Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-09-22
4aisffllareons.
Singular Case in scotland.
WHO WILL GET THE LATE WILLIAM PAT
ERSOS's LARGE PERSONAL ESTATE?

There are many thousands of persons
in this country who have, or think they
hsve, large fortunes awaiting them in tie
Old World, particularly in Great Britain
When Mr.. James Usher of this city went
TO England. he bore commission to look
ND the wealth Of the. Pafersons. said TO
reach 10 real estate and hard cash over
600, 200. According to Mr.. Usher's
Story, William Paterson died at kilmar-
mock many years ago, having acquired his
fortune in the Island Of Jamaica. leaving
. sister and an illegifimate son, TO each Of
whom be left half his property. The
share of his son, in default of heirs, was
70 fall TO . di,tapt c,u>in Of his own. The
iIleRitimate son came IT, Scotland suisse
quepily, and lived secluded until his death
in January. 1874
He was person Of thrift and economr,
md managed 10 accumulate from the IL
come Of the property in which he had =
life interest some 900. 600. This money
was 1t bis own absolute disposal. for.
since 1886, an illegitimate, in Scotland,
has been enabled to make a valid will.
When. however. he dies interstate there,
his estate does not. as in New York. re-
vert. for lack of descendants, to the moth
Or or her relatives, but it escheats to the
Crown and passes under control Of the
British Secretary Of the Treasury. Then
they proceed to consider what would have
been the disposal Of the property sup
posing the deceased had been legitimate.
and they follow the principles laid by law
TOR the distribution Of property in the
case Of legitimate persons who died intes-
tate The treasury was trustee Of the
exchequer In this matter, and although no
viii had been produced there was still
evidence that one did exist. Since Will
liam PatersOn's death no paper OF any
kind has been discovered tending to throw
any light on what disposition of his money
he could have desired.
Mr.. Grleve, N. p, asked the secretary
Of the treasury to state the reasons, which
had induced the Lords Of Her Majesty's
treasury to refuse the claim OF the nearest
relation on both father and mothers side
10 grant of the estate Of the late William
Paterson, which estate had fallen to the
Crown.
"As the law on the subject was per-
lectly we'll known to Mr.. Paterson" said
the Chancellor Of the Exchequer. ''he
must have been aware that If he did NOT
make q will his property would come into
the hands Of the State. and might be dis
posed Of in any way at the pleasure of the
State"
The inference is that he preferred to
have IL escheat rather than to benefit his
relations. with whom he had never been
ON friendly terms. Strong evidence of
this Is to be found in the fact that he
sought to conceal his property, and for 20
years prior to his death his solicitors had
invested In their own names without &C.
counting TO him. large proportion of the
fund now in question. When he died they
had e141. 900 of his. standing IN their
names in the bank. The object of this
arrangement was to conceal the fact that
the money was his. From them he would
only draw $500 year to avoid discovery.
although nc did not need even that. rs he
had go. 600 in the Bank of Scotland, and
other moneys in hand.
These solicitors. whose honesty in d.
vulging the real ownership of the fund in
their possession has been praised. think
that Mr.. Paterson intended to give it to
them. n he never exacted any account
NJ Y. Star.