The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-29
SHEPHERDS MILLIONS.

bONANLA-WnAI
CLAIMANTS SAY.
The advertisement OF the Bank OF ENGLAND for tho
hcirs OF the Shepherd estate the hands OF the
bank and amounting to about $i2 COO ooo las caused
hutter Of excitement among all who In any way
could claim to ba IN the line OF descent The story,
now developed, is singular one throughout
In the year 1910 William Northedgc, o con-
fectioner by trade and doing business In Lon
don, England, came to Canada, and settled in
Montreal. II seems that he did bring much money
with him, but had sufficient keep him for
time While in England he had made the acqualD lance
Of Miss Elizabeth Shepherd, OF Wells Somersetshire,
England some short time after his arrival Miss Shep-
herd came to Canada, and, meeting Northedge In
Montreal, they became aflunced. They married.
In Christ's Episcopal Church Of that city 1915. En-.
terng the business OF confsciioners they prospered
and accumulated some little property.
HEIR EoRs.
On the AID Of February, 1915. one year after the
marriage, son was born, who was named after his
father. About 1920 William Northedge, ST., went to
England and found that relatives OF his wife had lett
large OF money her credit, but which, owing to
tho unsettled condition Of tho estates, could not DO
collected nj that time. There were other children
born 10 William and ElIzabetb, but II Is supposed
that All OF them died young. rs no record
can be found OF them. In 1879 William Norihedgc.
Sr dicd, ana some time gitcr9art his widow married
a clerk who had been her iutc husbands employ.
Ills name was Henry Musscn. William Nor,hedee,
Jr., came to the United States and became a citizen
He was many different trades. and was Al enc timo
u member oil the police force oi this city. During
the war he served tho government as
Colonel OF the fiity-nnth regiment OF In
Iantry, New York volunteers. Ills mother died
about this time, and an uncle Robert Shepherd
turned up IN odcllto~D, n. ", where he resides
Colonel Northcdge narried--how many wives ~ hot at
present knowu--bui ~ - certain that Two women
now living each claiming TO DO his wife and ono other
Theie also TWO separat, and distinct fam
lilies both claiming to be the correct anu legitimate one
IuNERy.
The OF the estate is variously estimated, but
IL is in all probability, not over Sl2 900, 100 George
William hedge, Of brooklyn, estimates tho estate
IN Ills statement which viii be found below, al about
Sl55, 900 600 Mrs Jane Norhcdge, the eXccutrlx OF
Colonel Norhedec, estimates u more moderately,
making it ABOUT ST. 600 UO0 The English aiicn law,
which has ntericrcd often with American
searchers after English property, cannot do
tins case the myers say because the property
is entirely personal aud deposit With the Bank Of
England Tue LAYERS also state that II Is only
sary prove the heirs obtain the property ana
in consequence the hight wall probably DO between the
legitimate and LEGITIMATE family, as ono or the other
must necessarily be. Both families claim the same line
oil descent, aud tho VII ole mater to hang the
question oil who is tho real vile OF the lale Colonel
Nortncdgc.
MRS. JANE yoRTnkDGE
Mrs. Jane Northedge has Tor the last eighteen
months boon living IN New York Previous 10 that
upon yesterday and had long conversation with
her on the subject OF the Shepherd estate Snc
frank her statements and showed documents OF the
late Colonel anu ner own, Including her marriage
certificate Mrs Nclthcdgc, in substance, said that
nor IN maiden nam' was jane Kane, mud and slat
ricd 10 Mr. NortncdRe, by Father Massct,
OF the Sixteenth Stree. Church. Mr. Northedgo
that the police force. He q Wild
when he married her, his first wife, Ann North
edge, dying while Mr. Nortnedge was with Walker in
Central America. There were seven children OF the
1rst marriage, ony OF whom living. Her
Caroline, and Mrs Northedgo did not Know where to
find her. She would like to lind her. because Colonel
Nor,hedge's child by his hrs. marriage snc was en-
.Sa when share ssr ss .ns
rnV Mrs
with him when he died TO hcr he left al
his property which Win a,. sSo ,o op
government She was now IN possession OF her
late husbands property and personal ELECTS Mrs.
family that ut tho tmu OF her marriage with
Colonel Norlhedge she was not aware OF Their
him IL several months time. Colonel orthedee always
spoke OF them u mistake OF ms lie winch nc
gre.ted they the Brooklyn family made repeated
(Mrs. Northedgcl his lawiul wife, and vo with then
This was m 1858 They were not IN Brooklyn then,
but in the State Of Connecticut Al one time during
this year one Of the girls came to her house
to SEQ Colonel Northedgc. and at that meet.
ing reproached him Tor not having married
her mother. Mrs. Northcdge then elected her from
the house. The children or Mrs Northcdgc living
she ssaoa to DO Mary Janc Nortnedge, aged eighteen
years William Henry Northedgc aged seventeen years,
and George Richard Northodge, aged fifteen wears.
The latter was at school In Great britain. Tho other
heirs Robert Sheppard Northedge Caroline North
edge and Miss Mussen, OF Clnada Mrs. Nor,hedse
stated that Coone Northedge had lived with tho
his first WHO Ann, and aerward had held
muDicahon Of any kind with her.
GEORGE WILLIAM xoRTuED0E.
George William Norlhedge. Of Brooklyn, was seen
yesterday by the representative OF the HERALp In
gard 70 family matters Ar. Northedge talked worry
lawyer refused TO say anything more on the subject
He made the following staement:--
~. two sisters ana my mother were advertised Tor
some time ago by stcp.aunt. Susannah Macdonald, OF
Montreal We did not see tho advertisement, but |
had business al Montreal about Ave weeks ago |
me, but had, when GIRL twelve years
sss N saSs nv my gos mother Sna
forty.egnt years ago. When ! saw my aunt she told
mo The history Of the Shepherd estate Ny grand
father William Northcdsc, came to Montreal from
England He married Elizabeth shepherd, Of Wells
Somcrsctshirc. England. My father William NortD-
edge was the nrst child oil that union. Then followed
girl and two boys all deceased but Robert Shepherd
Northcdgc living in 0delltown. n. y. The Bank Of
respond were my step.aunt, Susannah Macdonald tho
only child 81 my grandmothcr's second marriage and
who was with her until snc died. She OF course, got
the Information Of the money In the Bank of England
She told TO find my father and hts brother anu
sister, but It could not DO done camo home here do
tcrnincd to find all heirs If any that could be found.
1 don't know whether have succeeded or not have
procured fifteen aidavits OF parties and VIII procure
b. Briggs, attond TO my business. l am
tho only male heir tit to work the case.
aud II Is through Misrepresentation and Tor the sake
OF bunCombc that this matter got into the Brooklyn
paper. ! was working the case very quietly. sup
posed. Two lawyers who believe TINS Is good cosc
anu VINO nHoW Iuc Nciy WcIl nave Ia soiHc WY, III
rcctly or indirectly, spoken VI this affair. They
my lawyers, and would not touch lawyer either
OF Brooklyn or Now York, you see the opinion
have OF counsel hero. rho amount o: money, II
l correctly informed Is about $40, 600 000
The only heirs heard OF from Montreal were Mis-
Susannah Macdonald, Montreal, has five children;
Robert shepherd Norihcdgc, Odciitown, N. Y, has
two children; George william Nortbcdga, Brooklyn,
y. " married, no ISSUE EiizAueth Shepherd Porter,
Providence, X. l., hurried, no ISSUE Isabella Atwatcr
Bishop, New Haven Conn, married, no Issue
la fegnrd TO the family 0i Mrs Jano Northcdge,
w. NOrtheulc \ a
family, as his mother had marriage certificate. Gu
being asked where this he dccllpe ed TO state, mud
aitcr consultation with u lawyer refused TO make any
further statements