Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-30
A ROMANCE or IA YEARS.
The Story of the Quarvelle Estate for
Almost Half Century in the Ohancery

HOmHWuL VI ~ lCHNO.
The Story of the Quaryelle Estate for
Almost Half Century in the Chancery
Conrts--A Romance of Three Countries.
The story of the recovery of the sum
Of $360,000 by Mrs. T. NJ Weir of this
city, and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Anna
Quarvelle of London, is historical
romance as full of strange incident as
any Of the Dickens stories. The sum
referred to is only the residue of a large
landed estate, only recovered on Feb
ruary 18th last from the English court
of chancery, where it has lain in con
tinuous dispute for many dreary unre-
Quilted years of watching and waiting,
And now, when what is left of the large
property after the rich picking from the
lawyers is the sum of f3G,000 sterling
to the two joint heirs, the American and
the Englishwoman.
The last owner of the family estate
which constituted an ancestral property
in the province of Alsace, Germany at
that time in France, was Monsieur Jean
Francois Quarvelle, the grandfather Of
Mrs. Weir.
At the time, 1913, of the political dis.
turbances in France which eliminated
in the rehabilitation of the Napoleon;c
dynasty, numbers of French gentlemen
were prescribed and their estates se-
Quested. Among these loyalists, known
as emigres, to distinguish them in their
enforced Punishment, was Nj. Quarvelle
He came to London and settled there.
The emigre, however, never lost sight
of his property rights for as all sup
posed at the time any turn OF fortunes
wheel might reinstate the Bourbons and
then the hanished families would regain
| their lost estates. The matter was i'm
mediately 1.-THE same year, fS4S,) given
into the hands of firm of English at
torneys. The legal and also the political
phrases of the times were closely
watched by the interested parties. 1t
seems, however, that the English firm
obtained influence, by some means or
other, at the French capital which re-
suited in throwing the estate into the
French courts There it remained for
some years again. The next movement
heard of was when through some piece
Of luck the property was sold and the
money transferred to the English courts
Of chancery, thus bringing it one more
step nearer the heirs. There II remained
until 1891
Years ago, and long after the transfer
of the realty from France to England,
Monsieur Quarvelle died. His heirs
continued the fight in the courts. The
active spirit in the contest was Mrs.
Anna Quarvelle. But for her the
money would never have been regained.
Many years ago Mrs. Weir gave up all
hope. She urged her sister-in-law, Mrs.
| Qnarvelle, TO do thesam Fortunately
however the latter was of more persis-
| tent characteristics.
A month ago, 4 Mr.. Brill, an English
| attorney, Tor solicitor as the higher grade
Of attorneys there wish to be called
came over from London to tell Mrs.
/ Weir of the wonderful story of the ter
mination of the IA years legal fight and
that she was the direct heir to the sum
Of f36, 000and that Mrs Quarvelle would
receive similar amount
"Ohl it is all too late now" Mrs. Wier
exclaimed last week in sorrowing tones.
"Ifit had only come before, we could
have enjoyed it, My youngest daugh-
ter is dead now and the money is no
| use. don't want it now
Mrs Weir has quite number Of near
relatives in England and Ireland. She
is not very found Of her French con
nections. She does not like to have
them referred to. However, she points
with pardonable pride to a fine old oil
| portrait Of an ancient gentleman in lace
and frills, her grandfather, Monsieur
Quarvelle. The portrait hangs in the
parlor upstairs.
Mrs. Weir, with her husband, son and
daughter, all live here. Her son is a
successful, industrious business man,
with three grocery stores in various parts
Of the city,
The family has plenty of means out.
side the recent rich windfall.
When asked whether she proposed to
go to England, Mrs. Wier replied that
she had not made up her mind whether
she would go to see Mrs. Quervelle in
| London, or not. The latter is very well
off She has plenty Of money and also
IL children. Her husband held some
lucrative government positionin London
for some years. Mrs. Wier also has
Some cousins in Richmond, Md.