ROMANCE OF THE PEERAGE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 127, 14 July 1870, Page 7

ROMANCE OF THE PEERAGE.

That truth is not always stranger than fiction is proved by the romantic Wicklow peerage case which has at length been decided by the House of Lords. The lato Earl of Wicklow left his title and estates to his brother's sons, one of whom, G-eorge, died in 18u\t<, after what has been styled " a career of reckless dissipation," and the earldom passed to the second, named Charles. Before his death George had married the daughter of a coachman, and she has produced a child which she declares to be her late husband's son and heir. In the course of the protracted investigations, strong evidence was adduced to show that Mr George Howard had not then a child. At this point; Sir Soundell Palmer made the startling announcement that he had found the true mother of the infant candidate for the Wicklow peerage in the person of a woman named Best, who had parted with it in Liverpool workhouse. This declaration was supported by several witnesses. On the other hand, it was shown that Mary Best took a child away with her when she left the workhouse, and that that child died. To this it was proved in reply that the child she took away was dark, whereas her own was fair with light blue eyes, like the one which Mrs Howardposses.-e 1. Other facts helped to complicate the plot^ and all efforts to clear up every mystery failed. It was decided, however, that Mra Howard had not succeeded ia establishing her claim ; and when Lord Eedesdale put the question "that Charles Francis Arnold Howard' had made out his claim to vote in the election of Irish representative peers a* Earl Wicklow," it was carried without a dissentient. The delivery of the judgements occupied no less than five hours. The actual earl, who was bora in 1839, is son of the Hon. and Bey. Francis Howard, who <lied in 1857, We have only given the most meagre, outline of this remarkable caseVbutwe believe the conclusion which has beea reached will receive general approval, as the only one which was consisieafc with the evidence. The battle ws* well fougLi, and the victory fairly -won^.