The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-21
THOMAS LYNCH BACK
Returns From ireland With
out His Estate.
HIS SUIT WAS DISMISSED
BaIIycurrin Castle, His An
CeStOr'S Home, Denied Him.

Thomas H. Lynch is back from Ireland.
He left here last October for Ireland TO
prove his right to the ownership Of Bally-
currin Castle and it's estate. After spend
ing months of time ard hundreds of dol
lars the case was finally tried and dis
missed, throwing all costs on him. One
line of writing in marriage settlement
made in 1900 was construed against him
and his hopes were blasted. What seemed
like success up to the last moment was
changed to failure by the decision OF one
man on the judges bench, and Mr.. Lynch
was forced to return to Wichita empty
handed
Ballycurrin Castle, which by all rights
should belong to Mr. Lynch. Is one Of the
Oldest in Ireland, having been built back
In the feudal times when every landlord
was compelled to fortify himself against
his nelghbor. It is a huge structure, built
of roughly hewn stone. The walls are
from $40 eight feet thick, with numer-
Gus recesses in the different rooms where
the old lords hid their valuables and pa
pers. From one corner Of the building
a large square tower rose above che roof
and the top formed a pe--pet with stones
set in the Merton style, so prevalent in
those times. The roof on the main part
of the castle has fallen into decay, but
there is a second cemented roof that keeps
out the rain from he interior Of the build
ing. No one lives in it now and its walls
are and have been for years covered with
a thick growth OF ivy. It's outside ap-
pearance is similar 10 the many pictures
seen Of Irish castles.
BY the side Of it and only a few feet
distant is a more modern house used as
the residence of the present owners,
against whom suit was brought TO dis
possess. Its architecture is of much more
recent style, and it is as fine home as
there is in that part Of the country.
These two buildings stand about in the
center Of an so0-acre tract which is fenced
IN with a ten-foot stone wall surmounted
by broken bottles to keep out intruders.
There is only one main entrance to the
grounds. at which there are large gates.
By the side of these IS the lodge, where
there to the castle is a wide, tree-bordered
drive, along which in the past all the gen.
try OF the country have passed to visit
the lord and lady of the manor.
Around this main tract of land are
grouped the farms OF TIE tenants. These
are irregular patches of land which are
owned by the tenants as long as the rent
is paid, and not even the actual owner
can evict them except for non-payment Of
rent. These farms aggregate about 5000
acres in the wales and on the hills Dor
dering a beautiful lake. One OF the prop
critics belonging to this estate is the island
of Inchiquin in this lake.
This, in brief, is a description OF the es-
tate which Mr.. Lynch failed to get When
he first went to Ireland he began the col
lection of evidence. He had no difficulty
in tracing his ancestry and he proved be- !
yond doubt that he was a direct lineal de- |
scendant of Henry Lynch, who was the |
owner in fee simple of the land in 1900. |
Then he began collecting a complete chain |
Of title from that time down TO the pres
ent day. The number of deeds. wills, set |
Elements and other papers necessary to |
do this, when copied filed two bushel !
baskets Armed with this evidence, he |
went into court.
The suit was brought against Mrs. Mar |
garet Clarkin, James Clarkin, and Rob- |
ert Clarkin, present residents of the cas- |
tie, and Henry Michael Lynch. In his |
declaration he stated that he was entitled |
as tenant entail male in possession to |
Ballycurrin Castle, house and demesne,
Ortalier, Glassbally, Waadpark, Gortback.
and the island Of Inchiquin, all in the /
counties Mayo and Clare. He also stated |
by what right he was entitled TO the same,
and ended with a prayer that the court
decree him owner and give him posses
sion. The defendants denied all but that /
he was descendant of Henry Lynch. and |
denied that he was entitled to any of the
estate.
Everything seemed favorable to Mr.
Lynch up 70 the day Of trial The entire
bar of Dublin was interested in the case
and about 500 solicitors. barristers and
Junior counsel were in attendance at the
TRIAL Even on the second day of the pro-
ceedings his friends were Offering their
eongratuia atoms on the outcome OF the
rase which they said could not be against
him. But on that day the oppos ton
Fprung new point on the court and
pressed it with vigor. They c0ntended
that the line in which Mr.. Lynch descend
I'd was affected by marriage settlement
made in $500, which left the estate only IN
tntan and not in fee. In other words. Il
gas bar remainder. which would cut
put certain heirs to follow. This original
settlement was badly obliterated and with
many interlneations This made its in
depreciation more difficult. There was
dispute as to the precise portion of the
deed in which the interlineatlons should
come