Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-12
DUCHESS TREATED WE'LL.
MarlbOrough'S Request to His
WIG Rcgarhcd as Payment.

Among cIubmen and society people
tho provisions Of the will of the late
Duke of Marlborough were to somo ex-
tent topic for discussion Thursday last,
SAYS the New York World. In pro.
batting the will in the English courts, "a
told in the Worid's cablograms yester-
day, the Dukes estate, valued at 1882
7O3, or 81, ,7G3,5 ,5l5, was disposed Of. 1t
is said, however, that the figures given
represent the nominal value of the
Dukes securities, and that the amount
realized on their sale will be very much
less. Solicitor Spencer Whitehead,
known to some Of New Yorks leading
LAWYERS. and Lillian Hamersley. the
widowed duchess, are made executors OF
the will. The present Duke, the ninth
of the name, besides coming into the
possession OF the entailed estates, gets
permission to select 100000 worth OF
ehattels. but shonld he sus he loses all.
Besides this bequest and one OF go. 600
to Lady Colin Campbell, together with
small bequests to servants, the unen-
tailed real and personal estate goes to
the American Duchess. Lille Hamer-
sley. -,
This lssl clause is n verifcation OF tho
oxpectations OF American friends OF
Mrs Hamersley. II has been under
stood by her friends that the Duke
would leave a charge on the estate to
reimburse his wife for advances OF
money.
"While Marlborough was possessed
Of the Churchill streak, no was not a
bad fellow, and the will means that he
IS doing the square thing by his Ameri-
can wife, " said an intimate friend Of the
late Duke Yesterday. Continuing, he
said a remark the Duke once made
while We were driving at Tuxedo impress
ed me. Ii was What can you expect OF
a man whose life is burdened with debts
and three-acre roof full OF leaks.
Mrs Hamersley had 10 pay out money
TO fix the roof Of Blenhcim Ialaco be-
fore it was habitable.
There is no intimation that Mrs Ham
ersley- Churchill will return to Amerloa.
Her London home is at Carlton House
Terrace.
The Duke OF Marlborough and Mrs.
Lillian Hamersley were married by May
or Hewitt June -, 1888, at the New
York City Hall, and after long search
found n minister who would celebrate
the ceremony. Rev. ID. c. Potter, Of the
Sixth Street Baptist church Of this city,
having no scruples about marrying di-
vorced man. Mrs. Hamersley had then
aud still has the income of an estate OF
five or six millions OF dollars, left her 10y
her first husband, Washington Louis
Hamersley.
An INCIDENT.
A hitherto unpublished incident in the
life OF the Duke OK Marlborough -
brought ont by the discussion incident
to the publication of Lis will Along IT
the eighties, when he WAS mixed up IN
/ tho Lady Ailesbury scandal. he secured
/ from Lady Allesbury n package OF the
/ Prince'of Wales's loye-letters addressed
her. He was asked to he the custo-
dian Of the bundle The Duke, to in
sure the safe keeping OF the
package, SO the story goes, put 1t
in the care Of Lord Randolph Churchill,
his younger brother. Lord Churchill, at
that time acting as secretary 20 hl'
father. then Lord Lieutenant OF Ireland
guarded the bundle as best he could
One day he WAS surprised to receive
call from a Queens messenger. who de
manded the letters. Churchill refused
to give them up on the ground that the
were not his property, but simply IN
trusted to him, aud he was responsible
for their safety. "On your allegiance
as a subject they are demanded, wal
the ultImatum he received. lie III
quired who had sent the message. H'
was told the Prince of Wales. " Wei
when he is sovereign and sends M
such message | will respect it, wa
Churchil's answer. Fearing further I'M
portunities, however, he, together witt
his wife, formerly Miss Jerome, OF thi
city, sailed for New York, and IN MD
summer they occupied the jerome home
in this city. Churchill brought witt
him the bundle of letters. and at las
accounts they were i'll a box IN the yaul
OF safe-deposit company downtown
Those who are familiar with this chap
ter in the Churchills' life they ar
limited in number-are wondering l
the package still reposes in this city L
the coucern OF the future King OF Urea
fro1ap1