The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-05

secure the one link in the chain of evil
dence connecting their client with the
hundreds of millions left by Sir William
Poultney, prominent in the social and DO
htical history of England. This gentle
man was during his time barrlster of
great note and at one time Lord of the Ex-
chequer. In 1915 he died intestate, leaving
an estate worth many millions of dollars.
The San Francisco claimant has filed with
his attorneys a clear statement of his
relationship to the dead Sir William Poult-
ney and general summary of the prop
erty owned by him.. He says:
I was born in February, 1926, at Wexford
five miles from Litchfield, in Staffordshire,
England. When two years of age was taken to
Hartsall, where l renamed until was about
ii years of age. From there 1 went to Will
necut for one year. and then to London, where
/ stayed two years. From there l went to Mel
ton, Kent County. where later was married
In 1852 l came to Brooklyn, n. Y, where l
remained for three or four years, since which
time have lived in many of the middle and
Western States coming to California about ten
years ago. My father was born In Warton,
England, the year being to me unknown He
was miller by trade, we'll off financially, and
lived the major portion OF his life in Hartsall,
three miles from Atherston, Warwickshire,
England. He died about fifteen years go at
Neatherseal, Eng. Whether any of his brothers
or sisters are now living, or if their descend
ants are living do not know. other then that
there are living thirty-seyen descendants of
the Poultney family.
Ny grandfather was brother of Sir William
Poultney and he disappeared from Warton,
England, when my father was about years
old have no data as to when or why he left,
neither has he been heard OF since he disap-
peared
Henrietta Laura Johnston, widow of Sir Will
liam Poultney, died intestate about 1908, leav-
ing one Rebecca Ward as her sole survivor
She came into nOSSoSSiOn of the an
held the same until her death, which was
about the year 1909. She was unmarried ana
lett no descendants. l know nothing of her
family. Prior TO her death she, in company
with Sir Charles williamson went to the West
Indies to Claim some property formerly owned
by Sir William Poultney. She died on the
the West Indies that she died of poison admin
istered by Sir Charles Williamson.
During his lifetime Sir William Poultney
owned estates in Windsor, England, but as to
how he acquired them do not know. He also
acquired large tract OF land in Virginia and
also the town of Poultney, Vt. In addition to
and about 1000 acres in Steuben and Genesee
counties, New York, running from Lake On
tario to the PENNSYLVANIA line. His original
American possessions are now worth at least
100000 900. The Steuben and Genesee
counties properties, 100000 acres, ac-
quired by Sir William Poultney in 1888 by
purchase from man named Gordon. The
purchase price was 10 cents an acre, record
Of which can be seen in the Land Office of
these counties.
at the death of Sir William the estate in New
York went into the Surrogate's Court and in
the proceedings taken, as shown by the rec
ords, four trustees were appointed TO take
charge, as follows: Duke of Cumberland, Lord
Cathcart, commonly called Lord Holloway
Sir William Courtney and Captain Charles
Williamson. 1t now appears that one Lord
Courtney, descendant of one of the original
truS tees, Sir William Courtney, now holds the
American and English estates in trust for the
heirs-provided they can prove their relation
ship. first heard of the estate from Mr..
Ford during my stay in Canada. After exam
lining the records / consulted with Mr.. Wood.
an attorney at Warsaw, n. Y, who, after in
vestigation, brought the matter to public
had rented and purchased land there refused
longer to rent or make further payments on
account of their purchases.
was then forced to return to Canada, and
could do nothing more in the matter until
1876, when l employed Judge Caldwell of
Cleveland, hio. He visited England, and on
his return asked me if I would take million
London he had consulted Robert Gun & Bros,
solicitors, who told him that tie estate was
there, and belonged to Poultney, and that all
heirship. Judge Campbell then went on the
bench, and as my funds were exhausted
could do nothing more.
1t might be of interest to add that Hon. Will
liam H. Seward investigated the matter and
agreed to send his son to see about it, but
events so shaped themselves as to make
this impossible. Some time since an effort was
made to seat the Prince of Wales in the Porlt-
ney chair, which since the death of Sir Will
liam Poultney has been vacant in the House
OF Lords, which attempt was defeated upon
the grounds that no one other than the Poult-
ney heir could lawfully occupy the same.
The attorneys who have taken up the
cause of the San Francisco claimant are
positive of ultimately securing the estates
for their client. There is one missing link
and it is to pick this up if possible that
Mr.. Kelly will make the trip to England.
They argue that this is not absolutely es-
sential to the success of their cause, though
with it the present trustee would not weld
the $40o,000,000 without a long legal
struggle.
PRIZE FOR ENERGY METERs.-The ROYAL
Scottish Society OF Arts has offered for