The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-06
AN ECCENTRIC MILLIONAIRE.


ADVERTISING FOR HEIRS TO THE ESTATE or
JOSEPH l. LEWIS ANrEcEDEsTs OF THE
DECEASED.
The plot OF the ht CATION over the will Of Joseph Ia
Lewis. the deceased hoDoken millionaire, who be-
queathed his fortune, estimated 81 600 to
the United states government. appears TO thicken.
Already there have appeared three contestants OF the
will Jane H. Lewis, who claims to have been Lewls'
vile and who was lett entirely uuprovded for by the
VIII Of the deceased, has already pretty well estab-
shed the fact that shc lived In marital relations with
the eccentric miionnareat least such the general
opinion in Hoooken and Jersey CITY Then there il
tho other contestant VINO claims be Lewis, SOU and
tnird. named Cathcar, prosccutes hs Claim all
way from ireland the rather distant ground that
no Is the son Of Lewis hail sister An ADVERTISE
ment appeared IN the HERALD personals yesterday
asking tho heirs TO 81, 200 600 come forward at
once, ealing especially upon Amanda. Ezra, ADler
Lyman and Flora Lewis to comm unicate with sydney
J. Co~en, attorney, AT No % Chambers street, and
promising at the same tine liberal rewards Tor inior
nation IN references 10 THESE persons As the result
Of the litigation over ths extraordinary will 10
gsrdcd with uaasuai interest, Mr. Cowsn was called
70 these now claimants. Tho follow ng il the nmiiy
history OF Lewis, as recounted ny nim:-
THg LEWIS HISTORY.
The iather ol Joseph L. Lewis, the deceased Hobo.
ken millionaire was Gideon Levy, VINO lived on the
u
nuiatto Joseph l., Ezra, AD"er, Lyman anu Flora
Lewis were their illesltimac offspring, anu all born
~ Jamaica. lne Iamdy emsrated 10 Sue uni,cd
States aud settled in Pennsy yaaia abuut the bcginns
oil the present century. IEere Tue father Gideon
Levy, Changed Mo name, on account OF MS previous
unsayory relations, to Lewis. When the chiaren
attained maturity tue family uroke up ana
scattered. Joseph j. came 10 New Jersey aud
anassed fortune 81, DOL, 700 Ezra went
TO Michigan ana Was but ittlo heard OF agal. Abner
sstt ed III Rensselaer, county N. H. aud his umiy sti
flourish at Saratoga Sprngs. ynlau IL supposed %
Ost
whle Flora, who subsequently marrira, went 10
Northumberland Surhto. . ,ounIy lhe only uescen,.
nnts OF Inc brothers OF flora VINO have ueen IN
commune ton VIVA Mr. Cowcu, uDd from whom ~,
present facts were obained are William aad Melon
i.cwis, tnr sous, anu Aucils uaugn1rr 7 ADucI
William is uuw aDont uity years ol n4e ana { a IN 20
have c"nsersed WIN MS deceased Houo.en
at 4 Nuftn Rtvvr iief w.eL qulc yonn.. He rctnom-
bcted htm a. "darA complex onrd' 10 dn ana ocing
au 'engraver." Nelson yes IN rtoy and ~ Il gun
mafrici one Lafies sanders Am uas Lewis. Is
Also advertised fo ~ ne daugnecr OF me
snort time ago al No l5l Aorh Pearl street, Albany
Three monts ago ,Ae Was IN tnis ci,y i, No Il EAST
Slxieenih atrect put Mr. Cowcn states hat sue mas
again been lost slahl o.
NEruEws' KhMlSIscSNcrs
son OF Ezra, Tue Michigan hintuer. - said u have
met ms Uncle, the deceased, Ia company WITH william
Lewis u, the Troy ANA the attorney particularly
ahxlous " discover mo whereabouts OF gan
0rahch OIL Tue iaiuly one 81 tbr ncphcws remembers
~ nave been tvd, 'Yvu havs got rich uncle IN Ho.
boken al time when his father invited TO VISIT
the eccentric mnlionnairc at that place. Another
nephew uncctionaely Identities his deceased uncle as
'otingy lngin, name o. when he says the Old
generally went IN Inc family circe Ii Is Mr.. Governs
iuienton TO submit the aildavis OF the present con-
tcstants, IN orde to Obtain order The
Chancery IN Jersey Guy uUaer wnich they may 10
allowed 10 prove Their claims II The Will Is
thrown.
Although MI Lewis died a year ago and The re-
puted WIDOWS contest bus gone actively all this
time, the case Is stl preliminary stage aud IL
promises u litigation extending over number OF
years. me testimony being gathered by Z. y. See,
Masler III Chanccry will have 10 be submitted the
New Jersey CourL of Chancery anu IL tho decision is
against the United States governmrn as II Is genor
ANY expected, 80 That the wlLow other alleged
heirs may Ia tor their share Of the estate
government WIN undoubtedly appeal The case ana
carry II ultimately 10 the Untcd States Supreme