THE DUCKHAM ROMANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 27

THE DUCKHAM ROMANCE.

A WILL DISCOVERED NEW ZEALANDERS PROBABLY NOT INCLUDED. LONDON, May 26. Mr Williams says that he found at Exeter Sally Langworthy’s will. It does not make provision for Hester, who probably predeceased her mother. He is of the opinion that the will does not therefore include the New Zealand claimants, but the other heirs are agreeable to a conference to come to some arrangement. Mr Williams has already submitted a suggestion which is likely to be helpful to the New Zealanders. A message received on March 11 stated-Several New Zealand descendants of Thomas Duckham have cabled to his attorney (Mr Williams) verifying their relationship. Mr Williams has communicated with the Besleys, of New Brighton, Christchurch, inquiring if they are descendants of Duckham’s first wife. It is understood that there are already 30 claimants, Duckham’s Kentucky sister, Sally Langworthy, died in 1851.

MORE CLAIMANTS IN NEW ZEALAND. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, April 1. The Agent-plenipotentiary in the matter of the “ Duckham Millions ” (Mr Alfred S. Williams, of Newport, Alon.) reports that matters are progressing towards the formal deposit of the claim in Kentucky Last week there was a meeting of four of the heirs with Mr Williams at the Notarial Department of the American Consulate-general, in London, when the power of attorney was executed in proper form in Air Williams’s favour. Since then a fourth cablegram has been received from New Zealand to the effect that Grace Evelyn Hunt and Daisy Catherine Baylis desire to have their names included as claimants. This message, which came to hand on Alarch 30, was dated from Tuatapere, some 56 miles by rail, from Invercargill, and distant some 800 or 900 miles from the claimants in the North Island. Speaking on behalf of the other heirs, Mr Williams is clearly of the opinion that co-operation oh the part of all the claimants, whether in the Old Country or at the Antipodes, is in the highest degree desirable, and he is wondering whether now all the New Zealand heirs have been discovered.