HEIRESS TO SIX MILLIONS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2478, 16 March 1882, Page 4

HEIRESS TO SIX MILLIONS.

It is not unusual for millionaires with no near relations to leave their fortunes to dependents instead of distant relations in some far-off country, whom they have perhaps never seen. When the latter, however, hoar of the rich man’s death, they not unnaturally remember their connection with the deceased, whose heirs they hoped to be, and whose will, if necessary, they are prepared to dispute. A lady residing in Chicago his just had her expectations raised by a paragraph in an English paper headed “ Heiress to Six Million Dollars,” in which she is represented as the legal claimant to the estate of a gentleman named Smith, who resided formerly at Dumfries, in Scotland. She is reckoning, however, probably without her host, for, according to the Scotch papers, the son of the deceased millionaire, who died a few months ago, was oblivious to the claims of distant kith and kin, and has left the whole of his property to his servants, a young man who served him formerly as a shepherd coming in for the lion’s share. The fortunate individual, with two or three other servants in the house, appear to have been treated with almost royal liberality by their somewhat eccentric master during the last few months of his life. It is, for instance, related in a Scotch paper that a forester in his employment was one morning thrown a parcel of scrip, representing a value of £17,000, on which snug fortune he forthwith retired to live as an independent gentleman in a suburban villa. A cheque for £3OOO was on another occasion given to the coachman as a tip; a present of £13,000 was made to the lucky shepherd in Mr Smith’s employment, who later on bought the Steilstone property belonging to the latter, and then became the landlord of its tenant, whom a few years previously he had served as herdladdie. The almost incredible story, says our Scotch temporary, does not end here. When Mr Smith died last summer the shepherd and coachman followed him to the grave as chief mourners. On the will being opened, it was found that the estate of Newtonairds was bequeathed to the former, handsome legacies to his brother and the coachman, the residue of the estate (after payment of a few minor personal and charitable bequests), amonnting to £70,000, going to the happy owner of Newtonairds, who began life as a herd boy. Whether he will be allowed to enjoy his wealth in peace is doubtful, since, besides the lady claimant in America, there is, it is stated, another competitor nearer home who means to contest the will. For tbe time being, in any case, the shepherd is a landed proprietor, and rides about in his carriage instead of driving cattle.