A REMARKABLE CLAIM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 10

A REMARKABLE CLAIM.

r THE STORY OF MANHATTAN ISLAND. Sir,—l;iead with interest a r paragraph . |in:-your ; 'j3apßr ofj.'November -3, ;headed i, '"Manhattan Island,^.Claimed-.by a New Zealander," etc." It" Brings 'forward ;.. iflgain the old story of what was referred to' as the Edwards's millions, • only in this case the whole of ManJ ihattan'lsland is added. However, a' p . ..little —more or lessjpdoes not. seem to : .matter, as 'thof"pr®iiial "65' acres • .(I ;■ /think .it was more) bought'.', by ! ''this :■ : 'Robert Edwards (incidentally for a ; few irifles and blankets), situate as it is in thei principle part of New York, and ; ' including .Wall Street, had 'an • '.esti- : .mated value of £70,000,000 five'-years ; ;ago. ;;-I-'wpuld like fiersonally to get-iiito' r - communication . with this Horatio I ' Edwards, tho present claimant (he,is •. ioiot the !• first by,;a good many), . for I t ,do not think hp,:;has ;much: chance, of jtproving-his claim;] If: it is possible for ■' .'any ■olio' of the descendants of; tho . . original Robert Edwards to' claim or' j,'-/recover this property: it', should bo i.. myself, fof I'claini'' to be the eldest. i,_son of tho eldest son-in direct succes- : i . sion. aiidjhe missing link in our case.' ..is tho proof ol' .' birtli certificate of . (Robert Edwards's_,only son. Tho. .great "interest;,that|.'centres'!'round this, is the ! , ifact that .this piece of land , was for some purpose leased to 'the British Government, to tho War of Independence: (and: was not either sa 1> leased or sold as'maintained in your paragraph). Some little time:after the . war the.lease was handed over to,tho ' then American or 'Provincial Govern- - ment. Robert Edwards, having died in the_ meantime,'his widow 'and son mado their way. to Londoiij'almost destitute, . and no claim seems : to' have' been put ;• forward,-by them in.respect of this.,laud : or any • other properties. '.which.- 'he possessed and lvero destroyed during the early stages of thojar, for tlicro wero other claims which • orio knowing the facts can see 'could and- should havo :boen put forward,'other than this land. This is a very interesting story re this : . claim, but I will not take up any more of "your valuablospace, although' I, ' . could fill : a column.- I trust, however;' this may .be the: means'of getting, into touch with :Horatio. Edwards; for an : . exchange of confidences would bo to our mutual advantage. However, ho can have Manhattan Island, if—only I want the rest—l ani, etc;; Vt. A. EDWARDS. Coney .Lodge, Queen's' Drive, Island Bay, November 3, 1910.'