The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-01-24
ROMANCE OF AN EARL,
London'u Noble Organ Grinder"
Will Doubtless Get His Estate.
THERE ARE TWO CLAIMANTS.

/
HaSJust Died, Was Discarded by His
Father Through No Fault of His
Own-An Interesting Life story.
London. Jan. 24-Wllliam Henry
Earl Poulett, died in this city on Sun
| day in his I'D year. 1t is probable that
the succession to the title and estates
will be disputed.
The deceased earl was thrice mar
ried. According to gossip, he made a
wager, when a harum scarum youth
and travelling about. that he would
marry the first woman he met on land
ing in England.
Accordingly. at Port Sea- in 1S49 he
married Miss Elizabeth Virginia New
man, daughter Of Landport pilot.
Within a few months she gave birth
to son. whose paternity her husband
denied. The couple from that time
lived apart, the wife dying in August,
1871. The child. who now calls hihlself
Viscount Hinton, and claims the sue
cession, has long Lecn living on the
streets of London as an organ grinder.
and his pretensiors were always stern
ly repudiated by the deceased earl
About six weeks after the death of
his first wife Lord Poulett married Miss
Sophia johnson. who died in 1876, with
out issue living. In 1879 he married
Miss Rosa DE Melville. daughter of AL
fred Hugh DE Melville, and their son
Is generally recognized as the right
full heir.
The long standing quarrel between
the late Earl Poulett and the organ
grinding viscount has furnished the
material for many London sensation.
Only month ago the claimant to the
succession issued an appeal to the pub
lie to take philanthropic interest in
the condition of the poor, among whom
he has lived and earned his living. lie
prefaced it with brief biographical
statement, which is interesting just
noW as likely to form the basis of i'm
portant litigation between him and the
son of the late earl by his third wife.
In the course of the appeal the noble
organ grinder" as he is known in Lon
don. said
Il am Viscount Hinton, William
Turnour Thomas Poulett. eldest son OF
Earl Poulett, of Hinton st. George,
b'phiSisNt, NY llllc. VII tHc
death of the present earl. against whom
] hold no enmity whatever, l expect to
inherit Hinton st. George, still a mag
nitcant domain Of. 10000 acres. The
estate Is worth $4,000 per annurl,
which I shall some time enjoy.
Through certain affairs, which must
be namelesa, my parents lived apart,
my mother enjoying good income,
which died with her. Her Illness and
death took place at South Sea- August,
1871. Being her constant companion, I
was nconsolabe at my logs. The earl
shortly afterward took another wife.
who lived for some time. After she
left this world he took unto himself
another Certain affairs took place
and I was thrown on my own resources.
Friends took care of ne and kept
me going for time. was advised by
and old friend to try to win living in
the streets An crgan was procured
for me, to which l am compelled to
stick, not being able to turn my hand
to anything else. The work is very
hard, especially during the winter
months. Some people think and say
it is an idle life. Let them try it. i
am earning an honest living with my
piano organ.
Il am also learning n phase of life
among the London popuace which I
believe few members Of the nobility
have had chance 70 know. When
l take my seat in the house ct ,JTti5 /
think l shall come equipped with BET
ter understanding of its duties toward
the public than had / sruandered
patrimony or idly wasted In inheri-
tance. AS one of the thousand or more
organ grinders in London, I should
say that the proper housing Of the poor
was more important just now than the
multiplication of warships or the
adoption Of new races of men,
The late Earl Pouleit conscientiously
involved himself in debt sold every
family possession he could sell and
the remainder up to the
limit, In order that the noble organ
grinder" In the event of ultimate sue
cession to the title and entailed es-
tates might benefit as little as pos
sibe. At one time the courts refused !
him a certificate OF discharge in bank |
ruptcy on the ground of unjustifiable |
in living. He made no |
secret Of the reason for his prodigality
The cid earl's hatred for him whom he !
1alIed "the impostor" was intense, and
his animosity extended to the wife of
he claimant who has invariably ac-
,olnpanied him with the piano organ
about the streets of London. Some
years ago the claimant and his wife
we're in the habit of taking the organ
each day to position in front of the
.arl's town residence, at 60 Queensgate,
md playing airs which. whether the
,rgan grinder intended it or not. had a
peculiarly maddening effect upon the
.arl.
Lord Poulctt died uncertain as to
What would be the outcome of his life
ong efforts to defeat tie aspirations
II Elizabeth Newman's son. The child
vas born in wedlock, and the claim
IT'S legal advisers have all along as l.
aled him that his claims to the sue
essiUn cannot be defeated.