The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-08
An Australian Millionaire.

Somewhere about the year 1910, when
if history speaks truly, facilities fol
TRANSPORTATION were abundant in Ire
land, q woman under the name oi
Eleanor Collins was transported from
thence to the then penal colony II
Australia. With her she is said to have
carried son, then mere child, ano
named Patrick Cody, she claiming to 6e
married to a man of the same name. Ii
Australia she subsequently married 8
man named Buckley, Cody having dieo
in the meantime, and as a mark Of
esteem for his stepfather, the son added
to his name that Of Buckley, and grew
up thenceforth to be known as Patrick
Cody Buckley. Under this name he
accumulated large wealth in Australia,
and died few years since, leaving an
estate estimated at about s2OO, ,OOO
sterling. After his death two persons
presented for probate what purported to
be his will in their favor. This will was
contested on the grounds that it was q
forgery and one Of the parties convicted
of the offense, the other having died in
prison before his trial was reached.
Letters of administration were then
taken out on behalf of creditors OF the
estate by d firm of solicitors in Mel
bourne, and, after paying all the debts,
q still very large sum remained which
her majesty's attorney general claimed
to have escheated to the crown for want
OF heirs. These facts coming to the
knowledge OF certain parties in Dublin,
Ireland, claiming to he heirs OF the de-
ceased, steps were taken to assert their
claim as against the crown. From
Dublin proceedings were put in motion
which led to Australia, and from Aus
rralia the contestants have danced
around the globe to New York city,
where evidence is now being taken be-
fore Mr.. Richard Huntley as commits
sioner appointed for that purpose by the
supreme court of Australia. The claim
of the heirs is resisted on the part OF the
crown of England on the question OF
the legitimacy of Patrick Cody Buckley,
it being claimed that Eleanor Collins
was not married to Patrick Cody nor
did she carry a born child with her to
Australia at the time of har Transporter
tion. In proof of this it is asserted that
the passenger List of the transport ship
Canada, on which she WAC carried to
Australia, made no mention OF such q
child. On the contrary, it is asserted
that she was at the time encie,ate by the
taller that the latter was dismissed
from the Office for the part he took in
the affair, and that was the child whose
legitimacy is in dispute. Thus the
crown puts the claimants to proof OF the
marriage of Eleanor Collins to Patrick
Cody, and their subsequent heirship to
the estate of Patrick Oody's alleged in
FAINT son, Patrick Cody Buckley, whose
estate is now in litigation. On this
question it is that proof is now being
taken before the commissioner, and
thus far the testimony adduced seems
to tend to establish the claim OF the
heirs. The heirs are represented here
by Mr.. Octavius O'Brien, solicitor OF
Dublin claimants in Australia by MIR.
Frederick Stanley, of London, and the
attorney general of Australia, acting for
the crown, by Messrs. Sullivan, Kobbe
& Fowler, Of New York.-New York
Paper.