Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-25
THOMAS BLYTHE'S MILLIONS.
Interesting Facts About the Strug-
gle for Their Possession.
WAS HE A TIcKET-oF-LeAvE MAN
A Lntc Member OF Parliament Tells
the Story OF the Case Which
is Attra acting Attention
In California.
The London side of IL.

LONDON, July 24-[New York Herald
Cable-Special to THE BEE. lin con-
versation about the extraordinary Blythe
case, ID. +. Gabbett, late member of parlia
ment for Limerick, who has interested him
self In the various phases of the romance,
told remarkable story:
~ took up the New York Herald to-day"
he said, "and was surprised to see II stated
there was probability Of the Blythe case
being settled in favor of the new claimant
Florence, alleged to be the ilegitimate
daughter of tho late Thomas II. Blythe,
whose case occupies so much attention in
California. My knowledge Of the case is
this: A few years ago family named Saw
age, in London. were communicated with by
the London firm of Want g. Harston,
who had received instructions from the
English consul In San Francisco to find out,
II possible, the next kin of Thomas II.
Blythe, who was we'll known to have been
Nm EnglishInan, and who died six years ago
In California Certain circumstances led me
TO follow up the case on behalf of these claim
ants, who are now in California prosecuting
their claim, and i also at the same tune. in
The course Of the investigation, learned some
very remarkable and trustworthy informa-
tton in reference to the child who is now
claiming the estate.
1T seems that about twelve or thirteen
who was frequently in the habit ait
Of coming to London, and resid-
%se waus HGshn% IN oxorS strees Sss'n late 0an
evening, spoke to girl who was looking in
shop window and whose name turned out
ITO be Perry. She was a dressmaker and
kept company with young man named Ash,
croft. The girl on several occasions visited
Blythe at his apartments. She married
Ashcroft, but previous to this a chiid.was
born and placed under the roof Of Ashcroft's
mother, old Mrs. Ashcroft, where she re-
sided for several years Mrs. Ashcroft, ir.,
stated over and over again to her mother-in-
law nnd other members of her husbands
family, that Ashcroft was the father Of this
child.
The child was at last taken, under very
peculiar circumstances, away from the grand
mother by young Mrs. Ashcroft. About this
time Ashcroft died and the death of Blythe
occurred few months later. Mrs. Ashcroft
then left England for America. accompanied
by her father, for whose apprehension for u
serious criminal offense the London police
had u warrant They landed Mt San Fran
cisco and Florence was placed in the hands
OF Mrs. Hart, who is now conducting the
business Then it was that Tor the first time
Mrs. Ashcroft made the statement that the
child was Blythe's. She had previously
registered the child in England under two
different names-Florence and FlUra-but
omitted on both occasions to give the name
of the father.
''Thomas H. Blythe never, under any or
cumstances, lived in England with Mrs. Ash
croft, nee Perry, but he had several MIS-
tresses with whom he lived in California at
various times, and the last one with whom
he lived produced will after his death,
which was proved in the California courts to
be forgery. This woman was also accused
OF having attempted Blythe's life by poison,
and IT. is she who is now supposed to have
produced the will signed by Millionaire
Blythe leaving everything to Florence
Blythe. This woman was also well known
es keeper of public gambling saloons. An
other will has also been produced, but it is
not signed. 1t was stated to have been drawn
by Blythe's solicitor, who now acts for
Florence Blythe, but there is no signature
appended to this document and the solicitor
explains this by saying that the pen nib
broke when Blythe was in the act of signing
The property now in dispute has been
stated to be OF various values. The real
value is 9G0,000. The property is now being
carefully managed by MIR. Roach, appointed
agent by the courts, Blythe's body was EN-.
balmed after his death and deposited in a
handsome sarcophagus erected out of the
moneys of the estate
''There are some sixty or seventy claim
ants now before the courts. There may be
some difficulty in foreshadowing the result
OF this litigation, but il might be well if
three or four of the claimants whose claims
arc particularly strong, would agree to di-
vision IN tue event of the government not
nctually declaring one person alone entitled
10 succeed as heir. OF course IL the Blythe
will can be produced, ana it does not seem
arrange that this much spoken of will should
be produced by Blythe's mistress, whose
career has been so shady, then that would
settle the Question, but the laws of
bastardy In the state OF California
are of very peculiar character. The guar
dians of an illegitimate child must prove that
the child has been publicly recognized by The
father, or that the child has lived under the
fathers roof. Florence Blythe, the present
claimant, cannot prove either Of these things
"The statement of the claims of the Say
vges Is as follows In the year 1925 young
man IN London named James Savage was Tor
,\)etty theft, sentenced to seven years penal
servitude, and was transported by the shiu
Euryolus to New South Wales. After
ticket Of leave, and starting from
Sydney went through the country
hawking goods. He subsequently settled
In California under the name of Thomas H.
Blythe. He realized by the. purchase of
small plats OF land large fortune. Photo
graphs of Thomas Blythe have been recog,
nized and sworn TO by a large number of per-
Bons who were acquainted with Savage. A
man Of the name of Wright, who is Mt pre-
pent at Peter Robnson's, aud with whom
Thomas H. Blythe used to lodge during his
stay in Lonuon, has sworn that Blythe con.
lessed TO him that he was no other than
lanes Savage, who was sent away from
England so many years ago. Many persons
In London have also sworn before Mr..
Walker, the late consul general in London,
that they recognize from the photographs
Ihown them, Thomas Blythe and James
Savage, who was transported SO many years
ago, rs one and the same person."
a CONGO RAII,RnAn