The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-05-22
Claimant
he Had Recourse to a Brute
For a Witness
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

opment that the lower animals do not
possess.
An Illustration of this diversity be-
tween men and animals occurred dur
Ing the eighteenth century in the case
or a young Irishman who emigrated
10 America and later returned to his
native country. Arthur Donovan was n
younger son of the Earl of Stronghold
Young Donovan was devoted to hunt
Ing, and. since there was a fine pack Of
hounds on the estate. he occupied him
self largely with the sport. Neither Of
his two older brothers. cared for it, so
that the dogs came to look upon Arthur
as their master. and he never went
among them that they did not show
the greatest affection for him.
Arthur was not only beloved by his
dogs, but by every one who knew him.
He was fine, manly fellow. while his
older brothers were. disposed to lead a
absolute city life. The heir to the title
and estates spent most of his time in
London. while the second was an Off
Ger in one of the aristocratic English
regiments. Arthur. having only the re-
hottest chance to inherit the title, be-
came FESTIVE and did what a great
many younger sons of British noble
men did in those days-he emigrated
to America.
Arthur Donovan was but eighteen
years old when he left Ireland for
America. The last gOodby he spoke
was to the dogs. Going out to the ken
nels. he called to them, and they gath
cred about him. barking their joy. sup
posing that they were going for a
hunt. There was one dog, Hector. of
which Arthur had made an especial
pet. He was very young. but Arthur
had found him capable of being train
ed far easier than the other hunters.
Hector loved his master, and his master
loved Hector. When it came to bid
ding farewell to this dog Arthur's eyes
became wet. and. breaking away from
his pet and waving adieu to the pack.
he returned to the house, where a con-
veyance was waiting to take him to
Belfast. from which point he was to
sail for Virginia.
AIluuT IcuCuet IOuS
before the breaking out of the Revolu-
tionary war. In civil strifes the side
youngsters take is liable to be decided
by circumstances. Perhaps young
Donovan was influenced by heredi-
tary antagonism to England. but the
immediate cause of his advocating the
American cause was meeting with
John Paul Jones. who became famous
as q naval commander Jones was as
much Scotch as Donovan was Irish.
Donovan joined the future conqueror Of
the Scraps and was with him during
that famous battle, receiving wound
in the face which left scar which
largely changed his expression.
At the end Of the war Donovan had
been in America ten years. Between
eighteen and twenty-eight there is al
ways a considerable change In mans
appearance. but in this case there was
much more than is usual When Ar
thur left Ireland his face was smooth.
Now 1t was covered with a beard.
which he wore partly to hide the scar
he had received in battle. Then he
had a thick head Of hair, which was
now thin, and he had inherited fam
lily predispOsition to become gray early.
AS soon as hostilities ceased, with
some prize money he had received he
bought tobacco plantation in Vir-
ginia, and. settling down on 1t. there
was every prospect Of his living the
life Of an American southern planter.
When Arthur Joined Paul Jones he
wrote his family in Ireland Of the fact,
and his father ordered that his name
should never again be mentioned by
any Of the family. Eight years passed
without word between him and them.
The oldest son died of dissipation, and
the next younger brother, who had
been sent with his regiment to Amer
lea. was killed at the siege of York.
town, which occurred near the end OF
the war. Neither of these men was
married.
This left Arthur Donovan Earl of
Stronghold by right. but there was q
barrier between him and the title
which would be difficult to pass. In
the first place, a cousin. Herbert Dono-
van, a keen and INSCRIPTIONS lawyer.
was next of kin and, with Arthur out
of the way. would possess the title and
entailed estates. Secondly. Arthur, hav-
ing had no communication with his
family for years. would likely have diff
ficulty in proving his identity. Thirdly,
in endeavoring to establish his claim
against his cousin his having fought
England, especially with the so called
pirate. Paul Jones. would prejudice
every one against him.
When the Earl of Stronghold died
Herbert Donovan laid claim to the in
heritance, taking the ground that Ar
thur was dead. To prove this he sent an
agent to America with instructions to
find a record Of the death of some one
bearing the name of Donovan and man
ufacture evidence that the deceased
was the youngest son of the Earl OF
Stronghold. This was not difficult |
There were plenty Of Donovans In
America and record was found Of an
Arthur Donovan who had been killed
at the battle of Trenton. Ireland was |
much farther from America In those |
DAYS than now, and to make up case |
this man was son Of the Earl |
- al