The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-01-07
A Word to Claimants of English Estates

A Word to Claimants of English Estates
The following letter from Thomas F.
Bayard, secretary OF state explains itself
Department OF State, Washington, Dec
20, 1SS5-Sir: / have received your letter
of-,inquiring as to the act ofpariament
passed in August last, and said to refer to
the so-called Lawrence Towneley estate.
Many letters of similar character
have been received both by this
department and by the legation at Lon
don. The prevalent idea OF the writer's APP
pears to be that the estate in question con-
sists Of eight hundred millions of dollars,
more or less, which are lying in the Bank
OF England awaiting distribution among
unknown heirs among which are persons
of the name OF Lawrence and Chase in the
United States.
lam informed by our ministerin London:
First That there IS no money in the
Bank OF England belonging to any Towneley,
Lawrence owneley Chase estate, or any
claimants under those names.
Second-That there is no such estate in
England as the Lawrence Towneiey estate
nor any known family of that designation.
Third-That the Towneley estate is a
landed property in the counties OF
Lancaster and York which is now
and has been for very long time
in the possession OF its rightful owners,
who are completely protected therein by
the law OF England, and that there are no
unknown or American owners Of any part
OF it, or any ground whatever for any such
claims. l have also received from our le-
CATION at London a few copies of the act
in question, which is voluminous docu-
ment OF 2SS pages. The names of Lawrence
and Chase do not occur in it. 1t is an act
to adjust the equities arising under certain
successive marriage settlements and other
convevances executed at various times
between 1886 and 1877 in favor OF the
persons therein named An amicable suit
in chancery is eingconducted for this pur
pose, and by direction OF the court this act
was obtained in aid OF its decree.
The statement widely disseminated in the
United tates that this act affords an oppor-
tunity, or that there is any opportunity for
the prosecution of any American claims to
this property, is entirely incorrect. This
department is unable to furnish copies of
this act, but it can be examined here by
claimants or their lawful attorneys, and
could probably be obtained from London
by any importing bookseller. The price of
1t in London is s3,37 per copy.
You are strongly advised to pay no at
tention to any reports or statements OF
associations in reference to claims on the
above-named estate nor to pay any mon
Their this departmentnort the lega ton inLon-
don can encourage or aid any investiga-
tons in this direction. l am sir your
obcdient servant T. +. BAYARD.
Lives Lost ut q Massachusetts Fire.
A fire broke out at Georgetown, Mass.
The loss will aggregate $50. 900, partially
covered by insurance. Thirteen business
places we're burned out and $50 hands
thrown out OF employment. Engines
we're sent from Haverhill and Newbury-
port. and but for them the entire center
of the town would have been destroyed.
Joseph Illsley, n fireman, aged
TIVE ty-four years, unmarried, and George
A. Chase, aged twenty-five years, who
leaves u widow and child were killed by the
gagemaster employed by the Boston &
Maine railroad, had his left leg badly
crushed. Fred Goldsmith, Arthur Tucker
and Charles Williams, firemen of Haverhill,
were also injured. The losses and insur-
anccs, as far as known, are as follows:
George J Tenny, house and factory $50,
600; insured for 81 5, 900 or $4,000. Adj
ans block, occupied by M. N. Boardman,
grocer, and Charles Davis, billiard hall,
$50. 900; insurance unknown. Masonic
building, $40, 900; insurance, $4,000. This
DuiiulIIS was OCCuiIicO Wy y. L Jul, kIo-
Ger, who loses So 900; insurance, $4,000.
F. Osgood, tailor, who loses 5000; in-
surance, $4,000. Patrick Cole, clothing
and furnishing goods. $1,000; no insur-
ance. S. Palmer, jeweler, So, 900, and the
Masonic lodge, $4,000 or $4,000; insur-
ance, $1,000. small building between
the two was occupied by c. E. Jewett, Pc
riodical store, who carried $500 insur-
ance. A. B. Noyes, shoe and leather deal
er, loses $40, 900; partly insured.
Change in Civil Service Rules.
The animated contest now going on as
Chicago has incidentally brought out the
fact that important modifica-
tions OF the civil service rules, approved by
the president as long ago as Nov. Fl, have
only just reached the civil service commits
sioners, and are yet in the hands OF the
printers, and not yet promulgated.
Among the rules thus modified are the fol-
lowing.
That the local boards OF examiners shall
in the future only certify three names to
the appointing officer, and no name can be
certified to him more than three times, ex-
cept on special request OF the appointing
office.
Under the old rules the names were to be
certified four times, and the appointing Of
ficer was obliged to appoint four out of
seven names certified to him, while now he
will appoint three out Of six. This makes
it easier to get rid OF persons thought not
fit to be appointed. 1t is further required
that two of the persons vouching for the APP
plicant must be residents OF the city in which
The service is to be rendered. This is de-
signed to discourage applications from
persons residing outside the place OF APP
continent. Quite q number OF other utter
,sting changes OF detail are made.