The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-06-28
LORD POULETT
IS IN THE CITY
Man Whose Title to EarIdom Was
Contested in WorId-Noted
Litigation.
RESULT OF A FOOLISH BET
Organ Grinder WsCount" Made
Life Miserable for Former
Holder of Title.
RESULT OF A FOOLISH Be
tFrom Sundays Advertiser J

Lord William John Lydston Poulett,
seventh earl of Poulett, whose step
brother, the famous "organ- grinding
viscount," contested the incumbent Is
right to succeed to the title he bears,
is in Honolulu, arriving as passenger
yesterday from Yokohama on the Pa
cific Mail steamship Manchuria. He is
accompanied by Lady Poulett, who was
an English actress before their mar
riage. Lord Poulett was for years one
of the two central figures in the
strangest case in the history of the
British peerage, which was first decided
by the British house of lords committee
when it refused to recognize the claims
of the 81 rgan-grinder' to the title
and estates of Lord Poulett, and from
this decision there is no appeal. The
whole case forms one of the most re-
markable peerage romances in history.
Lord and Lady Poulett are making a
leisurely tour of the world, and are
doing it quietly. The earl is young
man, having been born in 1888, being
the son of the late earl, who died in
1899, by his third wife, and it is this
fact which brought him and his step
brother, the Z" organ-grinding viseount, -
before the British courts.
Foolish Wager at Bottom.
The contest struck at the very root
of entail, involving questions of legiti-
macy which have never before been
raised in British courts. At the bottom
of the whole trouble was foolish bet
and foolish wedding, and both these
caused the courts of Great Britain and
the house of lords to watch with the
keenest interest this remarkable case.
In the summer of 1S49, William
Henry Poulett, father Of the present
earl, was a lieutenant in the Second
Foot, stationed at Portsmouth. At that
time no fewer than six persons stood
between him and the title to the earl
dom, and in view of this fact he did not
restrain his Maynard ways. At an Off
GERS mess one night in Portsmouth the
young lieutenant drank more than was
good for him. There were songs and
quips, and insane wagers made their
appearance.
Married FIRST Girl Met.
"Iu wager five hundred pounds you
won t marry the first young woman you
meet on the street, was the challenge
| of one officer to young Poulett.
l"Done,u shouted Lieutenant Poulett.
The wager money looked good to him
| Just then, and the officers struck palms
10 elineh the bargain. II was late at
night when Pouiett went out into the
night, his brain little heated by wine.
Fato planned that be should win tho
wager, for he met Elizabeth Leyinin
Newman, daughter Of pilot, coming
down the street. The lieutenant hailed
her and asked her 10 marry him. She
agreed, aud that day, which wa June
2l, ls49, just sixtyone years ago thlh
week, they were married,
Then the episode which caused tho
whole nobility of Britain 10 take IN
iHtst, occurred siA mOaiha after thelF
marriage tho wife gave birth 20 son
iho ono Who eYgninally became she Or
ganRrIndlng yiseounf apa claimant %
lha eafid0m OF pOuleii, The liruinn,
ant. 10 rage, denied Che child na BE,
lnn BE vito, erfhangnd inia nupihef
regiment aud went RHHy A. india Ia
~ ~ came back iQ tnalanii Win
nauial glory und hy iht death NJ h'a
fantn. 90 nflh ash, M aaaeffaoi 81
ihf pfefagr 1915 ihfff Haa ile pilot >
dtufhiaF RH4 hef Hon, 800 ihela MAS
900 faallfh lee uhlfN lfHHlmaiifea