The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-26
Request of Countess of Midtown
Recalls to Mind Romance of
Irish Peerage.
by la MARauIsE DE FoNTENOY.

by la MARQuISE DE FONTENOy.
~ ERALDINE. COUNTESS OF MILL
TOWNS sudden death at Russ
borough, her country place In
County Wicklow, and her bequest of
the valuable RussburouSh estates, as
we'll as the other extensive property
which formerly belonged to the Lords
of Midtown. and which were loft to
her outright by her husband. the sixth
and penultimate earl, who died In
1890. to her husbands nephew, Ed
mund Russborough Turton, serves to
recall to mind ono Of the many ro-
nances OF the peerage of Ireland.
The romance may be said to have be-
gun with the fourth Earl of Midtown,
who was the original Of Lucas Malcts
Sir Richard Calmady." For. although
In other respects u fine and powerful
man, he had merely the rudiments of
legs. This did not prevent him from
enjoying life. and from moving in Lon
don and Dublin socicty-in an in
valid's chair--and from leaving fam
lily of three, son and twin daughters
one of them. Lady Cecilia Leeson. be-
new owner Of
the Russborough estates.
.nv .1..... :. =. Earl Of Mill
town was very strict with his chill
dren. and when, therefore. his eldest
son, Joseph, Lord RussborouGh, fell In
love with a very pretty girl. daughter
OF n farmer on the Russborough es-
tates. and wanted to marry her, the
earl drove him from his presence.
The young viscount fed with tho girl
to Scotland, where they lived together
as man and wife. under tho same name.
this being. according to Scottish law,
sufficient to constitute valid mar
rage. boy was born to the union.
But when the child was about two
years old. il disappeared mysteriously
with its mother. during n fcrtnights
absence OF the father. and he was never
able TO obtain any TRACE Of what had
become OF them, although firmly con-
vlnced that they had been spirited
away somewhere or other at the in
stance of his parents. In course of
time his father died. In 1866. and he
succeeded to the honors and estates
as hfth Earl of Midtown. But he
never married again. Indeed, be did
not feel himself free to do SO, and six
years later he In turn was gathered
to his fathers, and. In the absence of
his missing son and heir. his brother
Edward became sixth earl.
This peer married Lady Geraldine
Stanhope, daughter of the fifth Earl
of Harrington. and who. has just died
remained childless, and the earl having
by virtue of an arrangement with his
younger brother, Henry, an invalid
| bachelor, disentailed all the family
property, bequeathed it outright to
his widow. The younger brother,
Henry. only held the --honors for ten
! months. and died In 1891. since which
| time the earldom of Midtown and the
barony and viscounty of Russborough
1, hna RI ant r-ni o
claimant who is able to establish his
rights to the honors. which have been
Invested Of all the family property.
There have been many claimants.
Among the most interesting was man
who was able to bring good deal of
| evidence to show. that he was the miss
ing son of the fifth earl. He told q
story to the effect that he and his
| mother had been hurried off to Aus
| tralia by the agents of the fouhth earl,
| and that his mother had been promised
provision for herself and for her
child. providing that she would re-
main in the Antipodes, and make no
| attempt to communicate with her COM
| mon law husband. His mother re-
ceived an allowance as long as the
| fourth earl lived. and then it ceased,
and the woman died suddenly. before
she could make any attempt to COM
| municate with England.
| Hcr son, a mere boy ut the time. was
cared for by neighbors. grew up 20
| engage in the horse trade. was sent
with n shipment of Australian Horses
to India, and there became acquainted
with n member of his fathers family.
John Leeson. who was guard or con-
ductor on ono of tho Indian railroads.
Through him the young fellow became
interested In his own early history,
made Investigations In Australia. and
acquired the conviction that he was
tho son Of the secret and common law
marriage Of the fifth earl He was
killed In railroad accident. however,
| before he could take any practical
steps to establish his claims, and
thereupon the rights of the earldom