New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-04
NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND
Sir George Redde LeQCes His Mich
gan Home to Sue for His Rights.

-Nk a American I
arrived in England for the purpose OF endeavorfng
to his ancestral acres. Shiptou Court.
Oxford the ground that they we're Improperly
obtained by a man OF the name Of Wakefield. the
butler OF the seventh baronet the price Of his
/ silence concerning a crime alleged to have been
committed by Sir John Reade. And. Judging by a
/ letter which I received some time ago from the
claimants kinsman and cousin, the Rev. Compton
! Reade the biographer Of his uncle, the famous
novelist. Charles Reade. who wrote Never Too
Late to Mend" there is good deal Of likelihood Of
! Sir George succeeding in his suit
] There few stories more dramatic or romantic
than that Of the fortunes Of this cid Oxfordshire
/ family. which has manv affiliations IN the
United States. among its members on this side o.
the Atlantic having been the late General Meredith
Reade- who fer a number Of years represented the
American Government as envoy at Athens.
Sir John Chandos Reade the seventh baronet
had a son and three daughters. The son got into
debt at Oxford, and Sir John declined TO pay his
boys liabilities unless he joined him in disentailins
the estate. The predeceased his father. as did
also two Of the daughters. the only remaining one
being an inbecile. One cay Sir John, who vas
won't to drink to excess. happened in q fit Of pas
sion. IT is said, to strike his butler blow. which
knocked the downstairs. injuring him fatally.
There was only one witness OF the deed. footman
OF the name Of John Wakefield who Immediately
after the death OF the butler promoted to the
latter's place. and from that time forth assumed
confidential relations with his master.
There inquest held until three months
2fterward. and when the corpse was exhuU7ed for
al autopsy it found to be SO deoomposed that
N open verdict was returned. neither medical
perts jury being willing assert whether death
had been due 10 violence not The body
thereupon restored 70 its grave. and the widow,
embittered by her failure to receive justice caused
the following epitaph to be written On her hus-
bands tombstone: 1T was mortal hand that did
| the deed
Thenceforth Sir John shut the gates Of his grand
old Oxfordshire country seat. shipton Court
against all his friends, kinsmen and acquaintance
restricting himself entirely to the society Of the
/ man Wakefield from whom he vas never seen
| apart. II fact, Wakefield allowed to have
access 10 him. and when the baronet died * was
found that he had bequeataed stick Of prop
erty-Shpton Court the heirloons, in fact, every
thing Of which he could dispose-to his butler John
! Wakefield. stpulating that the latter should
sumo the name OF Reade and the family coat Of
! arms.
OF course this will which disinherited the baro-
nets only surviving daughter, well his grand
nephew and successor in the baronetcy the late Sir
/ Chandos Reade, aroused immense amount Of
scandal and opposition. The imbeciIe Miss Reade
was cited by the Court Of Probate to oppose her
fathers viii or the ground Of use Of undue in
! duence. But, being q lunatic and in charge Of
keeper. she failed TO respond and Judgment went
| by default Sir Chandos in India at the time
and when he returned TO England some years later
he failed in eHde4vors 70 secure revocation OF
| the probate, although ne spent CONSIDERABLE
amount Of money in endeavoring TO do So
IN 1920 he died. and was succeeded in the
barouetcy b. his first cousin. the present Canadian
! born Sir George Compton Reade, who was advised
that he could take no steps during the lifetime OF
the inhecile daughter OF Sir john to recover the
estates The daughter died in November 1897, Just
six weeks before the limit Of tine imposed BY the
! statute Of 1874 The statute destined TO give 70
wealthy merchants hnanciers and u1anute cturers
an indefeasble title 20 the lands which they have
| purchased, bars all claims thereto after the &C
| cupauts have been in possession for thirty years
/ Unfortunately. Sir George did not hear Of Miss
Reades death until nearly two months after il had
taken place, and then Il too late 70 institute
proceedings for the revocation OF Sir Johns VIII.
/ ewing 70 the statute of limitation
II seems however, that something has turned up
which may enable Sir George, after al. 10 recover
possession Of his ancestral estates. At the time
| when the diserrairnent took place there
deed Of resettlement effected attaching the Ship
| ton Court property 70 the baronetcv. This Of
course signed by both Sir John and his son. rem
Eered the formers subsequent will IN favor o. John
Wakefield OF no account The deed has been miss
ing since Sir Johns death The Rev Compton
Reade does not hesitate TO assert that Wakefield
destroyed T.. But the Of the lawyer. Prise who
drew Up the viii IN favor Of Wakefield admitted
20 Nj Compton Reade that the deed Of resettle-
ment had existed. and that the lawyer who exc
cuted the deed Of reseJtlement was Mr.. Wickens
Of London. The latter died some tine ago. and I
understand that after considerable difficulty and
search a copy OF the deed has been discovered
among his papers
Il is on the strength o. this copy Of the deed OF
ttIenaenl that Sir George Compton Reade hopes
20 secure from the courts The restitution Of the
Shipton Court estate, taking the ground that Sir
John by the terms Of the deed Of resertenent had
only life interest IN the property and therefore
had 10 right 70 VIII II away TO a stranger. L is
doubtful whether the statute OF limitations OF lS4
ABOVE mentioned would be applicable in this al
stance since Sir Johr practically bequeathed prop
cry which his leave.
The first thing that John Wakefield did on in
he-iting the Shipton Court property from Sir John
was TO put up al auction all the family portraits
by KneIler Romney and other old masters. many
OF which were purchased by the American diplo-
mai and general above mentioned, the late Mere
dit. Reade a lineaI descendant OF that Sir James
Reade who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth and
whose son settled on this side Of the Atlantic.
shfpton Court and the estates were purchased in
1868 BIZ Sir Compton Reade, the first baronet Of the
line who had defended his other ancestral hone in
berkshire for King Charles I until it was burned
over his head by the troops Of Oliver Cromwell
There are monuments 70 eight baronets OF this
line in old ShIptOn Church, and one Of them figures
in history as one of the chief Heutenants OF the
first and great Duke OF Marlborough
The ex butler mas been dead for some years. and
/ his son who. according 10 Mr. Compton Reade is
man OF character AMI education, and. believe,
gradrate Of Cambridge and who bears the name
OF Joseph R4ade has sold the shipton Court estate
N W F Pepper who will accordingly be the de-
fsrdant in the suit brought oy Sir George Compton
rea5e He is a rich and having more means
At his command than Sir George, may be able 70
drag along the proceedings untl the baronet gives
nm the contest. for lack Of funds
The Rev. Compton Reade is rector Of keuchester
Hereford is married TO a Miss Scott WarIng the
lneaI representative Of Major Scott. who defended
Warren Hastings. was q contemporary at Oxford
Of Tom Hood the younger, is the author OF Broken
Threads" and other novels. and founded, while at
oxford the so-caIled 'AIagdalen Vagabonds." with
T-Hr As