New-York tribune., 1908-04-08
NEW LORDST. LEONARDS
Tn;oue WM Case Recalled by His
Predecessor Death.
..,.zr-.rt.- 1aas. by III. Brentwood Company

~-scles. =.
r,rlana's House Of Lords has been rid Of one
- 9+s black sheep through the death last week
:. -be second Lord St. Leonards. and. although
re new bearer Of the family honors and head OF
tre house is the son Of an abominaby drunken
s..A.r who raradec his dipsomania on both sides
:. .be Atlantic vet the fact that he has been
.onrbr yn by his mother and freed through tie
,,,5icsi separation which she obtained in his in
.--x from the influence Of his disreputabe father.
FINISHES hope that the eghteen-year-oid peer
=, On attaining his majority live up to the OBJ
,,s-ions OF tl- name OF his iustrous greatgrand-
,s-her one Of the most famous Lord High Chan
.11o-s o. the Victorian reign and one of the most
siss---ed jurists Of the nineteenth century
--se hrst Lord St Beonsrds was the great lawyer
g. Fsvard Sueden who on his elevation to the
rsooIsack was created Lord 81. Leonards. He was
.ba son Of z well known barber OF Duke street, St
Jau7es's London He died fun Of years and honors
n 1875 being pFedeceased by his eldest son, Henry
VINO had left four sons. the eldest of whom was
Edward the late peer and the second Henry
F-ank. also deceased Old Lord St Leonards con-
ce!ved during the closing years Of his life most
profound aversion for the eldest of his
frstbern. aversion due the constant scan
dsls 10 which their behavior was giving rise. and
some tine before his death he drew Up viii, writ
ten nineteen sheets Of ordinary Quarto paper,
il his handwriting. in which he diverted all
his considerable property from his two elder grand
sons bestowing II puon his second son. the Hon
and Rev Frank Sugden. and upon his favorite
daughter, the Hon Charlotte Sugden, who for the
last quarter Of century Of his life had been not
only his constant companion. but likewise his trust
&c coufdznte and ananuensis This Will, 10 the
existence OF which the Hon. Charlotte Sugden and
number Of other people were able 10 furnish con-
elusive testimony, could not be found the death
of the old Lord Chancellor. and IT asserted in
and generally believed that it had been felo-
niously destroyed by The elder grandson-that is TO
say. by the late lord, who succeeded to his grand
fathers honors and Peerage-
While the evidence was insufficient enable
criminal proceedings y be Instituted against the
second Lord St Leonards for the destruction Of his
grandfathers Will yet ii sufficiently convinc-
ing TO the learned president of the Court OF
Probate I grant decision in favor Of the Hon
and Rev Frank Sugden and OF the Hon Charlotte
SUgdeE and against the second Lord St Jeonards-
JhzI Is say. the presiding judge. Lord Hannah,
sor The first and believe the only time in the
mas OF the Court OF Probate, admitted TO probate
& R5L which longer existed in writing, but only
II the memory ot the plaintiffs and Of their wit
nesses awarding the whole Of the pr0perty-that is
70 say extensive landed estates and some $500 600
II uoney-to them OF the ground that he was in
that manner fulfilling the intentions Of the testaIoT.
despite TIE attempt the part of the defendant to
f--stra,e them through the felonious destruction
q the viii The case is one celebrated IN the an
mas OF British Jurisprudence and the government
PROSECUTOR Of the DAY taken task and criti-
c5sea y the leading English newspapers for neg
lecr1ng 70 institute criminal proceedings against
Lord s. LeonarGs. based the decree OF the Court
q Probate
Not long afte-v-ard the wife Of this second Lord
= Ieorards z member Of the ancient and historic
house OF Dashwood, obtained a judicial separa-
,.o- from her husband the ground OF misconduct
zn5 Drunkenness and later OF he was convicted OF
: particularly disgraceful assault poor ser
want E5r-. which he. despite his rank as an
hereditary LEGISLATOR was sentenced 10 a term in
JaI Ee died, forgotten, despised and in pow
cry il a remote Welsh village in his sxtieth
year. leaving an only daughter, whom he has not
seen since her childhood and who is married 10
Captain D-ury Lowe, Of the GTenadieT Guards
Ills brother the late Henry Frank sugden. whose
son hss now succeeded 10 the peeTage. lived for
tine Il this country. first in Melville Iowa, and
also New York While here the Hon Henry
Francis Sugden's drinking habits were such that
= became necessary his wife's brother TO come
out from England TO take her home. Subsequently
reconciliation took place. and Mr- and Mrs Sug-
6e- lived together until the former went into an
ether spell of drunkenness, swallowing even
-aethyla-ed spirits when he could get nothing else
I was during one OF his drunken fits that he had
& battle royal with his wife. which resulted in
blows being given and received by both The court
decided that Mrs Sugden had 10 certain extent
been justified IN shaping her husbands face, and
granted The decree Of judicial separation for Which
gle had petirtoned and al the same time cOnfded
The tWo children OF the marriage 70 her custody.
sister of these TWO precious scions Of the Brit
ISL aristoCracy, the Hon Emma Sugoen, Il mar
red 70 an American of the name OF George Reid
s-d makes her home II the United States. may
mention II connection with the cause cele5Te pro-
voked by the will Of the first Lord St Leonards
that cutie large number Of the most eminent
Judges OF the Supreme Court OF the United King
CON and especially those presiding over the Court
Ct Probate have furnished much trouble TO that
particular court in connection with their testa-
rae-ta-y dispositions Appointed by the crown
rae JurIsrs best qualified determine all con-
troTerses arising II connection with wills, they
seem one and all TO have been unable 10 draw up
Their own particular wills such Z fashion
avert legal proceedings the subject after their
death.
DUCHEsSE DUES HARD HIT.