The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-19
A LOCAL HEIR-AT-LAW.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1.

stopping them just In time to save the
last of the Stuarts from a violent death.
His own life came near being sacrificed,
but he got off with a broken head an the
fracture of several ribs. Anne was an ex-
ception to the .proverbial ingratitude Of
sovereigns. She visited the sergeant In
the hospital and one day when he was
about recovered she borrowed Churchill's
sword, bidding Chadwick Kneel before her.
A gentle stroke Of its blade was laid on
his shoulder and he was hidden to arise,
Sir Andrew Chadwick, knight banneret
OF England. Nor did her recognition stop
here. Sir Andrew was presented with an
estate and was advanced from one dignity
TO another until he became first lord of
the bed chamber. Meanwhile mis- poor
relatives in the little village OF Hyde in
Cheshire knew nothing Of their kinsman's
greatness.
Sir Andrew Chadwick was as thrifty
and as fond OF money as Marlborough
himself, and being OF speculative turn
or mind he bought uD houses aud lands
in London, notably in the neighborhood
OF the Cheap, where land could not now
be purchased for $500 foot. His nup-
were honored by his sovereign's presence.
and so great was the esteem in which he
was held that IL was whispered at court
that Essex and Leicester were no greater
favorites Of Elizabeth than was this gal
liant knight Of Anne's.
The years passed but no heir was born
to Sir Andrew, which grieved him sorely.
He was in his Goth year when he made the
journey TO Hyde to hunt up his poor re-
lations and see which of them was worthy
to inherit his wealth, but he found them
all scattered and he had to content him.
self by making. will bequeathing his
money and lands to his heirs at law,
whoever they might be, superhuous act.
1t was In the year 1868 that old Sir An
drew assembled his household to take
farewell of them. lie then lacked but
years OF being centenarian. All his old
acquaintances had gone long before. The
royal lady who had made his fortune had
been in her grave more than half CEN
tury. The dynasty of the Stuarts had
departed aud the third monarch of the
House of Hanover had been eight years
on the throne. Marlborough, sunderland
aud Godolphin were but memories and he
felt 1t was time for him to be gathered to
his fathers.
He died and the great struggle for his
millions began. The heirs at law could
not be found, and the Lord Chancellor
took charge of Sir Andrews effects. His
remote successor has them yet, after q
period Of l24 years. Down in the vaults
OF the treasury are scores of huge trunks
almost bursting with contents Of gold and
Knights tables groan.
The management of the estate has for
hundred years and more been plum for
bestowinR upon favorites, plum as fat
as big receivership. At present it is
managed for the Court Of Chancery by
His Grace the Duke of Bridgewater, who
nets Sl0O. 900 per year for his trouble.
Many adventurers have tried to grasp
the prize, but my Lord Chancellor has
ever contrived to keep all larcenous hands
from lingering the fortune. Edward
Birch and Mathew Martin committed the
crime of forgery in order to obtain the
millions, but they came to grief. The
will they produced was shown to be
spurious, and the enterprising gentlemen
were duly hanged at Tyburn. The papers
Of the day, in devoting an entire para
graph to the execution, say their lend
was edifying." This was in 1774, since
when all pseudo claimants have managed
to keep within the law.
The documentary and printed evidence
Of the above narrative having been shown
by Mr.. Booth, he proceeded with his
story.
'My attention was first seriously called
to this affair more than twenty years
ago." said he. "A man came, out from
England to hunt up heirs aud evidence
Some important documentary links were
missing, and I remembered that when
quite child two Jews came to see my
mother, who was born Sarah Chadwick,
for the purpose of getting some old papers
from her. / remembered how closely
they read them and how eager they were
to get them, but my mother refused to let
the papers go unless she went with them.
II Thought it possible that those old
papers might be in existence aud that
they might be the missing links. / set
sail for England and in au old hair trunk
that had been slowed away in a garret
for twenty years and more / found all
those papers which have proved SO valua-
BILE in the Chadwick case and which have
materially aided in bringing the cause to
its present status in the chancellor's
court. / conferred with Cornelius Chad
wick of Philadelphia, who Is the direct
heir. and negotiations were opened with
law firm whereby it was agreed to give
the lawyers 25 per cent. Of the sum re-
covered. Since then a powerful New
York syndicate has taken mold and with
most fiattering results.
II AIN not losing any sleep about it, nor
has the thing disturbed me during the 20
years have known Of 1t. My grandfather
and great-grandfather may have worried
considerably, and yet they died without
seeing the color of Sir Andrews guineas.
l sha'n't fret IL / fare no better than my
ancestors, but l shall have glorious
time il do, and that's about all have to
sav about IL ~