Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-12
GAINING HIS BIRrBRIGhT.
successtul Legal Struggle of q Young u
man for His FAChor's Estate.

| GAINING HIS BIRrBRIGHT.
| successtul Legal struggle of q Young Ger
| man for HIS FAchor's Estate.
EImira Correspondence \. Y. Sun.
In 1S4J William Miller was a soldier in
the army of the king of Wurtemberg. In
that country soldiers were not permitted
to marry. Nevertheless, William Miller
became very much attached to a cOmely
| German girl named Wilhelmina Arlett.
The attachment was reciprOcated, and, as
| a result, there was porn to them on July
1S, 1915, a son, whom they named after
the father, William Miller. Ip 1853, hav
ing performed the service claimed to be
due to his king, William Miller came to
America. bringing with him Wilhelmina
Arlett and their child. They settled in
the city of Lancaster, Pa. Here, on June
IS, 1854, William Miller fulfilled the
promise he bad made WilheImina, aud
was duly and lawfully married to hel
They Fever had any children born to
them save the son named, born before the
marriage ceremony was performed. In
1853 William Miller renounced his ale
glance to the king of Wurtemberg, and
became citizen of the United States.
There is statute of the kingdom of
Wuitemburg. passed in 1910 and still in
force, providing that children born out Of
wedlc OK are legitimate by the subsequent
marriage of the parents, and that their
rights as regards inheritance from their
parents, brothers and sisters, and other
relatives shall therefore be held equal to
those children who are born in lawful
wedlock. Pennsylvania also has similar
statute, passed in 1857, setting forth that
" in any and every case where the father
aud mother of an itiegitimate child or
children shall enter into bonds of lawful
wedlock and cohabit, such child or child
rer shall thereby become legitimate and
enjoy all the rights and privileges as if
they had been born during wedlock.' A
statute of this state reads 'Children
and relatives who are illegitimate shall not
be Untitled to inherit - aud such has
always heretofore been the law in New
York.
William Miller, by his marriage, did all
lie could to remove the stain. if there was
any stain resting upon his son. In 1860
he came with his family to this city and
engaged in the hotel business. He was
very successful, and amassed considerable
property. One piece of land of which he
became possessed is a corner lot, 15s by 80
feet, opposite the station of the New
York, Lake Erie and Western railroad
| company. Upon it now stand the large
brick buildings of the Tioga coal company,
both owned by the New York, Lake Erie
81 Western railroad company. 1t is a very
valuable piece cf property. On this spot
William Miller conducted a hotel and res
taurant for number of years. His wife,
Wilheimina, the mother of his sou, died in
1878 and about two years thereafter he
married again, his second wife being
named Christina, No children We're
| born to him by this second marriage.
In 1876 William Miller himself died,
| and without making will. William Mil
Ter, tho SOD, then and still a resident of Lam
caste L, Pa, thereupon laid claim to the
reai estate which his father owned at the
| time OF his death. Christiana Miller, the
/ widow. resisted this claim on the ground
that William Miller was an illegitimate
son. and, by the statutes of this state,
could not inherit the property. 1t was
cortended that three sisters of William
Miller, deceased, residents of this city,
were the rightful heirs.
\ suit was begun in the latter part Of
1876 by William Miller for the possession
Of the property. 1t was tried 10y referee
! when the above facts were established,
the decision being that William Miller
/ could not inherit. The case was taken to
{ the general term Of the supreme court,
! where the decision of the referee was
affirmed. 1t then went to the court of
| appeals, ard its decision was handed
down on Tuesday last. 1t reversed the
decisions of the referee aud the general
| term. aud gives the young man the right
to The possession of the property which
his father owned ut the time of his death
This is an entire change of the law that
has been III operation in this state ever
since it was state, and has excited much
interest AID comment al through this
region. \ bill has been introduced in the
Legislators by Assembly.nan POucher
/ reaching the same end attained by tht
decision of the court of appeals, and there
is al important case in New York now, ir
which the possession of largo amount O
property is at issue on the same point.
| So much of this story as makes th'
claimant still a resident OF this city is al
error.--EDs. INTELLIGENCER ]
Sale of Stocks.
At one o'clock this afternoon at th
Cooper house, Samuel Hess Il Son, auc
tioneels. sold for 3. S. GetZ, executor 0
Elizabeth Getz, decd, the following
stocks and bonds
| Five shares Lancaster county natioua
bank stock. to Elizabeth DOner at $1O7 s
per share. Fifteen shares of same to Rsed
McGrann 6 Co., at S1O7 per share. On
$500 Lancaster city bonds (5 per cent? t.
the trustees of Conestoga Council, Jr. O
. U. A. NJ, at premium of sl.75, pc
500.
One of same, Reed, McGranu & Co., al
par.
Ten $500 Lancaster city 5 per cent
school bonds, 1881, to Reed, McGrann &
Co, at par.
Il One $1,000 first mortgage Quarryvill
railroad bond e per cent? to Jacob Get2
at premium of $14 for 500.
Four $1OO bonds of same, to J. B. Long
at premium of $14 per 500.