ROMANCE OF AN HEIR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 15

ROMANCE OF AN HEIR.

POLISH NOBLE'S LAW SUIT. "The Tragedy of Little . Count luvilecki" is a suitable title for tho romanco in real life '.which is now, ■ after- many years of legal contests, nedring its. conclusion (writes the. Berlin. correspondent of tho "Standard" on DeMmbei' 20). The High' Court at Peseii 'has/adjudged, tho ,boy who. is the central figure! of this 'story,''and who lias been, brought up as Count Joseph, Kivilecki, the only era and heir of Count Ignaoius Kwilecki, to be in reality thb son of an Austrian peasant : woman - named Cecilia Meyer, the wido\f of a railway navvy. After, giving judgment to this, effect the Court made ian order directing .Count'lgnacius .Kwilecki to hand :over the. boy, .who .is now just 'thirteen yearsi.of age, to his.rightful mother, the peasant woman, .Cecilia Meyer. Neither the verdict, nor the, order of the Court conies into, force immediately, because Count Ignatius Kwilecki luts* already; given ..notice ; of.-appeal, and the case will in due coui'se come, before the Supreme' Court of the Empire at Leipzig. This, tribunal, however, can only-'revise the formalities of this trial, and, if necessary, order a new. trial by the High Court if it,';be. found that, irregularities have occurred in this : one. ~ If this happened the great legal contest' might, drag oh for several 'years, _ but if; the Supreme Court of tho Empire confirms'the judgment of the High Court at Po«en'little Count ''Joseph i Kwileeki's. 'fate, will be sealed within a' few motths. It woilld be. a tragedy, for the boy,', who, brought up, in'the. magnifiebnee of a 'wealthy Polisii nobleman's castle, would !»' compelled by :law' to exchange his' feudal home for the :hut of' a Ipeasant. .".The" little' count, nou; the heir to great estates and' vast wealth, would be ■ face to' : face with "the .-necessity of earning'- his oivn;living," after tho maimer of his. forefathers, ; thb; field labburers- of Gahci.v -

: The herbihb. of this romance, Countess Isabella Kwilecki, died on February 21 of last year. at Breslau, so that ;' she ' Svas. spared the sorrow-of : witnessing the conclusion- of the- trial that ended this morn-, mg at Posen." In.-'.the earlier stages of the. stubborn' contest,' she enjoyed much,pub. lio synipathy/ and successive courts of law. in, Orermany gave judgment -in her favour. Count- Ignacius Kwilecki. and his, wife, Countess Isabella,- were the parents of three daughters, but the longed-for son was not .born to them,-much to their distress, because tho lack'; of a male heir meant" that;the family .estates, which" tiro entailed, would pass, on . .the' -death of Count Ignatius,' who. is head of the fam--11.. to ' a-. distant- cousin,- Count Hector Ivwilecki. V-Tho.'loss of : the 'family estates meant -even'more, to .the Countess Isabella, who had spent the- rich : dowry she brought her and - would ' have '.become practically--penniless on ;her. .husband's ' death unless -.she: had a ' son who' would become the next -possessor : of 'the property; ; , •pn-..Jani»ry\27,' 1897, Countess Isabella Kwilecki; then fiity-ono years of- age, gave birth to. a son, at- least-an '.announcement .to.-this effect was issued' I to -the newspapers and:to all the members of the Kwilecki family.: Soon, however, sinister rumours- became current,- and - the - Countess Isabella was accused, of having procured the baby from some other-mother in .order to -pass it off. as. her own .son. •Those members of the Kwilecki family who would - have been; disinherited by the birth or this ; male heir; took up'.the mat-: ,ter.and investigated ; al) ,tho circumstances of . the alleged birth. .-It, was, pointed out that the countess, insteaid ;,of '.remaining in the castlo for tho birth,, travelled to Bprhn and .rented-"an- apartment, -whero sho declined medical aid and was;-tended only,'.by.;several,• old --.-Polish;-servants; w>«nt. Ignacius himself . .was absent, in the.' houth of Europe, ; and there were other circumstances, which gavo. ground to . the suspicions entertained by the relatives.. - Early in 1901, when the .boy -was three years of, age, ' tho .-High': Court .at Posen was called upon to decide M-hether. or not tlio .baby, w.as tho rightful son of the Countess'.lsabella,,'who-appeared in; Court and 'held. the, infant, up for - the judges -to see.tho remarkable likeness between his little features . and her: oiyn.Thb Courton, that .occasion' decided.-that were insufficient proofs, to; deny the motherhood of tho Countess Isabella.' The other members of the Kwilecki family, fearful for their inlientanco, continued their investigations,. and with the. aid. of. an army of .detectives ;collected sufficient evidence' to lay before tho Public Prosecutor, who ordered the' arrest. of .the /countess and her .husband. , . Three. Polish, servants of the .countess.; were at- the, same; timo arrested and indicted, on" a. charge of having hided - and.-abetted .tho.'.procuring of ' tho baby to pass lain off as thb: countess's son.:

The trial, which took place in October, 1903,. ended in the-' acquittal of all the prisoners, and Count Ignacius : and Countess .Isabella Kwilecki left ,'the Court triumphant.. -But tho' struggle was continued by the male membors of tho next line of Kwileekis. 'They.:found the supposed rightful mother .of the boy, the peasant woman. Cecilia Meyer, and supplied ,her... with the .necessary-.=• money> to bring. an action for the recovery of. her child: Several: Courts gave judgment in favour of tho. countess , and . against Cecilia Meyer, but' fresh evidenco' was always brought to light, so 1 that a resumption; of., the case .wasrendered possible. " ... V-.. ' ■