St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-06-21
THE LOST BARONET.
NoRTHEOGE is HEIR TO MILLIONS,
BUT HAS DISAPPEARED.

He Was Chicago PaintCV, and After Prov
ing His Claim In England Sailed For
New York, Where He Vanished From
sight-Foul Play Feared.
Search is being made in Chicago by
agents of English lawyers for Sir George
W. Northedge, Bart, Of Somersetshire,
England, and the possessor of fortune
of something more than 81, 600, 600,
who has mysteriously disappeared and
| it is feared has met with foul play.
Three years ago Sir George was a
painter and contractor in a small way
in this city and lived at 1929 State
street. At that time be was discovered
by firm of English lawyers who had
for ten years been searching for the heirs
to the vast property which was await
ing claimants in the English chancery
court Today they are working as in
dustriously to find their titled client as
they did then to find the poor contract
or He sailed from Liverpool about
year ago and landed safely in New
York, since when nothing has been
heard Of him, and no drafts have been
made upon his London bankers For
this reason his lawyers fear he has been
murdered. They say this theory seems
not improbable to them, as Northedge
made many enemies on account of the
attentions he was accustomed to press
upon women. He was unmarried, or at
least was thought to have been, but it
is said had been involved in many in
trigues. When publicity was given to
the fact that he had become possessed of
the title and estates of more than 49,,
900, 600 and was still single he received
hundreds of letters from women
throughout the country Offering their
hands and hearts in marriage. In one
week more than /, 900 letters came to
him, and some of these he answered.
1t was only three years ago that Sir
George came into his property. Feb. A,
1892, he was at work painting build
ing when j. H. Gilchrist, @. c., of
Toronto found him and told him he need
work for living no longer, as he was
heir to landed estate in Somersetshire
to baronetcy dating to days prior to
William the Conqueror and to 81, $780,
782 in ready money.
Northedge was born March 4, 1871,
in Montreal, his father being William
Northedge. Both he and his father serv-
ed in the civil war, he serving in the
| First battalion of the Connecticut cav
airy, enlisting Oct 26, 1861, and serv-
ing until he was severely wounded in
the battle of Falmouth, Va.
Northedge had but little money, and
the attorneys advanced him enough to
carry Oh his work In this no was ia
cilitated by the fact that he had receiv-
ed bequest of e3, 900 in 1872 from rel
atives III Montreal
Having secured the legal proofs re-
quired by the lawyers, Northedge re-
turned to this city and stopped at the
Auditorium while he left his lawyers to
push his claim. TWAS at this time that
he received word of second bequest
to which he was heir. This amounted
to nearly $3.50, 900 and was left by Rob-
ert Sheppard of Bath, England, who
was a brother of Northedge's grand
mother, who was married in Montreal
in 1915.
Curiously interviewer with the search
for Northedge is the effort being made
to find Josie Compaus, who is being
sought for by the same people. Miss
Compaus was close friend of North
edge during his stay in this city, and
though she never made such claim it
has been said by her friends that she
was legally Mrs. Northedge However
this may be, Northedge, after coming
into his property, gave her note for
$4,000. This note has never been pre-
sented for payment. For some time aft
er Northedge left this city Miss Com
paus was known to be here and at times
communicated with his lawyers. Re-
Gently she, too has disappeared, and nc
trace of her can be found. Miss Com
paus came to this city from "a small
town i'll Michigan. Attracted by the
reward offered, several men have al
ready turned up who claim to be North
edge. Chicago Tribune.
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