New-York tribune., 1910-09-02
Lady Guendoien.

Lady Guendoien.
Lady C7uendoIen Ramsdeu's death serves
1o recall the fact that If was for her sake
aud for that Of Fs~r two sisters tire I-afiies
Jam. Graham ano T-irica Thyme. that the
twelfth Duke Of Somerset. popularity known
~ The Sheridan duke lowing 20 his mar
1-Iz-r 10 rh- lovely daughter of Thomas
sheridan. son of Richard Rr1nsley Sheri-
danf. alenated al the Gnentailed property
OF his historic dukedor1. leaving merely
the relativel" unirnportant and heavily en-
CIu1beTed eutaiied estates 20 his brothers
and SUCCESSORS. That is Why to-day the
58l4edom OF Somerset is one of the most
impoverished of British peeragas- The
thirteenth duke was SO Indignant at this
conduct on the part Of his elder brother
mat ne caused the construction of what Is
known as The Somerset stone" consisting
of 4 tail cross, of the finest Aberdeen
granite, together with . pouderouS slab Of
thc same material On ii are engraved his
1lame. titles and arnoriaI bearings. along
With the following extraordinary lines.
The twelfth was the Sheridan duke
lie defrsUded and nearly ruined the SeE-
1sour family This stone was prepared
rv the thirteenth duke in his lifetime. and
vas erected here in pursuance Of his ex-
press directions.
The rector of Berry Pomerov church in
:le graveyard of which most Of the dukes
snd duchesses of Somerset are buried
however. refused TO grant admission 10
the monument. although the thirteenth
1uke had left fund for its maInten-
Ence ia pereptuity. and accordingly the
orecurors Of his viii caused its erection
n d corner Of a field belonging 10 the en-
tailed estates. near Tetues. IN DevouShire
-nere II X an object of numerous pill
-riulages. 7 may add that the wife of the
Sheridan duke figured as the Queen Of
Beauty ia the historic tournament at Fg-
linton Castle in the early part Of the
reign of Queen Victoria
Il Lady Guend0len Rarnsden and her
two sisters inherited all the urenIailed
rToPertE Of The dukeG0m o. Somerset
which was thus impoverished for their
sake. i was because their brother Lord
Edward 81. Aaur. disappeared myster-
5eusly during a shooting expedition in
she Hinalayas. This took place in 1855.
shortly after his return from this ceun-
7rT. where lie hsd spent more than TWO
sears. first as an sttache of the English
Legation. then headed by Lord Lyons.
through whom he obtained. = few months
after MS arrival permission 10 20 10 the
front When he felt that he had seen
enough of the Union side. he managed at
Cgusidera bic risk. 10 get into the Confeder-
Efe lines by "a hat was then known as the
underground railroad and 10 reach Rich
D7ond. Va, where he was most courteoIIsly
received by jefferson Davis. The latter gave
Iin = warm letter q recorYn2enf flatior
1e Lieutenant General Dick TavIor who
a. first received him with q good deal OF
suspicion, despite his credentials, owing
To his spelling his name st Maur."
instead Of seymour change inaugu-
rated by Eis father, the sheridan luke
but which LED the general 10 regard him
as 60 iHpostor.
Lord Edward was reported 10 have sue
Cumbed TO wounds sustained while bear
hunting ia some remote portion Of the
Himalayas IN 1855. and 10 have been
buried near the scene Of his death. 4
having been found Impossible 10 bring his
body back 70 England. But his only
companions 0H THIS shooting expedition
were natives. whose evidence IL never re-
Garded as alt0getner reliable snd conse-
ouentlv no one was much astonished
when some twen-E-Jwo years ago, an in
ciFlaual bearing striking family resem-
tlaD"e 10 taa -. Naurs suddenlv turned
np in Enga and claimed 10 be the miss
:n- Lord Edward ST Ma71r and The lawful
l-ci~ 10 5lis fathers dnkedor1 or Somerset
T3i~ story was % fhe effect that while
1s5n- wounded he bad been captured by
~ouro - t6e mountain frontier tribes Of
1Hdia and held 81 captivity FOR nearly thjr-
-v-fye years. and sS = proof of DIE. -t.r,-
hc showed scars Of injuries. which he
claimed to have been inflicted by The bear
1at had so nearly BILLED him Hc 7ver-
=" fhe length Of securing au Injunction 10
-a-frsiu rtc tenants or the eutailrd cs-
-sres Of rho Duke Of Somerset from pa--
1z rents to tho latter buf died before mo
matter could he defnltelv tried out IN
court iiad 5r lived his claim might have
1er eisped lufa another Ti~hborne case.
:ud undoubtedly q good deal of tes:imonr
i-oarlus upou tho claim would have been
sought a. this country, frgIH both the
Confederate and Union commanders 49,
LADY GueuS olen-s husband. Sir John
1sanss1eE. Is said 10 be the richest baronet
IN England a considerable portion OF his
Immense income coming 70 him frem his
ownership Of The important town OF HUd-
cersfleId. a. fact, there u only one small
l9t IN the town which does no. beleng 10
him- II is owned by a typical Yorkshire
yeonlau who. about the Same age as Sir
John has resisted all efforts Oh the par-
Of the latter 10 purchase his holding Sir
-goLu on one occasion made an offer 10 de-
teg1nine the price by covering the whole
plot with gold soyereigns, bat lie owner
informed Sir John that he wCuId rot con-
slider ANY proposal, even if Sir John were
u cover the plot with sovere:gns placed
,-,8e,erise. declaring Nay. Sir -.ohn- Hud-
6ersfcfd shall always belong T. thee and
D.. still
81 johns family is = very ancient one.
ss-d I-on@icy Hat. his fa.orite home near
I3ud3crEield has been iB fhe possession
uf Tho Eanssdene scr since tl-c cnd 81 the
fifteenth century Ie iIas taree sessa-
5afe a,-caeious declined feerases. although
e5e' tiule tie offer was coupled vii7 s'n
Affirmation that 'so nsiE7t take advaHfae"
tliere,-r te .egive ihc ancient barony of
grs.Ia.tte paIca md (yTfles5- belonged