The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-02-27
A Romance in High Life.
Correspondence of the Boston Post.

that aroused By the Mordaunt divorce
snit, and the trial Of the identity of the
so-callcd Sir Roger Tichborne. As it at
present stands the issue has just been
raised and decided, on appeal, that the
defendant in the case should be required
to make answer to the plaintiffs bill
which in plain English and shorn of the
mysteries Of the legal phrasology, means
that the plaintiff has shown sufficient
grounds for action to render a trial of the
main issue worth while. AS with the
Breadalbane, Wicklow, Aberdeen, Hert
| ford and Tichborne cases. .thisis an instance
of an attempt to recover a title and estates
Illegally held by the wrong party. AS
far AS | can learn the circumstances OF
the story they are as follows
| THE vANEs
1t appears that the ancient and historic
baronetcy of the Vanes passed, in 1896
into the hands of Sir Frederick Fletcher
Vane. The Vanes are descendants of
the chivalrous and brilliant Sir Harry of
| Cromwell's time-the Sir Harry who help
ed to convict Stratford, who tried to per-
suade the Scots to Join the cause of the
Parliament. and ended by strenuously
opposing the Protector when such short
work was made of the Independents by
the amry. 1t is line old family, connect
| ed with some Of the nobest blood of Eng
land not distantly related to the Mar1uises
| OF QCeensbury, and possessed of ample
wealth and enviable ancestral estates.
The Sir Frederick who succeeded TO the
| title in 1896 was good hearted. rather
| wild and lavish, but we'll esteemed cOun-
| try gentleman, who made little mark in
| tl,n L
London as good-hearted fellow, fond of
truly British sports, and of the fashionable
| distractions O.. the day. 1t appears that
| while still young man. before succeed
| ing to the baronetcy. Sir Frederick formed
ties with Il young lady named Hannah
| Bowerbank, to whom he was devotedly
attached, but to whom he was not mar
Hied. Alter the birth of two daughters
Miss Bowerbank, distressed by the action
of the parish authorities of the place
where they resided not far from the Cum
| berland Lakes), who were so scandalized
about the matter that thew ordered her to
leave the parish, insisted that they should
be married. She threatened that if he re
| fused her, she would disappear With the
children, and that he should never see
them again. Coming in one day with
his head full of the subject, Frederick
Vane abruptly declared that he would al
last do Justice to his faithful partner, and
would sanctiy their union by his vows All
the altar. The poor GIRL was so overcome
with the sudden 10y experienced at this
intelligence, that she was taken ILL., A.
soon is she was able to leave her couch.
the couple were duly married, as Fred
erick had promised. Meanwhile, before
the marriage, two important events had
happened. A son had been born to them.
and the old baronet had died. The situa-
ton, then, at the date of the marriage
| (Mnch, 1870, was this there was an ile-
| gitimate son, and Frederick had inst come
into the ancient title and the broad family
acres in Cumberland and Westmoreland
1t seems that soon after the marriage Sir
Frederick, who was anxious that his little
boy should become his heir Just as if he
were legitimate, had secured medical
opinion to the effect that probably there
would be no more children. Acting upon
this Sir Frederick treatedand acknowledge
ed the boy as his herr, and brought him up
as if he had been endowed of this right by
| his birth. In due time Sir Frederick died
and the son succeeded to the bare netcy
and the estates, and passed long, happy,
rosperous life enjoying them and was
| in turn succeeded by his son who is now
IN possession of them as Sir Henry Ralph
| Nane. The physicians prophecy. how
ever, had turned ont Il wrong one. Lady
| Nanc-Sir Frederick's vile the ci.dtrdQt
| Hannah Bowerbank-did have vcraI
children after the marriage and his sue
cession to the baronetcy. A daughter was
born in 1902, and son, Frederick Henry
! Nane, in 1907 Here is the gist and
and turning point of The present suit The
! gran dSon OF Sir Frederick, deriving title
! through the illegitmate son born shortly
| before the latter's MARRIAGE holds posses
| sion; the second son OF Sir Frederick
! born in wcdlock, viz, Frederick Henry
! Nane. is the claimant of the baronetcv
and its appurtenances. 1t appears that
| the present pOSseSsorS came into The prop
crty in 1912, and up to within six or eight
years has enjoyed it unmOleSted, quite
unSnSplclOuS tn It there was or could he
any defect in his title. The old baronet
had kept the illegitimacv of his heir pro-
| found secret; and it does not appear to
have been suspected, even in the family
| itself until very recently. The present
! claimant, Sir Fredericll's second son
| AYERS that he only discovered the llegiti-
macy of his brother in 1866 that is, he
passed sixty years of his lie in total igno
| rance that he was really, hy the law ot
England, the heir, and entitled to the lal
patrimony of the Vancs. Meanwhile his
career has been an active one. Lake
many of his ancestors, his predictions
were for a military life. and he was for
some time attached to the Lancers; but
for many years he has lead nomadic
career, taking up a iittul residence in dis
tant lands, and residing at various times
in South America, Canada and different
parts Of the Continent
THE DISCOVERY
Frederick Henry Vane saws that his
discovery OF his rights, in 1866, was acci-
dental. His mother Lady Hannah Nanc,
had with i'm indiscretiOn which some nm
Gallant nno,,1n att,,;k,+o ,,,,,N;,,,