The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-22
FATHER VAN ROSSUM
ENJOYS POPE'S FAVOR

slDle TO say as yet all trace OF them
| having been lost
Perhaps old Duncan Menzies is dead.
hut his sons must surely be living, and
there seems TO be little doubt that IL
the eldest OF them presents his claim
to the barouetcy and the chieftainship
OF the clan before the court OF Scs-
siOns a : Edinburgh. ~ viii be allowed.
Whether or not the heir can recover
the large estates. amounting to over
100, 600 acres in Scotland along with
Castle Menzies and other country seats
is a doubtful question. for the last
baronet SIR Nell Menzies. who died In
December. 1910 had on the death OF
his father. in 1905. presented a petit
tion to the Court OF Sessions for the
disentaiiing of the property. which U~s
granted his uncle. Fletcher who had
no son. Offering no opposition. 1t IS
probable that had old Duncan Men
zies the former coachman. or. failing
him. his eldest son, known OF the mat
ter. and raised any objection thereto
rs second heir, the permission TO dis
entail would not have been granted.
II is this plea that Duncan or his sons
viii have TO prefer. once their claim
to the baronetcy IS acknowledged, II
they wish to recover the estates.
These are now in the possession OF
the widow of sir Neil, formerly the
wife of the Earl OF Stair. who divorced
her IN 1905. naming Sir Neil as CO.
respondent. Sir Neil married the lady
on the very day that the decree Of dl-
eldest daughter of the late Sir James
Grant-Suttic, and had previously in
Cured much public criticism Tor bring
ms all sorts of cruel charges against
Lord stair which were thrown out of
court as uufounded
Naturally her antccedents did not
commend her TO the clan OF Men2ies,
nor TO the county families OF Perth
shire. in which most of the Menzies
estates arc located. and she is now
showing her bitterness about the
treatment which she received at their
hands oy Offering at public auction
this week q considerable portion of
the property In fact. she has given
1t to be Understood that she intends to
convert into cash not only all the rest
OF the Menzies property. but even cas-
tie Men2ies. Her action is creating
intense indienation among the Mon
zies family and clan. and several q
the same. including - u Menzies. Of
Plean StirlinSshire, have been endeav-
orinE to stop the sale. as next heirs
to the baropetcy The courts however.
have refused to recognize their claims
until IL can be shown that the old
coachman. Duncan. and all his sons
have died without male issue
Castle Menzies is a beautiful place.
q couple of miles west-northwest from
Aberfeldy. standing on high ground
between Weem Rock and the Siver
Tay. 1t is surrounded by an extensive
park, splendidly timbered and as 1t
has been in the possession OF tho fam
ily since the thirteenth century it is
fun OF paintings. relics and antique
furniture. In times past it harborod
Mary queen OF Scots and her dasscen-
dant of generations later. the Young
Pretender The founder Of the family
was sir Robert MISUNDERSTANDING
Into MeY zies-Lord High Chamberlain
OF Scotland TO Alexander III. and the
baronetcy dates from 1855. when II
was bestowed upon Sir Alexander OF
that Tx for aiding to bring about the
Restoration.
1t is understood that the rights of
old Duncan. tho coachman arc de-
rived By lineal descent from Archiiald.
a younger brother OF the hfth baronet I.
who ilourished at the end OF the cish-
teenth century, and VINO. although no
marriage IS mentioned in the pages OF
Burke nevertheless was duly welded
as shown by contemporary records
and left a son.
Among the many claimants - the
baronetcy and cheftainship Is Fred
ericlS Menzies. who married AN Ameri-
can woman Miss Hetty Davenport
daughter of the late John Davenport
of New York and granddaughter OF
Gouverneur Morris
Copyright. 1912. by the Brentwoo
Company