A STRANGE TALE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1868, 21 March 1889, Page 1

A STRANGE TALE.

The Greymouth correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes:— In your issue of Dec. 3rd last I made reference to a remarkable bit of real life, namely, a veritable peer of the realm who had for years gained a somewhat precarious livelihood as a working miner, and at the time I wrote was lying on a sick bad and was actually in receipt of charity and help from his kind-hearted neighbours. I am now very happy to state that “ Bartram ” is slowly but surely recovering from his very severe illness, and hopes are entertained by his medical adviser that he will be about in the course of another month. Bartram, by-the-way, is only sixty* four years of age, and not seventy as stated in my letter above referred to;, and as it is his fixed intention to institute proceedings for the recovery of his title and estates, the whole of his extraordinary history will at some future date form material for a highly sensational drama. The facts of the case, so far as I understand them, are as follow:—Many years ago the Earl of married the widow of a certain literary magnate, who by him had two sons, of whom the man we call Bartram is the oldest. - Both entered tho army; the younger got a commission in the Life Guards, and Bartram became lieutenant in a crack cavalry regiment, and at the time I write about, was on a visit to his father’s estate in Essex. While there he became acquainted with the family of a London banker, through an introduction by his younger brother, and within three months was the accepted suitor of the banker’s third daughter, and soon after was married at Hanover square, London. Immediatoly after the wedding, and before the carriage could reach home— (the family were then living at their town mansion in Portman square)—his young wife was taken seriously ill, and remained so for nearly two months. Part of the time Bartram was not allowed to see her, as her reason was said to be seriously affected. There is no doubt at this time he was very much attached to her, and deeply deplored her dangerous situation. In fact, at times his own reason seemed to be on the wane, and fears were entertained by his friends that he also would be laid on a bed of sickness. Fortunately bis wife recovered, and steps were at once taken towards removing to their own house in Park lane. At this time the brother had exchanged into tho —th—then under orders for India, and on the very night of their arrival at their new residence had come to bid them good-bye, previously to starting on his journey. All that took place on that occasion can never be made known, as the only living witness now is Bartram, and he, no doubt, was not in his right mind, and remembers little of what transpired beyond the horrible, maddening, degrading fact that the his wife’s illness had been occasioned by a premature birth, his own brother having been her seducer. He also recollects being arrested for attempted murder of his wife and brother, of being in a private lunatic asylum, and, lastly, of making his escape through the kind assistance of the Eev. , who, singular to relate, was, until very lately, the much-respected incumbent of a certain Melbourne church. For years Bartram led a wandering, purposeless life in the wilds of Africa and Worth America, and some seventeen years ago came to the colony, and after visiting Sydney and Victoria, settled on the West Coast as a gold digger. Some two years and a half ago it came to his knowledge through the Home News that his brother, who must have succeeded fr* the title and estate on the death of his father, had also died, leaving a son, who is now thought to be the rightful heir, and sits in the House of Lords as a peer of the realm. Mr “Bartram” has already taken the first step towards nrosecuting his claim, and affidavits by himself and his medical attendant, together with documentary evidence calculated to prove his identity, have been forwarded to Messrs Lewis and Lewis, the great London solicitors. The further development of this remarkable case will be watched with , interest.