New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-06
THE ROMANCE OF Az ENGLISH EARLDoM
WHAT CAME OF BaITisH OFFICERS LOVE AFFAIR
IN COLONIAL NETWORK.

WHAT CAME OF A BRITISH OFFICERS LOVE AFFAIR
IN COLONIAL NETWORK.
Testimony will be heard within month by
Tho English House OF Lords de ernine what eonsE
tuted legal marriage under the law ana customs
,revailipg In Newly DIRK before the Revolution. Upon
the determination will depend largely the succession
IN one OF the oldest peerages England that OF the
Eardo Of Lauderdac to which is attached an Income
OF 10000 year. IL Is vacant through tile DEAN
OF cir Charles Barclay Maitland. bdrune aud twelfth
Earl OF Maitland who struck BY lightning WINE
riding over estate al Lander. BerwickShre
Scotland ON August IL OF last year tie was unmarried
Tie authorities on the peerage credited Major Frederick
Henry Maitland. Of Her Maestys Bengal Cavalry WIN
being ghtul heir, hut center-claim has been put
IN by Sir Jaines Ramsey Maitland whit Is descendant
OF the fifth son OF the sixth Earl OF La1deruaie ana
who asserts that Sir Richard Maitland twho tue
fourth son Of the Ear married and therefore
had no legitimate issue. Cary whitrdge and Seward
& Da Costa nave been prosecuting Investigations here
of facts bearing the contest
Sir Richard Maitland adjutant-generai oil New
York colony l765. His life at home had been gay
AID be soon won popularity among the bellies OF Ne W
York. Mary McAdam. one OF the pretiiest girls OF the
town became enainored OF the brilliant British officer
1t seems that I'D opn policy OF of the dissoute
Young KnirkerhocEers, the aajoant- general IN lde a
Tying trip Connecticut. had marriage camps published
there and brought his sweetesrt back to Newly OrK
where she found that according to English La Ne ana
cnstms there had been marriage NJ all DeVOteu 10
the man she loved however Mary MoAdam scsndallzed
the colony by living with Sir Richard and bearing him
two children subsequently be her his name wrote
will on February 5. I772 making her and her childrtn
his sole heirs and in July OF the same year. three days
before his death there reason to believe ne was
Church. The widow removed 10 the hon,S Oh sotIe
relatives Ia New barbaioes village ID
Jersey, where ol Sir KIchars brothers VINO was an
officer under LBrd CORVALLIS. stationed IN Tue place.
recognized the unfortunate woman rs bis -law
a In keW-IOfk IN htctOr-sls anu IOOk
her eldest son. Patrick Tor Peter he is called IN his
fathers viii ScOtlabd with him. From ths ooy; VINO
was educated OF the English universities aiid VINO
Frederick H. Maitland descended AT the time III
was not imagined that the Maitland estates ana tltie
would have TO find claimants 30 lar away nom tLe
main line OF the family as the present dispuants
Sir Richards wild m the Surrogates once Mary
McAdam was supposed TO have been buried IN Trinity
Chnichyard. 10 the tomb OF Alexander Hamilton:
hat search last February revealed nothing No record
Of marriages Is found la DIR. Ogllye's diary. Tie
lawyers Major Maitland believe that ae The English
common law was Supposed to prevail IN coionsi New
York and as tue marriage was seKnOW lengei ny me
family and IL recorded In Brkes PeeraEe, the claim Oh
the contestant btr james Maitland, VIII he set sde
similar case was tried in the House OF Loids years
ago. One OF the SheldOns came to America near The
close the eighteenth century, lived Tor twenty years
with woman named Ann Mason. and two days before
81 baye this day married Ann Mason and made Nh
honest woman OF her. Hs eldest boy was brought up IN
Scotland by his uncle, wo wa defeated ID SUIT 10
esti6sh his legitimacy Tue boy gained wealth. ia huh
after lie beraie age, and learned the facts oil bis
parentsge by finding among some utisty Old papers
letter Written to him twenty years heioe by his sister
search brought light the letter of his f0ter which
somehow hal never reached the uncle's hands a sun
was brought Inc decision gwen years heOfe
Mr. HheadUns daughter argued The case hclOro The
House OF Lords hut The decision was against her. Tho
estate had becDnle extremely valuable through Tie
growth OF Edinburgh and the discovery OF coal ana iron