Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1881-12-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION."  With reference to a paragraph which stating that a windfall in the shape of a sum of £250,000 had fallen to a person of the name of Smith, residing at Marton, near Middlesbrough, there was an inaccuracy both as to person and place, though the sum mentioned—a quarter of a million sterling--is an approximate estimate of the amount to which the owner is about to come into possession. It appears that the fortunate inheritor is Mr Robert Robson, and that his residence is Idealism, and the property comes to him under the following extraordinary circumstances In the early part of the last century a brother of Robson' s grandfather, having married an heiress, a Miss Walker, of Col, bridge, went to Manchester, where he began business as a wine and spirit merchant This lady died without having had issue, as also did another lady to whom her husband was subsequently married. , In course of time the widower retired from active life, and went to live in a private house, where his household consisted of a man servant and two maid servants. In the month of March, 1742, it was noticed that the house was closed, but, as there was amongst the neighbours an impression that the famity had gone on a visit to the country or the seaside, little notice , was taken of the circumstance. Gradually, however, suspicion began to be aroused, and at tLe end of a fortnight the house was broken into, and it was found that the owner had bten murdered, and the home. ransacked and robbed. The dead body of the murdered man was found in the cellar, and a gold watch whieh Le wore had been taken away. An inquest was held, and a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown was returned. Suspicion pointed strongly to the man and maid servants, bnt they absconded, and were never heard of. The rnuidered man had been possessed of considerable property; it was known that he was the owner of several hotels and a block of property in Manchester, and a sum of £13,000 was standing to his credit in one of the Manchester banks; but, as no relative came forward to claim it, the property found its way into the Court of Chancery, where it would probably have remained for ever but for an acoideut which recently occurred, dome ten or twelve months ago Mt Robert Robson, of Hexham, the direct lineal descendant and heir of the murdered man, was walking along the High Level Bridge, Gateshead, when he was met by a gentleman named Wear, residing in Gateshead, who recognised him, and gave him information which has led to Its establishing a claim in the Court of Chancery, and to the property being decreed to him. The decree of the Master in Chancery is that the property is to be handed over to Robert Robson on the 21st of March next, and it will then have been in Court for the long period of 138 years. Mr Robson is between sixty and seventy years of age, and is a woodman, at which occupation he has worked all his life, He has uo relative except a daughter-in-law. It is stated that Mr Robsou is very philosophic under his huge accumulation of fortune ; he is neither unduly elated, nor does he feel regret that his life hitherto has been passed in toil.