The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-26

UibNA llif lbtt AliiiN ~ IsllNA7tii' NNh"h' w
fore whom dukes and lords had bowed,
should take the trouble TO capture and keep
captive an aged man. vino was able to man
age his large estate oIlyby the aid oi the
sons whom he probably supported for That
express purrusc. II seems to bc the general
opinion that Mr.. THOMAS Lorp, though APP
parcutly So srnlc was after all pretty
wily Old gcntlcmau who woke up at eighty
four to appreciate the fact that his age en-
titled him 10 know HE own mind and manage
his own love Affairs.
lnasmuch a. ON the "a of February, now
near at hand. Mr.. LoRDs children and APP
pointcd heirs I'm his will. made last summer.
propose to institute an inquiry az to wheth-
| or his cuurtship Of her and ultimate subju
cation OF the heart of the beautiful widow
Hicks. prove him to hc a lunatic. it will be
interesting to follow this ease in chronology
cal order. Mr.. LORD. who, AZ his sons al
/ lcgc. has not been able oven To dress himself,
and who. as Judge FULLERTON AYERS, can
not add up a simple column of figures,
/ Though his 'atomc Is $4,000 II month. has
| vet been able since tina 3l-t Of last Deccm-
/ Der Ia pass his honeymoon beyond the
/ reach Of the officers Of the law and without
the attentions of his sons.
CA the 1ith Of May. 1863, Mr.. RUFUS IT,
LORD Il very rich bachelor, died in this city
| nj a great age. His estate, which was
valued at two or three millions of dollars.
was equally divided between his two broth
ers. THOMAS LoED and DAVID y. LORD. both
at that time also advanced in years. Lon
gcvity seems 20 run in the family, as II 81
often does in families and the circumstance
that the members Of IL we name have been
Of easy and even ailiucnt incomes. has un-
duuhtedlv contributed to the frightening OF
their years: while tn" fact that Mr.. RUFUS
l.. LORD left his money. which lc had 50
carefully accumulated and 50 scdulou-ly
guarded to hi surviving brothers. showed
| that family affection wa strong IN HIM. lie
did not scatter his princrly estate in numcr-
Gus lcgacic- hut lrit il ia bulk 70 THOMAS
and DAVID. who wCr" old. and needed the
piouerty 10 make more comfortable their
declining years. RUFUS was -hrewd man.
and has choosing his brothers a. his heirs
would also seem TO Indicate That he regard
eel them a. altogether tit Ia take care OF
large amount of money. He did not wish
that the wealth lac had gathered with 50
much pains. and cherished with so much
zeal. should pass into the hands Of young
spend; hrlte. who might -oou have diSspat-
ed it, II l. therefore manifest that in 1863
the deceased Mr.. LORD regarded his brother
THOMAS as sane man, better able 10 TAX"
care of money than If he had been Younger.
At about the timc Mr. THOMAS LORD came
into the possession of this rich legacy, IL ap-
pears he contracted the acquaintance of
Mrs Hicks, his present wife. He had known
hor dead husband. and il was not surprising
, that he was gratihed az being introduced to
hi- charming widow Mrs. HICKS was re-
ccived and entertained al his house IA Seven
teenth street, Mr.. LORDS first wife then
being alive This was IN 1871 and 1872.
. When Mr.. LORD became widower. he
found in Mrs HICKS one Of his most congo
NAL COMPANIONS and he was a frequent
visitor AT her house in Fourteenth street
at those times when she visited New York
after an enjoyment of European life. II is
, probable that at this period either on the
one side on the other, the thought Of mar
, rage between the two began to be enter
1 tanned. II was only last summer, however
, according to reports, that Mr. LORDS fam
j. ilv began to perceive the extent of his in
, fatuation with the lovely widow. She was
: then abroad pursuing career of fashion
=. which excited the envy OF her country
= women, her drawing rooms packed ant
: great people striving 10 get admitted t.
a. them. 1t Is reported that the Prince o
- WALES tried in vain to push his way through
J.. the crush at one Of Mrs. HICKs's balls, ant
a GRANT had one of his most elegant enter
tainments at her richly appointed house in
IA London.
4 1t is alleged or insinuated by the sons o
a Mr. LORD that this lady was at that tim
ctauIiur thnir fnthsr'S They
-. that he then exhibited n great interest il
!. letters Of credit for foreign use. and tina
* they therefore began to think that TIN
u, time had come when the management of hi
ii property should be turned over to them
:, There is no evidence whatever that suc
- was the case, and ON the contrary fact
10 are presented TO show that the Toledo prop
"a perty OF Mrs. HICKS If Of great value.
p. the proceedings before the Commissioner
of Lunacy take place next month, perhap
~ and probably the whole story will be blow
a, TO the winds.
So irritated, however, were the sons {
. Mr.. LORD at his attentions to this lady, rC
NJ doubled on her return from Europe on Tn
y 18th Of last November, that one month later
w ns the Wortd reports, they called at he
Is house in Fourteenth street to expostulat
M with her and retired after n stormy inter
view, during which she denied with indigne
tion that che had had any pecuniary trans
actions with MI LoRD. Perhaps it was tn
NJ insinuations then used by the expectau
If heirs that led to the private wedding whic
nj took place two days later On the mornin
~ Of Dec 81 Mr.. LORD ordered his carriage
a. drove about the city to make some pun
!, chascs, and at about dinner hour Of tina
- evening sent note Ia his son HENRY to IN
1, effect that he was married, and would ~
IN turn with his wife in y ewdnys. Since tina
or time his whereabouts is "A matter Of myster
n. which the most vgilant reporters have bee
~ unable 10 unravel
All this may be very interesting. hut It
RI hard to soo what business anybody has
fl. interfere in the matrimonial affairs Of NJ
IN THOMAS LORp or what evidence his marry
A. ing affords that he il n lunatic.
of lie Wants to he Investigated.
n A special despatch from Washington 10 u