The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-12

hiuVOus " EATl III tHb WHIio utulIuk UNIV vi
boy was his son. The contested heir was ser
to a good school In Surrey. where he RENAME
till he was 10.
The mother then brought him home an
made him a small allowance to live on. as sh
thought IL would never do for the Earl's heir {
work for his living. But when he was barrel
20 he married Miss Sheppy, an actress. an,
t~rned his attention to the stage. His owl
story from that point il that. though withou
training. he succeeded In obtaining an engage
ment in a theatre In whlteohapel ms "respon
sible utility" and began to play as S,oeenei
Todd. in THE Fleet Street Barber" ut 2;
shillinRs a week. On the fifth night he fsl
down a stage tran. and for three months his In,
juries were such that nc had TO be fed with O
spoon. Before he had completely recovered he
was Knocked down on Westminster Bridge by
a passing vehicle. and his stage career for the
time came to an end.
When Lady Poulett received her allowance
she signed an engagement on behalf OF her
son that until he was Fl he should not In any
way annoy Lord Poulett. On his coming oi
age his mother told him to go and call upon
his father. He called without obtaining an in
terview. but n year later he was startled by re-
ceivinE a letter which ran somewhat as fol.
lows
ARMI AND NAVY CLuB.
Earl Pouletts compliments 10 Lord Hinton. and
will he DO kind enough to call upon him tomorrow
It'll O'Clock at11 Victoria Mansions. Victoria street,
He promptly obeyed. The Earl suggested
that he should 20 abroad and drop his title. as
titles were expensive to keep up. Lord Hinton
demurred somewhat. but as he wanted money
he consented to think over II. and was referred
10 the Earps solicitor. who would relieve his
wants. Thus terminated the first and only
interview between the Earl and his son.
Toward the end OF 1871 Vlscount Hinton was
introduced to the Dowager Countess Poulett.
his great aunt. who had an Independent in
com OF G2.600 a year. This lady showed her
sympathy by allowing him from 81 to IS q week.
as she thought no needed It. The Countess
Introduced him TO the Dowager Duchess of
Cleveland and a Mrs. Poulett. and the three
made up as far as they could for Earl Pouletts
shortcomings. He says that as these dowagcrs
died of his resources diminished, and with
the loss Of his mother he found him self in dire
straits for n living. Aftera down-hill career in
the lower theatrical world ho turned out into
the streets with his wife and a barrel organ to
coppers out Of the sym pathetic public in
London. The trio have been a familiar light
for several years. The organ bears the notice
states:
Il am Viscount Hinton. eldest son OF Earl
I have adopted this as. a means Of
earning a living, my father having refused to
assist me through no fault OF my own"
1t was on last Monday night. when the Wis
count.t the Viscountess and the organ we're sur
rounded by a languidly interested group out
side a public house in North London. that ,
reporter went up to him and said:
"Viscount Hinton. I believo?'
Yes. I am he came the answer.
'Ihare to inform you that Earl Poulett died
at his town house. 60 Queens Gate"
Nonsense! Do you really mean that 2"
An emphatic assurance was given. .
Then / am Earl Poulett." was the rejoinder.
The news when fully Grasped. seemed to stun
he recipient. He could hardly realize that at
asst, after years OF humiliation. he stood once ,
more with a chance Of reSaining the position
o which he had long looked forward. His wife. !
Who walked painfully with a stick. seemed to
ldapt herself more quickly to her dignity.
" am deeply sorry to hear the Earl is dead" !
he said: and then. turning to her husband.
but. Willie. / am heartily grateful that. at
asst. your troubles are over"
He turned to the reporter to say:
"Of course I shall discard my organ AT once. !
I would hardly look the thing for an Ear! Pou-
EFT TO play in the streets. would it Z? am onIy
orry that l have no better clothes than these
IN wearing. / shall certainly call on nv So
icitors the first thing In the morning. Tnm !
'nly surprised that they have not been made
ware of the late Earl's death in order to com
.unicate with me. But perhaps it is a little :
Don for the news To have reached them, az .
ave had no relations with my family for some
inc. Vel. it's all over now. and think I have
armed a rest. I shall GO home and look
trough my papers"
And the Earl and Countess Poulett walked
lowly away toward the little room in n teno-
IA,-. -
ines Of adversely. But It is far from clear that
heir times of university really are over. In the
place. the House of Lords is n law unto it,
in the matter Of disputed SUGGESTIONS to
1t boasts Of a Committee of Privi-
eyes which Is quite Gilbertian IN its methods,
on the strictness Of it's INQUIRIES In
eciding whether a claimants blood has been
ennobled." The weight OF evidence is enough
Or ordinary judicial bodies. but not by a long
ray for the Committee OF Privileges. II it is
nwilling to acknowledge a title. it will resort
0 the tactics Of sitting for one hour and then
for three months. with n similar
at the end Of that time. And
here is only about six months in the year
he Parliamentary session-available for
aking evidence. Very quaint documents
ave been exhibited before this tribunal.
lore than once a tombstone has been pro-
wv ~ 'bN 'piIi'iIltlttI bOU III support OIL n
tile to a peerage. The Poulett case does not
for this class OF evidence. but the military
OF the Puniab and Of Dublin NAV he
to prove that the late Earl was not
'ithin the four seas during the necessary
eriod before the birth Of the man who now
retends ia be his legitimate successor. The
.mmon law Of the country is that a child born
wedlock is held to be lawfully begottcn.
Side issues arising from the paternity uues-
on have already arisen in the courts. The
ryan grinder Earl's solicitor says:
" In or about the year 1885 Viscount Hinton
as arraigned at the Old Bailey with others on
charge OF obtaining goods under false pre-
'nces. At the trinl an endeavor was made TO
rove that my client was not Viscount Hinton,
nd documents were produced in support OF
nat statement. After reading these. however.
lie Recorder gave 1t as his opinion. and from
he bench. that II Earl Poulett was the rIghtful
wner OF the title he used, then undoubtedly
y client was Viscount Hinton. the heir to the
At another time the late Earl took steps TO
rove the organ-grinder's illegitimacy bya suit
"pcrpctuation OF testimony"in which he
ought to have recorded the evidence Of per-
ms who might probably die before the ques-