Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-08-25
TWO MILLIONS GOING BEGGING.


Another English Estate Waiting for Amer-
lean Heirs---A lawyer Looking for Ger
tain People.
We find the following in a recent
issue of the New York Herald:
In the last few days an advertisement
In the Personals of the Herald call
ing for information in reference to d
So, 900, 600 legacy in England, for which
the heirs are said to be wanting, has
attracted considerable attention. Yester-
day the English lawyer who had in
serted this " Personal" was called upon
and some particulars of the case were
ascertained, which surrounded it with
no little mystery. The first impetus
given to the present inquiry was by the
following advertisement, which ap-
peared in the Herald of December 2,
1880:
TMPORTANT-$2,0 000, ,000-ALrs. p B. Backus,
lformerly s. A. Hayard Baltimore, Md, will
send her address to Alfred Willard Williams,
executor Of estate OF William Brown. England.
This will, though contested since 1876 is now
settled in behalf Of the above-named party.
BY order Of the executor. A. w.
Brown, according to the statements
Of The lawyer, was rich young country
gentleman from Yorkshire, England,
who came to this country in 1873 in
company with one Alfred Willard
Williams, and travelled about for some
years, residing for considerable por-
ton of the time in Boston, where he
was well known. At the Parker house
his name has beer, found on the register,
and he is recalled as a. tall, fine, hearty
looking Englishman Of lavish habits.
He is also said to have lived at the IRE
mont house, but of this no proof has
thus far been obtained. Where he died
is not known, but the lawyer in question
claims to have received corroborative
information from some lawyer that
Browns estate in Yorkshire has been the
subject of will contest, which had been
decided favorably to the rights of the
Mrs. Backus, nee Hayward, of Balti-
more, mentioned in the advertisement.
Who Mrs. Backus was is a puzzling
feature in the case, and it is equally per-
picking to guess what her relation to
Brown could have been to have entitled
her to the 100000 Yorkshire estate.
Williams was in New York last August,
before his return to England. He
stopped at the Astor house, where he is
still remembered. 1t is now supposed
that Williams, as well as Mrs Backus,
has also died, and no trace has thus far
been found to the heirs or kinsmen of
either Of the three persons involved in
the mystery. It is remarkable fact in
these days when bogus " claimants to
large inheritances spring up like mush-
rooms, that not a single reply has been
made to the advertisements which have
appeared in the Herald for three or four
days. Williams was supposed to have
been searching for the nebulous Mrs.
Backrus last August, and to have died
broken-hearted from the knowledge that
the vast estate might be diverted from
its rightful owner, the fair Mrs. Backus,
in the case Of his death. 1t is now
sought to find the heirs of Williams and
Mrs. Backus in order that they might
accept the estate, but thus far no sue
cess has crowned the efforts of the
English lawyers engaged in this noble
search on both hemispheres. Thus fan
there have been many English estates
for which American heirs have been
advertised which have shown themselves
of 6 rather shadowy and evaneseent
nature, but the English lawyer claims
that there is no doubt of this coAy little
1000, 600 property actually awaiting in
Yorkshire the first true blooded Vii.
Ba}iams and ckus who may turn up.