The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-11-23
FROM FIREMAN
TO A BARONETCY.
Railway EmpIove Falls Heir to
Title and Large Eng|ish
Estate.
NEW MASTER OF CHEADLE HALL
But George Nathaniel James Is Barred
From His Native Land Efforts to
Remove the Ban.

Matt0on. H.. NOV. 15.-From the
arduous labor oi a fireman on the
to landed estate of -, 300, 900 and
one OF the oldest baronetcies in Eng
land is the startling but exceedingly
Agreeable transition which George
Nathaniel james Of Mattoon, expert
enced Yesterday.
james was standing in his cab after
his arrival from a hard run. A mes
senger boy placed a telegram in his
erimy hand, which read:
Your uncle is dead He desired to
see you before dying and has be-
queathed you his entire estate
The message was signed by his
mother, who resides at Cheadle Hall
near Manchester, England. As James
descended from the cab of the engine
he remarked to the train crew:
well, boys, ] won't have to work
any more" He then informed them
OF his good fortune.
The story OF his life is replete with
vivid changes. Up to his eighteenth
year he tasted luxury from child
hood. Since then he has known des-
titution and want, but with sturdy
independence he has refused aid from
relatives and carved out his own ex-
istence. Now at :}3 wears old. he
again finds himself the owner of a
huge fortune with one of the proud
est names in Great Britain to sus-
tain
His family for generations have
been sailors, and have won honor
and fame serving their country on
the seas. Early in his teens james
entered her Maiesty's naval service
with strong hopes OF upholding the
family name While cruising in the
Mediterranean ten years ago he be-
came involved in an ARRAY which
caused him to desert the service at
Cadiz ana flee to America Ever
since he has been wanderer. He en-
barked in various enterprises which
proved failures.
Finally he secured work as a fire
man on the Mexican Central Railway
III which vocation he labored over
three years, and when he quit was
entitled TO his credentials as an en-
gineer. Alluring tales of gold seek
ers determined him to ESSAY his for
tune as a miner With three others
he located claim Which they operat-
ed. James invested his savings.
$4,000, III the mine only to find that
double that sum was needed to make
the shaft a paying venture Too
proud to ask for assistance from
home and still retaining his right in
the mine he came to Mattoon two
months ago and resumed his former
vocation railroading.
His uncle, whom be succeeds as
master OF Cheadle Hall and other
landed estates. was Sir Norman
James, a retired navy officer at one
time Captain at Zanzibar. James's
father the heir presumptive, sn nd a
Knight, died five years ago, leaving
a wife and four children. of which the
Mattoon fireman is the Oldest. BY
the right of entail he succeeds to the
estate and title.
A younger brother is a Lieutenant;
on the British warship Terror, now in
South African waters. The fortunate
young fellow is of slight build and
stylish address. He is well educated |
and intelligent
The change in his circumstances
has in no wise altered his bearing to
the mates with whom he toiled every
day. Powerful relatives are using
their influence to remove the ban.
the result of a bovish indiscretion,
which keeps him an alien from home,
and it is very probable their efforts
viii succeed James is naturalized
American citizen.
His mother and brother will visit
him in Mattoon shortly when definite
plans for hi, future viii be decided
upon