THE SACKVILLE PEERAGE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 311, 10 February 1910, Page 5

THE SACKVILLE PEERAGE

CLAIMANT WITHDRAWS HIS PETITION.

JUDGMENT RESERVED.

By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright

Received February 10, 12.20 a.m.

London, February 9. The Probate Court is further con sidering the elaim to the Sackville peer age and estates. Lieutenant Edward Sackville-West, nephew of the late Lord Sackville, succeeded his uncle in 11)08. The other claimant is Ernest Henri Joan Baptiste West, the eldest son of Lord Sackville and a Spanish dancer named Josephine (Pepita) Duran. The claimant s'eelis a declaration of legitimacy. He produced letters as evidence that the late Lord Sackville acknowledged Pepita as Wis wife.

Claimant informed Justice Bingham that since he was not allowed to fetcfl evidence fr«m Spain to prove that Doa Oliva (who, it is alleged,, was married to Pepita) was a bachelor, he must ■withdraw his petition, though it broke his heart te do so.

Mr. Finlay, for the defence, in ihis reply reviewed the whole case. He {produced a copy of claimant's mother's -marriage in 1851 with Oliva. The copy was' stamped, "She certificate jva'a stumped in 1854, and was found among the woman's papers. He alleged it accorded with the church register before the latter was tampered with about 1900. Judgment was referred.

The whole interest of the ease reskles in what purports to be a contract of marriage prior to the cohabitation of Josephine Duran with Lord Snckvijle, according to which «ontract Josephine Duran was wedded to a Spanish dancer named Gabriel Oliva. which would render null and void the declaration of the legitimacy of the of Josephine Duran and Lord Sackville.