AN EXTRAORDINARY ROMANCE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1510, 9 March 1882, Page 3

AN EXTRAORDINARY ROMANCE.

In lefeienee to the announcement that a poor man had fallen heir to a fortune of £2.")0,00(), the Nowctibtlo Journal .status that the foifcunatc inheritor is Mr Robert Robson, antl that his 1 evidence is in Hexham, anil the piopeity comes to him under the following extiaordmary en cumstanceb: — In the tally part of last century, a brother of Robson's giandfatlicr, haung mariied an lien ess, a Miss Walker, of (Joibiidge, went to Manchester, ■\\horohc began business as a wine and spiut merchant. This l.idy died without having lud ibsue, as also did another lady to whom her husband was subsequently married In the course of time the widower ictucd fiotn active life, and went to li\e m a piivate house, wheic his household consisted, of a man servant and two maid seivants. In the month of March, 1742, it was noticed that the house was closed, but, lib there w.u amongst the neighbors an iinpiession that the family had gone on a visit to the country or the seaside, little notice was taken of the civc\imstances. Giailually, however, suspicion began to be aiouseil, and at the end of a fortnight the house was broken into, and it was found that the owner had been murdered and the house ransacked and robbed. The dead body of the murdered man was found in the cellar, and a gold Match which he wore had been taken away. An inquest was held, and a veidict of wilful murder against some peison or persons unknown was returned. Suspicion pointed strongly to the man and maid servants, but they absconded, and were never hcaid of. The murdered man had been possessed of considerable property ; it was known that he was the owner of several hotels and a block of property in Manchester, and a sum of £13,000 was standing to his credit in one of the Manchester banks ; but as no relative came forward to claim it, the property found its way into the Court of Chancery, where it would piobably have remained for ever but for an accident which recently occuned. Some ten or twehe months ago Mr Robert Robson, of Hexham, the direct lineal descendant and heir of the murdeied man, was walking along the High Level Bx-idgfe, Gateshead, when he was met by a gentleman named Wear, residing in Gateshead, who recognised him and gave him information which has led to his establishing a claim in the Court of Chancery, and to the property being decreed to him. The decree of the Master in Chancery is that the property is to be handed over to Robert Robson on the 21st of March next ; and it will then have been in the Court for the long period of 138 years. Mr Robson is between 60 and 70 years of age, and is a woodman, at which occupation he has worked all his life. He has no relative except a daughter-in-law ; and it may be added that.iw t is very philosophic under his hu^Bj^k?Cumulation of fortune ; he is uertnw'Junduly elated nor does he feel regret that his life hitherto has been passed in toil.

As showing what may happen to a man under the Gaming Act, we quote the following : — A man in Indiana, returning home from a journey, found the house empty, his wife having raffled the furniture and absconded with the proceeds ; and before he thoroughly comprehended the situation, found himself arrested by the sheriff- for for permitting gambling on bis premises.