The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-01
AN UNCLE OF ARISTOCRATS
Samuel Lewis Thriving Business
Among the English Nobility.

London, Dec. 1.-The Lord Chief JUS
tice is hearing an interesting case,
which is attracting the attention of
public men and most of the aristOc-
racy here. It is a suit of a money lend
er to recover from an officer of the
guards named Clay the sum Of IL, lis
pounds due on two promissory notes
cashed for Lord William Neville.
Sir Edward Clarke, @. c., represent
ing Clay, examined the plaintiff and
showed that Lord Neville borrowed
large sums from him at 80 to 40 per
cent interest and that in one case, re-
Gently, the parents of a youth who
had endorsed Lord Neville'S unpaid
notes, paid the plaintiff 40 600 pounds.
Sir Edward Clarke, for the defense
alleged that Lord Neville secured
CIay's endorsement by trick, Neville,
according to counsel's statement,
asked Clay to witness his signature to
family documents of a private charac-
ter, these documents being covered by
a paper in which there was Sits, where
Clay was asked to sign. The latter
demurred and asked to see the docu-
ments, whereupon ne was told the doc
ImentS referred to a divorce of Lord
NeVllle's sister, Lady COWley. Clay
accepted the explanation and signed
without having any idea until he was
sued that he was signing promissory
notes. Clay testified in confederation
of the statements made by Sir Edward
Clarke, and said that after the discov-
cry of the trick played upon him, he
taxed Lord Neville with it, whereupOn
Lord Neville wrote and asked him to
mold his tongue for a short time, as
otherwise he (Lord NeVille) would be
ruined for life. Finally, Clay called
Lord Neville a swindler.
Lord William Beachamp Neville, who
was born in 1860, is the fourth son of
the Marquis of Abergavenny. He was
formerly an aide de camp to the Vice
roy of Ireland, the Duke of MarIbor-
ough, and is a lieutenant in the Third
battalion of the Royal West Kent reg
lment. He is married. The fifth
daughter of the Marquis of Abergav-
emmy is Lady Violet born in 1866 and
married in 1889 to the third Earl Cow
ley On October 80, 1896, a petition
for divorce was brought by Countess
Cowley, who alleged matrimonial mis-
conduct and extreme cruelty upon the
part of the earl The correspondent
in the case was Mrs Darlington. 1t
was brought out in course of the trial
which began in January last that the
carr, WnlIe NlScOunt Dagnan was forced
10 heaVlly compensate Phyllis Brough-
ton, the actress for breach of promise
In the trial of the divorce suit Earl
COwley and Mrs. Darlington denied
the allegations of the complainant
Counsel for the countess asked permis-
sion to amend the petition of the
plaintiff by introducing a new core
spOndent on the following Monday The
question was granted and the jury was
discharged. When the hearing of the
case was resumed on February 1, Earl
COWley made no contest but admitted
misconduct with the second core
spondent and in August last, the count
ess obtained a decree of absolute di-
vorce with alimOny to the amount of
2,2OO pounds a year for life
Samuel Lewis the money lender in
the case that was on trial in London
is probably the most notorious man of
his class in England. During the bank
ruptcy proceedings against the Mar
quis of Aielsbury, who died in 1894 it
developed that Lewis had a claim of
251OO0 pounds against the estate, which
includes the famous SaVernake forest
Lewis, in September, 1895, purchased
the beautiful residence of Countess
Cowley at Maiden Head, for u, 600
pounds.