The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-12
BLAKE MILLIONS
WILL STORY FROM
 IRELAND.
Many Claimants to the Estate of the Former Ear Maid Who ElOped With a Rich Cap
 tain.

London, Sept. 11.-A Claremorris correspondent, writes as follows: In- terest in ..Blake's millions' is again re- yived by the death of Mrs. Helen Biake's kinsman, whose estates (some 2i5, 900 pounds) reverted through inc testacy to the Grown. The fate or the former estate. now exceeding hats million pounds sterling. stili hangs
 in the balance. Repeated efforts have
 been made during the last thirty five years by numerous claimants without
 success so far, but the best author ity of the subject. the Schoolmaster or Brise. near Claremorris. is by no means Respondent as to its ultimate destiny That Helen was the daughter of Mayo peasant cannot be disputed. ana the schoolmaster's researches com yinces him that she was the eldest or seven sisters, and was born in 1906. From 1920 to 1880 she was manageress of the Tyrawley Hotel. Castiebar. the proprietor being her uncle. In 1881 Captain Blake visited the hotel and persuaded the lady to elope with him, and two months later they were mar ried in Scotland.
 Immediately after the marriage Cap' tain Blake made his will. as the open Ing paragraph of that document clear ly and implicitly testifies. There Is therefore, documentary proof of the date of the marriage of existence. It was also found necessary to establish proof of the marriage of Helen Blake's parents. In their native parish, Balias County Mayo. the parochial registers. although in excellent preservation. do not go further back than 1S20: but the Public Records once in Dublin has archives in which record appears, under date 1891, of Michael Sheridan. occupation and age stated Mary. his wife. occupation and age stated; Ellen sheridan, daughter. age 16 years. The Mary referred to as the wife of Mich" ael Sheridan was. previous to her mar riage, Mary Jordan. and her nephew the late Joen Jordan, of Ciaremorris. who died three months ago at the age uf 97 years. previously made & stats- ment in presence of three respectable witnesses which Is of great impor- tance.
 Among other things. he remembered the day of Helen Blake's elopement and of her pursuit by her rather ana uncle from Castlebar to Ballyglass and from Baliyglass to Tuam. these places being at that time mall coach stages on the road from Westport to Dub lin. About the year 1870. Helen Blake paid visit to her relatives in North Galway but, falling i'll. was unable to complete her journey, and remained for six weeks at Daly's Hotel. Tuam. On her return to England. accomps- nied by her maid, she met at Athlone two men from the parish of Mayo and one from Crossbpyne. Her narrative to these men (two of whom still sur- vive) is very interesting. and is proof that the statement made by her cous- in, John Jordan, was absolutely cor rect. It is worthy of note that her baptismai name was Ellen. which she changed to Helen on the occasion of her marriage. As she had five or six sisters who were married and left issue, 1t is quite evident the number of claimants is large. They are scat tered over Mayo and Galway, in Ire land. in Salford and Oldham, and in Boston and Cambridge, (Mass.), New York. and Chicago They only await the means of bringing their case be. fore the Court of Chancery. and they have no doubt as to the certainty of their ultimate success.