Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-08-24
AFTER BURNSIDE'S HOARD.
Welcome News to the Claimants.

fluent That HIS Clients are John B,rnSide's s
HeirS-We Contest. for tie Sugar Plant
er'S Eight Millions.
Henry u. Brunner, of the Montgom-
cry county ar,who early in June sail
ed for Ireland to inquire into the his
tory and family connections Of the late
John Burnside, the millionaire sugar
planter ndspeculator ,ofNew Orleans,
has Just arrived at his home in Norris
town. His investigations in Ireland
were attended with difficulty and re-
quired hard and protracted work, but
he has satisfied himself that the clients
who he represents are in right and law
entitled to share in the dead mans
millions. John Burnside, according
to his own statement, made to numer-
Gus living witnesses, left County Ty
rome, Ireland, for America, in 1919,
being at the time about eighteen years
old. He came to Louisiana and,
shrewd, well educated and with the
touch Of a Mides, he soon acquired a
large fortune as sugar planter. Sever
al of his partners retired with hand
some fortunes, but he still stuck to his
business. The war found him one of
the richest planters in the South and
the possessor of over three thousand
slaves. These were of course freed, but
as he had retained his allegiance to the
British Government his property was
not confscated and by giving him the
opportunity to buy up at nominal pri-
ces the land taken from Confederate
planters the war greatly added to his
wealth. Shortly afterwards he took
out naturalization papers. On June
%, 1881, he died ofapopleXy, at White
Sulphur Springs, the richest sugar plan
ter Of the United States, his fortune
being estimated at from eight to ten
millions ofdollars.
THE CLAIMANTS FOR THE MILLIONS.
In 1887 he made a will disposing of
about 100000 of his estate, but con-
tanning no residuary clause. As he
was a bachelor and had no known rela-
tives the State of Louisiana laid claim
to his fortune.
Several other claims were soon pre-
sented. The would.be hairs, represen-
ted by Mr.. Bunner, are the grandchil-
dren and great grandchildren of Will
liam Burnside, who came to this coun-
try from County Tyrone in 1892 and
died in 1919. William, according to
their claim, was the brother of Johns
father, and Mr.. Brunner's investiga-
tiOns have convinced him that such
was indeed the case. William Burn
side had four childred, Thomas, Fran
els, John and daughter, who after.
wards married a gentleman named
Fitzpatrick. Thomas Burnside was for
the greater part of his life a resident
Of Centre county, where he was in
early life appointed to a Judgeship.
In 1871 Governor Porter appointed
him President Judge of the Montgom-
cry County Court, and four years later
he was elevated to the Supreme Bench
of the State, where he remained until
his death in Philadelphia in 1856.
Il is said that Judge Burnside and
the Louisiana planter were for years
intimately acquainted, and that letters
which passed between them, showing
that they were both satisfied of their
relationship to each other, are still in
existence. Francis, the brother of the
Judge Glso long since deceased, resi-
ded during the later portion Of his life
in Gwynedd township, Montgomery
county, and was for years prominent
as local Democratic politician.
PHILADELPHIANs HAVE 4 SHARE.
John left two children, who are
both dead, but whose children are liv-
ing in Clarion county, Ohio, and Sus-
sex county, Delaware. One of Judge
Burnside's sons, who also attained judi
cial honors, married Simon Cameron's
eldest daughter. He is now dead, but
has left three children. The living
children of the Judge are William
Burnside and Mrs. Mary Morris, of
Philadelphia, Thomas Burside, of Belle
fonte, and Mrs. Bowe, of Centre coun-
ty. The children of Francis Burnside
are Thomas and Mrs. Ellen Keesey,
of Philadelphia Mrs. Amelia Bean, of
Montgomery; james, residing in Gwy-
nedd; Washington, who lives in Mary
land, and William, of Sussex county,
Delaware. Mrs. Margaret Law, of
Lower Providence, is the only daugh-
ter of the Judges sister, Mrs. Kilpat-
rick.
In 1857 John Burnside revisited his
native land, and from people who there
saw and dealt with him Mr.. Brunner
has heard many facts concerning his
early history. In Belfast he had
confidential agent, to whom it is said
that at the opening of the war he sent
for safe keeping nearly 100000 in
specie. The litigation over the estate
nromises IN he LONG and ramarkahle /