IN DAYS OF OLD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9671, 9 December 1909, Page 5

IN DAYS OF OLD.

TALES OF AN ELOPEMENT,

LEGITIMACY QUESTION RAISED.

COURT PROCEEDINGS.

I United Press Association -By Electric Telegrap Copyight. Received December 8, 11 a.m. LONDON, December 7. An action has been brought in the Court Sessions at Edinburgh by Alexander Wentwoith Macdonald Bosville aerainat Lord Macdonald of Sleat, seeking a decision that his grandfather, born op September 12th, 1 1800, was legitimate, per subsequens matrimonium, has been dismissed so far as the relationship is concerned, but the parties were allowed a proof on the question of legitimacy. According to the statement of claim, the claimant's great grandfather eloped with Miss La Coast, an illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Gloucester, and married her at the British Embassy in Paris. A son and a dauehter were born. Subsequently Lady Macdonald insisted on being regularly married in England. A second son was afterwards born, and the claim was then raised that the second marriage deprived the two elder children of the advantage of being born in wedlock. Mr Bosville made no claim to the Scotch estates of the family or the Irish peerage; only to have the legitimacy of his grandfather established.

The Celtic ancestors of the Macdonald line for some generations bore the title "Lord of the Isles," the last lord being also Earl of Ross. Sleat is in the island of Rkye. The following is taken from an English paper:-—Mr Bosville, according to the statement of clam, is greatgrandson and heir male of Godfrey, third Lord Macdonald, who was born on October 14th, 1775, in Edinburgh. Miss Louisa Maria La Coast, was the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Gloucester by Lady Almeria Carpenter, daughter of the Earl of Tyrconnel; and as her guardian disapproved ot the match her suitor eloped with her, and contracted marriage with her by exchange o+' mutual consent, according to the law of Scotland.