The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1885-08-12
The Latest american Peer.

An elopement, secret maria ge of
doubtful legality, deathbed repentance a
legal marriage, u lapsed claim tually made
good Ii century after its origin, are Incl
dents In the career of an aristocratiC fami-
ly which affords additional evidence that
truth is full as strange as sensational tic-
ton. All the episodes strung together
make up the st,ry OF the claim of the earl
dom of Lauderdale, set up by Maj or Henry
Maitland, whose right to that ancient peer
age has just deem affirmed by the House of
Lords. The story which Major Maitland
had to tell reads like one of the historical
romances that delighted our erandmotbers.
About 1865, Sir Richard Maitland, the
fourth son of the sixth Earl i.auderdae,
came to New York an officer of the British
Army, and took the position of colonial
adjutaut general. He was gay, handsome,
and 1t is to be presumed an easy going man
of the world not much better nor much
worse than the majority OF his brother OIL
GERS. A handsome face and handsome uni
form procured him favor in the eyes of
Miss Mary MacAdam, pretty girl whose
scruples were quoted by a "Connectlcu
marriage"-the publication of banns in
that colony-and who subsequently bore
him three sons. In 1772 on his deathbed,
the conscience stricken Sir Richard is be-
Ieved to have sent for Gle gyman and TO
have been legally married. Previously he
had made his will bequeathing all his prop
erty to Mary MacAdam and her children.
Upon his decease his widow took her three
sons and went to southern New Jersey
where one of Sir Richards brothers, also
an army officer, recognizing her rs his Sis
ter in-law, gave her and her children
home. Her eldest son, her benefactur took
to Scotland, and from this boy N jor Mint.
land, now recognized as Earl OF Lauder
dale, Is descended.
For century the claim lay dormant. In
August 1884, the twelfth Earl Of Lauder
dale was killed by lightning, He was IN
married, and Major Maitland, then serving
as an officer of the Bengal cavalry, brought
forward his claim. This was contested by
Sir James Ramsey Maitland, who is de-
seconded from younger brother OF the
wild Sir Richard, and who asserted that
he latter never was married and therefore
left no legitimate issue. The whole ques-
ton turned upon what WAS considered a
legal marriage in New York before the
Revolution. and to testify on this point
Senator Edmunds, Minister Phelps and
other Americans were brought before the
peers. MAJOR Maitland admitted virtually,
that the Connecticut MARI age was OF no
effect, and rested his claim upon the legiti-
matizing effect of the subsequent New
York marriage. Establishing the fact that
his ancestor was married on his death bed,
the question then came up on the effect OF
the colonial laws on the statu- of the chill
dren. On this point expert evidence was
divided, but the weight of it favored the
majors position, and the peers accorded
to him the eardom
The earldom of Lauderdale is Scotch
peerage which carries with it an annual in-
come of El6. 900. Some OF the bearers of
the Lauderdale title have not been the most
admirable of characters. Scott pictures
the cruel Lauderdale, who Is cursed to TINS
day by the Presbyterisns OF Scotland, as
one of the hercest of the prosecutors OF
the covepanters and who had special zest
for torture. He had changed sides with
changing governments, and so kept hIs
head on his shoulders and his coin in his
pocket when many better men lost both.
As Americans have in some sort an inter-
est in the new earl. let us hope he will do
credit to the country of his ancestress -
Boston Transcript.