bowen, whose nutative father
was the Major Ballou mentioned above.
In 1910 Miss Bowen appeared in New
York city, and three years afterward be-
came the wife of Monsieur Stephen Jumel,
with whom she lived for twenty y-eight
years. Alter his death she was married to
the celebrated Aaron Burr, but was subse-
quently divorced from him. She enjoyed
the society of some of the most distinguish
ed men of the day, and more than hinted
at an intimacy with the Father of his Coun-
try, to whom her alleged son bears strik-
ing resemblance. On visiting Europe she
was equally successful in encouraging the
rich and powerful. In her old age she was
fond of recalling the favors received from
Louis XVIII. of France and ex-King
Joseph Bonaparte. She lived to be ninety
years of age, dying little over seven years
ago.
The plaintiff in the present 1t, George
Washington Bowen, who claims TO be the
natural son and true heir of Madame Jum-
ell, is gentleman verging on four score.
He has accumulated a comfortable fortune
of his own, and has married into one of the
most respectable families of Providence.
He was left when child to the care of his
reputed father, and never again met his
mother until both had arrived at old age.
Madame Junel never recognized him as
her son, nor did he ever make any claim
upon her during her lifetime. The defend
ant is Nelson Chase, who now holds pos
session of the estate. His original claim
was that he had married the daughter of
Madame Jumel, but he has since abandon
ed that ground, and now asserts that his
wife is the niece of Madame, and that she
never had any children of her own. The
action is brought by the plaintiff under a
law of this State, passed in 1855, allowing
illegitimate children to inherit property on
the mothers side. 1t was first tried last
winter, and resulted in a disagreement of
the jury, six standing for plaintiff and five
for defendant, the twelfth juror being alb
sent on account of sickness. Aside from
the large pecuniary interests at stake, the
case will excite more than ordinary atten-
tion, from the fact that II is to be tried by
"struck" jury, the first of the kind that has
ever been empalneed in this country. A
panel of forty-eight citizens has been
made, from which the counsel on each side
alternately strike ou I one name after anoth-
er until only twelve remain, and the jury
thus "pruned" will try the case.
The counsel on both sides embrace some
OF the most distinguished lights of the bar
in the country. On the side of the defend
ant, Charles OConner is the chief counsel.
For over forty years he has been convor-
SAINT with this estate, having been the coun-
sci of Aaron Burr in the suit for divorce
brought against him hy Madame Jumel.
He will be assisted by James C. Carter and
Nelson Chase, the defendant himself. A
gainst them will be arrayed such men as
Hon. f. r. Hoar, late Attorney General of
the United States, VIM. A. Beach, ex-Sur-
rogate, Gideon J. Tucker, ex-Attorney
General, Levi S. Chatfield, Chauncey Shaf-
fer and others. Should neither Mr.. Bowen
nor Mr.. Chase succeed in proving their IT,
tie to the estate, 1t isintimated that the State
may step In and take possession.-7ro
Tines.