The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-23

Is the rsghsfui Earl Of Huntingdon and
the hesr 70 one OF the most famous es-
this country? That remains Tor the Brit
ish courts to decide. Ther ytu have TO
decide sooner or later, for legal proceed
tngs viii shortly be instituted and two OF
the little syndicate laying claim TO the es-
tates live over in the borough Of Brook
lyn. They aTe William Hastings and his
son. William +. Hastings.
I have used the word syndicate advised
ly. far IL Is q sort Of fhmily affair. with
an outside financial backing. Some of the
family live in the West and there - also .
mysterious Western congressman. name
unknown, who has gone into the thing as
speculation. and who will defray all the
expenses incidental to the litigation. with
the understanding that he shall reap his
share Of the reward IL the suit is success
full.
Then. OF course, there Is an English law
yer There always Is. How else would
obscure Americans know they were en-
titled 70 fabulous estates in England Il Il
were not for the lawyers? This n,an's
name Is Edward G. Durham. and he -
at present somewhere In the West, confer
ring with the 0ysteeious congressman
about financial matters.
In addition TO the two members OF the
Hastings family already mentioned. the
other alleged heirs are Frederick Hastings,
Of Maryville. Mo-. and Francis Hastings,
OF FAirbury, Neb. william E. Hastings.
who returned TO New York last Monday
from q consultation with his relatives and
the mysterious congressman Ia the west
told me in all seriousness that the estate
was valued at two hundred million dol
lars.
He based his assertion upon what the
ffzt la ~ y Tv1
ants are not after the title. They couldn't
very well divide that anyway. And as
they are going into the scheme on a pro
rata basis. the property 10 all they want.
They say the title II merely an empty
honor, and they are not looking for empty
honors. The property. according to their
belief. is In the hands Of persons who are
not entitled to 1t. The American Hastings
es think they are. So does the English
lawyer. and 20 does the western congress.
man.
This is not the first time that an Ameri-
can Hastings has endeavored to prove a
claim to the Huntington estates. The late
Francis Hastings. OF 6oinerville, N. J..
fought the case in England in 1852. and
returned to America year and q half
later, broken in spirit and purse He
abandoned the claim only after experien-
cling the treachery OF his own counsel and
receiving anonymous communications
threatening his life II he persisted in car
rying matters any further.
William Hastings. one Of the present
claimants. Is q nephew of the late Fran
els Hastings. and the Francis Hastings
OF Nebraska Is 3 grandson Of the original
claimant. The present claim Is based upon
the Following lines, as / gathered them
from William Hastings in Brooklyn:
Theophilus Hastings, the ninth Earl of
Huntingdon. had a large family. all the
rvSs her, skfvu Srt. ~
Francis. the eldest son, and Elizabeth. she
eldest daughter. died In infancy. The
ninfh earl died in 7ss. and was succeeded
BY his son Francis. who became the tenth
earl The latter died In .S9. unmarried.
This left Elizabeth. the daughter. the only
surviving heir OF the ninth earl. She had
married Lord Louden the Earl Of MORA,
an irish earidom, who, upon the death of
his brother-in-law. absorbed the estates
and minor titles through his wife, Eliza
beth, the rightful heir not immediately
appearing TO claim the property. This. il
IS alleged. he had no legal right to do, as
the estates were. In the reign of Henry
VIII, entailed to male issue only.
Shortly after Lord Louden had taken
possession II Is said that William Hastings
who was born az Ashby-de-la-Zouche. or
Castle bennington, the ancient seats of the
Huntington earls OF Leicestershire. and a
full cousin OF Earl Francis, appeared and
claimed the title. but died In 1878. before
the merits or the claim could be passed on
After his death the case was taken I'D hy
his son Francis who laid formal claim ia
the estates ana titles In London in ISIS. He
was opposed by Nugent Bell, a London So
Iicitor. on behalf OF Louden, who brought
forward in opposition Hans Francis Hast
ings as the legitimate successor. After a
long fight Hans Francis was made nomin.
al earl. although 1t is alleged by the Amer
av,sr hat ~
never ratified by the house Of lords. A pro-
ceedlng which the laws OF England de-
manded. and that Hans Francis received
nothing but tho empty title. ILouden re.
tanning possession OF the estate Eurent
Bell subsequently, committed suicide. and
left behind q work called the Huntington
Peerage.' In which he endeavors to he
little the claim. The present claimants are
descended from the William Hastings who
entered the first claim against the estate
In the early part 81 the century.
William Hastings. who says he and his
relatives I'm America are entitled 20 the
famous old estate In Le.cestershire. Is A
salesman In little furniture store over
In Brooklyn. MY uncle. Francis Hast.
ings. of Somerville. n. j." he saws. was
grandson OF William Hastings OF Ashby-
de-la-Zouehe. who was full cousin Of
the tenth earl. the latter having died with
out children He should rightfuIlv have
succeeded 70 both the title and the Is.
tates
To my query as to- just what number Of
tne family WIS row the rightful Earl OF
Huntingaon. Mr.. Hastings replied thar un-
doubleday he was Francis Hastings. OF
Nebraska, grandson Of the deceased
FRANCIS Hastings. OF Somervslle, N r.
Ny son Is expected back from the west
tomorrow" he said. land he can give YOU
great deal more information about the
claim than can
taste for the furniture trade seems 70
run IN the Hastings family ! found the
son. William E. Hastings. In the saiesrooru
OF shop In this city. He had Just re-
turned from, visit TO his relatives in the
west. bus beyond confirming the inforyns-
ton already in my possession. he was no.