The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-22
AN AMERICAN HEIR.

THE LITTLE ESTATE LEFT BY AN ENGLrsHAdAN
WHO CAME TO THIS COUNTRY, CHANGED HIS
NAME AND IDITED A NEWSPAPER FOR TWENTY
YEARS.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb 20, 1879.
The Manchester (sngland) Guardian, OF the 9th
inst reports interesting which has just been
heard before vicc-Chancellor Bacon, in which man
from the United States has succeeded in establishing
his claim as heir to an English estate. The news
paper says:-
The claimant. Mr.. w. II. Cox, builder, Of Men,
phis Tenn sought to establish his right heir to
property known as Lennox Lodge, southampton.
He stated that he born in the year $780, ut Che
tenha, where his father carried the business OF
silk At the age of fourteen he went to sea
as midshipman serving On board dd the John 0Sose
From Bombay he sailed to China and thence home,
and on arriving at Cheltenham he founi
changed his calling to DO the editor OF the Chclten-
ham CnrOaicle. and had subsequently, quilted his
endorsements. and gone to America. leaving
trace of his whereabouts. To America the plaintiff
Immediately followed, and after long inquiry sue
ccedcd In fndng his father through the medium OF
advertisements. HIS mother and family lie had left
In the of an aunt. the proprietress of small
hotel where they all resided. His father acting
nj the time as special correspondent of the Morning
Chronicle. TO which he sent letters from Pennsyl.
vania under the nom lie plume Of "Crump." The
for the change OF name on which the main
issue of identity rested was rather obscure, and
probably connected with monetary difficulties.
tho Fhtiadehn Inquirer, and as such travelled over
tho greater part of the United States He stayed at
Philadelphia with his father till about 1sis and In
the meantime his family also came over and stayed
there. After his fathers death he travelled for u
siderable time and at last settled down builder
IN New Orleans. lie had also seen military ex-
pericnce having opposed Mackenzie in his Canadian
invasion aud taken an active part in the civil war;
His business was removed previous TO the last
mentioned. and he at Memphis carrying on
builders business. Documentary and v,ca roce
evidence was gwen in support OF the case s, His
that his identity was established.
$50 MANY YEARS AGO"
This recalls memories Of once well known
journalist who In yet remembered by the veterans OF
the press In Philadelphia. In 1889 an eccentric Eng
lishman made his appearance in Philadelphia. having
just arrived from the old country. He was man OF
afterward Was well known AZ FIRST assist
ant editor of the Tsnnsyiraaian Enquirer. Of
ober oa Morris ssSper otor L ssd thn
Mr.. Harding made the Epglishman's acquaintance
through having helped to fish him out OF the Della
which he had crossed the while she was lying
alongside wharf This peculiar introduction to tho
publisher secured him an Introduction TO his news
oRuMp on COX.
The Englishman called himself william H. Crump,
but tho accidental meeting with old acquaintance
revealed the fact that his In England had been
Cox. There appears TO have been no reason for tho
cndeavor TO lose his identity save foolish sensitive
moss about certain business matters ut home. He
of very nervous. sensitive disposition, and the
old printers tell curious anecdotes IL
Illustrating his popularity. MIR. Crump remained
the Enquirer for twenty years aud Is well
remembered in that office 10 this day. But his son,
the present claimant, never employed there 80
Mr. Harding says. Mr.. Crump was u useful editor
and WAS the author of several books OF reference;
among others, Tho World in Pocketbook. He
was afterward employed the North american and
died In Camden Ia 1862 At time he acted as
British Consul at this port
Mr. Crump sent for his wife and children as
a. he had made home in the New World. flo had
hvo sons and daughter, the oldest child being
the william II. Cox who has just obtained
possession of the English estate All the OF the
family called Crump; three of the sons-one Of
them q printer--livo here and are well known and
highly respected In Philadelphia. One Of the sons
IL proprietor of the Colonnade Hotel; another has
been British Vice Consul here for some years.
The estate In England 10 which Mr.. Cox has proved
his claim Is said To be country place worth about
$4,000 II goes by right to the eldest son, and the
family here do not dispute the legality OF MIR. Coxs
heirship.