Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-04-12
LEWIS MILLION.
The Fight Between The Govern
nient and the Heirs.

The New York Evening Telegram
says: The will oil Mr.. Lewis. the ole
English Miser Of Hoboken, n. j., wht
recently begueathed over a million
| dollars to the gov Nernnent. to pay of
the national debt, promises to yield {
splendid harvest to the lawyers. The
probability is that there will be 6
lengthy trial before The case is de ci
ded. Counsel on both sides are epga
ged in collecting evidence.
The will disposes of property valuet
at million and half, the legacies
amounting to about $4,000, and the
general government being the residu-
airy legatee. -
Mr.. q. Ii. Winfield, counsel for Mrs
Lewis, has in his possession the origl-
nal marriage certificate issued by Eth
ridge NJ. M. Fish, a Justice of the
Peace, who was elected in West Hobo
ken, in 1854. The signature to the GER
titicate has been compared with the
Signature of Justice Fish on file in thf
County Clerk s Office appended to his
official bond aud ether pap ers, and its
genuine character has been very thor.
Oughly established. --.-- - =
Mrs. l.. NJ. Goddard, q daughter o
Justice Smith, has been found and will
testify To the signature as that of heI
father. Mrs. Gld lard says her father
died in Brooklyn a April, 1873.
Mr.. Wiafield hs $ advertised for the
witnesses, George Brown and George
K. Bradford, " ho were present when
the marriage was performed. Wheth-
er they have died during the past nine.
teen years was unknown, neither has
their reside nee or identity been prop
erly established, none of the interested
parties seeming 10 know whether they
were residents of New York OR New
Jsrsey. One gentleman has been found
who says that Lewis, during cOnver-
sation a couple Uf years ago, tacitly nd
mitt, d the marriage, though he did
not specify to whom. Mr.. George
Cathcart, of Dull lin, rephew of Mr.
Lewis, is now at sea, on ms way to thi-
city to contest the will. He writes,
81 always expected to be Mrs. Lewis
heir and con furnish abundant proof OF
my relationship"
The most remarkable feature of the
contest will be an endeavor on the
part of the executors to prove that
Lewis was an illegitimate son, and
thus establish the fact that he coulti
have no neirs, being bastard. The
story that they have unearthed is that
a certain Mr.. Levy left England for
Jamaica many years ago and there took
a quadrOon girl rs MS mistress. Ill.
had by her son and a daughter. He
was successful in business, lived iB
very good style, receiving considera-
BILE company. The daughter, eventu-
ally married an officer of the English
army attached TO the garrison of the
Island. The issue of that marriage, it
is claimed, is the nel hew now en- route
from Belfast, TO claim the property.
rhe son was ashamed of his illegiIiIa
cy, and changed his name frum Levy
to Joseph l.. Lewis, adding the latter
name as a disguise. Coming from Ja-
maica to Now York and embarking in
business no aInassed Il fortune which is
q w inspiri' g a controversy likely to
be very bitter one.
The evidence so fnr a eumulated in
favor OF Mrs. Lewis seems conclusive,
and she will doubtless, secure n wild.
ow's third OF the property. The coun-
sci for the ex cutors asSe not yet de
c:ds d when to offer the will for probate,
and will prob bly, delay iltheir case
is ready for argument. The report
that copy of the marriage certificate
had been dscO> ersd filed among th'
records of the County Clerks office in
Jersey City is unfounded. No copy
was made so faras is known, and Ger
tainly none has been .ound.