New-York tribune., 1906-07-02
LORD LOVAT'S ROMANCE
Ne5o York Claimant for Scottish
PeerGge and Vast Estates

through the death OF John Fraser whatever
.lsH1s ne may have possessed in connection with
s S'atLh 70 the Barony of Lovat and to the ex-
tensive estates in Scotland pertaining TO the peer
ese passed to his son John Fraser. who makes his
nome IN this country living in New York The
eiaim IN question is serious one Il constituted
twenty years ago cause celebre in London, and
1he judges who on that occasion decided adversely
% Il described IL as IAN honest claim" and in
oieated that only point in the evidence pro-
ouced was lacking In order definitely 70 establish
IT, Not long ago the late John Eraser finally
ooealned the missing evidence. but was unable TO
oO'aln tne reopening OF the owing 20 lack OF
FUNDS For there are no forms OF legal proceed
lngs that are more costly than those which are
carried on before the so-caed COMMITTEES Of Privi-
leses OF the raouse Of Lords in order to establish
= pEetensions 70 peerages. Were it not for this
mere would be end to the peerage cases. For
AZ Is no exaggeraton to state that at least half
o. the hereditary honors OF this kind created more
than a hundred years ago. have been IN dispute
especially the Scotch peeTages. which descend on
tne oistan as well as the male side OF the house
IN order to explain the point on which the Lovat
peefage case turned when it came up for trial
twenty years ago. it Is necessary TO give brief
review or the romance OF this famous Scottish
mousse The main points must be thus outlined:
Hush fraser, eleventh Lord Lovat. died in 1886.
without issue and the succession fell his grand
uncle, Thomas Fraser. Of Castle Beaufort who in
turn was gathered to his fathers a few months
afterward This Thomas Fraser. twelfth Lord
IoNdt' nao TWO sons, Alexander and Simon Alex
ander' while a student at the University OF Aber-
deen, and before the succession Of his father 70
the title. became involved IN a scrape Returning
nomeWard. he passed a cottage where merry
making was In progress in connection with
wedding He entered and Joined in the sport But
the piper had the misfortune 20 play a Gaelic song
which had been written against the Frasers He
ordered the piper to desist and drew his sword IN
tending merely TO pierce the bag OF the pipe. IN
fortunately the sword went further than it's owner
purposed. penetrating the heart OF the piper who
fell dead
Horrifed by the tragedy, Alexander Fraser fed.
his brother Simon helping him leave the country.
While at the university he had formed a strong
friendship with Lord Powis fellow student who
owned copper mines in Wales. They had studied
metalIurgy together, and Alexander Fraser in his
extremity invoked the services Of his friend.
reached Wales in safety and settled there. taking
active part in the working OF the mines
Meanwhile Alexander's younger brother Simon
determined 70 obtain both the barony ana the
wrote letters warning Alexander against return
ing to Scotland. greatly exaggerating the inpor
tnce OF the death OF the piper and intiating that
If Alexander set foot IN Scotland disclosed his
identity he would be tried for murder and
suredly sent to the scaffold. Simon even caused
entry Of the alleged demise OF his elder brother
Alexander to be inserted in the kirk session
records OF the parish Of KirkhilI. and then when
his father died he claimed the peerags and the
estates the next surviving heir, the ground
that his elder brother Alexander had predeceased
his father, dying unmarried.