The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-04

heirs, William Oswald Dundas, who had
lived on his fathers farm, near Wash
ington. DC, YVES ip needy circumstances,
and sold his inheritance for about $4,000
to Mrs. Joshua Lippincott. He re-
to have 1T set aside, claiming misrepre-
sentation as to the value of the estate,
concealment and undue advantage of his
ignorance of values.
The litigation was begun In 1871 and
lasted nineteen years, being twice car
ried to the states supreme court. Coun-
sci for the Lippincotts and Dundas' es-
tate said that the claimant had the
shiftlessness Of spendthrift," the
prof1igacy of a debauchee" and was one
who was SO impoverished by his excess
that he was eager to sell his Inheritance
at any price" He was dubbed "coun-
try pumpkin Mulberry Sellers, Prodi-
gal Son." AS fact, the court found
ne was none of these. True, the judge
said, he drove an express wagon at one
time, was promoted to clerkship, mar
rled an estimable woman, exhibited re-
inarKaple industry and acumen, and
spent his surplus funds for charity.
Inc case finally went to a referee, who
spent four years in taking testimony and
reaching decision. He found that there
was no evidence of fraud in the sale of the
inheritance, but that certain errors had
been committed In the calculations,
which vitiated the contract. The court
TOOK a different view of the case, held
that William Oswald Dundas went into
the deal with his eyes open, after mature
consideration and advice and that the
sale must stand. This ruling was upheld
by the supreme court in 1890, thus ending
the remarkable litigation. William Os-
valid Dundas is now living in this city
In comfortable circumstances. He looks
like a typical Scotchman and lives at
truce with his swell clansmen and erst-
while legal combatants
THREAD OF THE STORY.
Among these the thread of the story is
now entwined. Mrs. Joshua Lippincott,
widowed in 1882, resides in the Dundas
mansion, among its beautiful sculptures,
paintings are articles of vertu. Her
daughter, Anna Maria Lippincott, was
married here In 1869 to William w. Wurts.
popularity of this union was that the
bride insisted that her husband assume
her family name. The proposition was
vigorously opposed by the Wurts family,
and the outcome was an application to
the local common pleas court, which de-
creed that thereafter the couple bear the
name of Wurts-Dundas.
Maj Wurts-Dundas had already made a
name for himself. A scion of an old and
respected Philadelphia family, he had
graduated from the University of Penn
sylvania in 1861 and Immediately entered
the City Troop, under Gen. Patterson.
This Is Philadelphia's ancient and aristo-
cratic cavalry corps, then actively en-
gagged in the Civil war. After serving
three months he received a commission
as major of the New York "Black Horse"
cavalry. He served subsequently upon
the regular army staff with Gems Bayard
and Franklin, and was prominent in ac-
ton at Charlottesville, Fredericksburg
and other notable engagements
AT the close of the civil war NAL Dun
das went to Europe and was attached to
the American legation at Rome under
Minister King. Later he became an at
tache at the imperial French court at
Paris, under Gen. Dix, and afterward in
the same capacity under Minister Wash
burne.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wurts-Dundas, after their
marriage, went to Europe and lived in
Paris until the outbreak of the Franco
Prussian war. Then they removed to
Brussels, which was their residence dur
Ing the subsequent years. A son was born
to them-Ralph Wurts-Dundas He was
admitted to practice at the Philadelphia
bar in June, 1897, but spends much of his
time in travel, appearing as sole heir to
his parents fortunes.
SHIFTING OF CURRENT.
Thus far the married life Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Wurts-Dundas seemed to flow in the
broad channel of the commonplace Sud-
denly the current was shifted into de-
yfous sources, with surprises at every
turn. After living together for about two
years. the. couple separated for. a time.
Mrs. Wurts-Dundas came to this city She
was received by her old friends and went
to swell gatherings generally Her hus-
band visited the city at the same time,
but 1t is stated did not meet his wife,
When the scene again shifted to the
continent, the claimant to the name and
fortune of Wurts-Dundas says he was
born of Mrs. Wurts-Dundas, in Paris, on
June 49, 1880. He bears the name of Ar
thur Fitzroy. Somerset Dundas was given
into the charge of an English nurse and
dropped from sight. Maj. and Mrs.
Wurts-Dundas were reconciled, to all ap-
lpearances. They took what was known
as the Villa Dundas, at Nice, and during
the succeeding years rotated between that
lovely spot and Paris. They became noted
for gracious and cordial hospitality
Mrs. Wurts-Dundas died of heart dis
ease at Nice on Jan. 10, 1897. She made a
will leaving all her property TO her hus-
band for life. Certain questions arose as
to the validity of the will. Nal Wurts-
Dundas came to this country during the
summer OF 1897 to determine the matter,
and incidentally renewed old friendships
at Newport, Bar Harbor and Lenox. The
difficulty OF the settlement of the estate
was adjusted by Maj. Wurts-Dundas and
his son filing an agreement in the office
of the register of Wills in this city, on
May 26, 1897, whereby the will was set
aside and declared null and void 1t was
also provided that Mrs. Wurts-Dundas
should be held to die intestate. Father
and son held themselves to be the only
persons interested in the estate The
claimant says that Maj. Wurts-Dundas
knew that Arthur Fitzroy Somerset Dun
das was a child of Mrs. Dundas, but
"wilfully and fraudulently concealed the
fact and executed the agreement of Nav
26, 1897, wherein 1t was falsely and fraud
ulently set forth that Ralph Wurts- Dun
das was the only surviving son of the
decedent"
CLAIMANT APPEARS.
Mrs. Wurts-Dundas' estate was given
into the hands of an administrator. Mai
Wurts-Dundas received $50 and the
son Ralph $39,102. A balance of S119.554
remained undistributed. Mai Wurts-
Dundas returned to Europe on Sept. Is.
1897. He, too, died Of heart disease at