THE NORMAN ROMANCE

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 761, 24 June 1872, Page 2

THE NORMAN ROMANCE

Our readers having beer furnished m full with the earlier chapters of this most remarable romance i« real life, we have deemed it right to>« insertion to the following commutation forwarded per Hero to us fr/>m Sydney by the new claimant i-^ /(

To the Editor of the Evening, mifijd Dear St* — From ihe--kind manners which y*u have given the greatest MOlicityt/the fact that I, the hoir-sWaw of my late father, Edward Norma* late of the United Service hotel Auckland, intend proving my claim to swA estate, J herewith beg to enclose you /copy ot a very important declaration Mae _by Mr J. G. Raphael, a member /the Legislative Assembly, and Justin of the peace for the Colony of New §>uth Wales, and a gentleman weU'lmownjn all-the colonies of Australia; and as I have nothing to hide, but wish simply to protect our family from . being .horoughly robbed, 1 have taken the liberty, as I h»ve already*stated. of enclosing you a copy w hicHi ma y be of interest to yourself and the readers of your very valuable journal. I am, dear Sir, Yours pbediently, John Norman.

June 15, 1872. P.S.. — I also enclose you copies of declarations made by Mr! Raphael aud Mr Isaac Marks, *ho have known my. late father, Edward Norman, and his wife, for the last 34 yoars. CITY OF SYDNEY, IN THE COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. . I, Joieph George Raphael, merchant, a member of the Legislative Assembly, and aju»tice of peace for the colony of New . South Wales, most solemnly and sincerely declare that I knew Edward Norman and j Ann his wife, mentioned in the certified copy being an extract from the register of marriages, parish of St. James, in the city of Sydney, in the colony of New South Wales, and attached to a declaration made by John Williams, Esquire, Crown Solicitor of the said colony, and dated the sixth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two. And that 1 knot Edward Norman and Ann his wife and family for the period of the last twenty years, I having been introduced to them by my father-in-law, Moses Moses, of Yass, New South Wales, who knew them, the said Edward Norman and Ann Norman, to be man and wife for about fourteen years prior to the date when they were introduced to me. I also know John Norman, railway-station master, employed in the Government railways of New South Wales, to be the elder acknowledged son of the said Edward and Ann Norman. Sometime in the year 1852 or 1853 the aforesaid Edward Norman took passages for himself, her two sons James and Edward, together with a young lad named James Taylor (who iome years afterwards was married to a niece of mine in England) on board the ship Africa, Captain O'Neil commander, bound for Bombay, en route for England, and at which time there was a woman on board with an infant child representing herself as a widow and under the charge of the said Edward Norman. And I verily believe called herself a Mrs Green, whom I believe to be the present pretended wife of Edward Norman ; and the lawful wife of the said Edward Norman was at that time living in Sydney, in the colony of New South Wales, and near her accouchement, and I was at that time, at the request of the said Edward Norman, constantly paying to his aforesaid wife, Ann Norman, sums of money for the support of herself and children, and also at that time I was carrying on the building of a house in this city under the instructions of the lawful wife of. the said Edward Norman, and by his positive authority, and the contractor for the said building is now alive, and his evidence can be procured if required, and his name is Newman. And the funds provided for the payment of the aforesaid matters were collected by me from the rents and properties of the aforesaid Edward Norman, I having held a general power of attorney for the said Edward Norman, and do now hold, as per power of attorney attached hereto, and a further one now in custody, and dated at London, 18th day of October, 1862, and bearing the Lord Mayor's seal; and I have further paid large sums of money at the request of the said Edward Norman to the aforesaid Ann Norman, his wife, and paid for and provided passages for Ann Norman and a part of her family, in the ship Walter Hood to proceed to London, England, to join her husband there; and I and my wife were on board the said ship on her departure as far as the.heads> of Port Jackson, then on the journey to England, I also solemnly declare that I have| paid various sums of money to John Norman, the eldest acknowledged son of the said Edward Norman, and at his request, who at one time allowed the said John Norman at the rate of £100 per annum; and I also declare that I paid the said John Norman by Bank bills the sum of £500 in the month of May in the year 1863, at the request of his father, Edward Norman, as per letter herewith annexed, numbered from Ito 10. I solemnly1 declare that I know the said Edward Norman was cohabiting with a woman who was not his wife, whom lie took to England, and his said lawful wife Ann was then in this colony; and I further declare that through a relative of mine, Mr George Brown, of Caledonian road, Islington, but now of 7, Huntingdon street, Islington North, London, I have remitted at the request of the said Edward Norman moneys to the said George Brown to pay ove? to the said Ann, his lawful wife, for the maintenance of herself and children. I have also seen; the declaration of John Williams, Esquire. Crown Solicitor of the colony of New South Wales; and am sure the same is true; also the power of attorney made by John Norman, the eldest soil of,the beforenamed Edward Norman, authorising Edward Bennett, Esquire, barrister-aft-law, to act for him in the Colony of New Zealand ; and I further solemnly declare the said John Norman signing the aforesaid power of attorney is the acknowledged lawful eldest son of Edward and Ann Norman, and I assisted the said John Norman to post and register the letters containing the documents to Edward Bennett, Esquire, barrister -at r law, Auckland, New Zealand, the registration receipt for which I hid. I further declare to the best of my belief 'the aforesaid Ann Norman, the lawful

wife of tie said Edward Norman, is now alive ii England in London and I am sure /te was a year since by letters I recjuVad from my relatives, in England. Jo£ the present so-called wife of Edwaxw Norman received any money from u_/ while the said Edward Norman was d .various periods absent from England which Lean prove was paid to his lawful wife through: Mr George Brown of London ? lam also aware Edward Norman caused "a will to be prepared by Messieurs Nichols and WiUiams, solicitors, of this city, in the year 1863, at the time of the making of the power of attorney in favour of William Crane, including me at the decease of the said William Crane, which said will I well know the aforesaid Edward Norman took with him to New Zealand. I also know Annie Jones, the wife of Joseph Farrar Jones, of Dunedin, New Zealand, to be the only lawful daughter of the said Edward Norman and Ann his wife. The photographs attached hereto I solemnly and sincerely declare to be the likenesses of the said Edward Norman and his only lawful daughter, Annie Jones, and marked and numbered ll and i 2, and that the aforesaid photographs were given to me by the said Edward Norman in the year 1864. I further declare that there are many respectable families in this city who can identify the said Annie Norman now in England to be the lawful wife of the^ said Edward Norman ; also that Mistress Sarah Middleton, now in England, can also identify the said Ann Norman as the la#* ful wife of the aforesaid Edward Norman. Mistress Hardy formerly, but now Mistress Remmington, of _Tass, sister of the Chief Justice of New South Wales, can also identify the said Ann Norman, now in England, to be the lawful wife of the said Edward Norman. And now I solemnly and sincerely declare the aforesaid statement to be true. J. G. RAPHAEL.

Taken and declared at Sydney, in the colony of New South Wales, this eleventh day of June, 1872, before me. Chas. Carpenter, J.P.

T, Maria Raphael, wife of Joseph George | Raphael, of Sydney, in the Colony of Ne^ J South Wales do solemnly declare that I knew Edward Norman and Ann, his^wife, at Yass, in the colony of New South Wales, thirty-four years since, and before the birth of their.son, John Norman, now railway station master on the Government railways of New South Wales ; and I further declare that I know the aforesaid John Norman to be their son after marriage according to their marriage certificate, a copy of which I have seen within the last week, and the aforesaid John Norman was at my house repeatedly within the last few days and at the date of this declaration. And I declare that I was on intimate terms with the said Ann Norman from her arrival in Sydney from Melbourne, in 1852, up to the time of her leaving' this colony to join her husband, the aforesaid Edward Norman, in England M. Raphael. Taken and declared at Sydney, in the colony of New South Wales, this eleventh day of June, 1872, hefore me, Chas. Caebenteb, J.P.

I, John Levien, of the city of Sydney, * in the colony of New South Wales, ~ merchant, do solemnly and sincerely « declare that I knew Edward Norman, j brewer, of Melbourne, in rthe colony of . Victoria, in the year 1849, and I entered j into partnership with [ the aforesaid Edward Norman as wine and spirit ■ merchant, and dissolved the said partnership in the year 1851, as the said Edward Norman then removed to Sydney, New South Wales, and the said Edward Norman about the year 1852 proceeded to England. I do iolemnly declare that I knew the wife and family of the aforesaid Edward Norman, and that I believe the aforesaid wife is now alive in England, and I also know that the said Edward Norman made a yearly allowance to his aforesaid wife. I also declare that I know Mr. J. G. Raphael, merchant, of this city, and that the said J. G. Raphael acted as agent for the aforesaid Edward Norman in this colony. And I further declare I know John Norman, the eldest son of the aforesaid Edward Norman, and he is the person I have seen within the last few hours. And I verily believe the aforesaid statements to be true.' John Levien. Taken and declared in Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales, this seventeenth day of June, (1872), one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two. W.P., Magistrate, I, Jacob Marks, gentleman, now residing in Sydney, and formerly merchant at the same place, do solemnly declare I knew Edward Norman and Ann, his wife, at Yass, thirty-four years since. I also know John Norman, railway station master, employed by the Government of N.S. JValea, aud acknowledged by the said Edward Norman, and Ann, his wife, as their lawful son, and, I also declare I have seen the aforesaid John Norman at the house of Mr J. G. Raphael, M.L.A., within the last few days ; and also at the date of their declaration. I further declare the said Ann Norman, wife of the aforesaid Edward Norman, was also iff England when I left. I was informed by Mr Greorge Brown and Mr Norman'■ agent, who paid her an allowance in June, 1871. Jacob Macks. Sworn and declared at Sydney, in the colony of New South Wales, this 14th day of June, 1872, before me. Clements Castbo, J.P.

United Service Hotel, Auckland, March 2nd, 1867.—Acknowledged receipt of letter from his son John respecting amount of money from Arcade paid to him ; said he had received a letter from Mr Reynolds ; also wishing Mr Ashley to sell land for £200. rrm.'-n r/:'i,,'i t .

United Service Hotel, Auckland, May 10th, 1867.—Letter urging sale of land. — Last letter received.

1868.—United Service Wine and Spirit Store, Auckland, May Ist, 1868.— Eecommended sale of land for £50 per acre.

The above are extracts from letters in Mr Ashley's possession, which h.e hopes will be of service to you. Mr Ashley never remitted any money to your mother. Mr Ashley thinks that Mrs Reynolds died at St Kilda, and that he left for England shortly after and died there. I will endeavour to get all the information lean for you, and trust that sent will be of

service to you. With kind regard to Mrß Norman and yourself, I am, dear sir, Yours truly, For S. Ashley, T. S. Cooper. Melbourne, Juae 1, 1872. Mr John Norman to H. Raphael, Esq., M.L.A., Elizabeth street North, Sydney. Dear Sir, —I received your letter of May 28, yesterday, and in reply I have endeavoured to get all the information I could to enable you to prosecute your claim.

Your brother William has left the National Bank, December 1869 ; wenfc-^ Dunedin, New Zealand ; inquire for Jb* at the Bank of New Zealand. 'XI Inquired at the P. and O. Coip fAS oflice; looked over passage list -*J?. 1865 and last six months of 1864. No name found for either Mr. Norman or Mrs Robertson. AMr Robertson left in steamship Northern in 1865. Mr J M Smith don't know of any will your father made. 1862. Mr E Ashley saw Mr E Norman in England, and had a conversation with him about his property. 1863, J S Cooper saw Mr E Norman shortly after his arrival in Melbourne with hisdaugher inßourke'street, met him alone at the Theatre'Royal,- Melbourne, May 20,1863. Saw Barry Sullivan per- V form " Richard the Third."

1865, Mr E Norman called here to see Mr Ashley, shortly after his (Mr. Ashley's) return from England.. 1866. JMarch 2, 1866, Mr E Norman made a declaration to bring land at St Kilda under the Real Property Act at Mr J M Smith's office, and conveyed it to Mr E Ashley so that he could sell. 1866. Dunedin, April 23, 1866. A letter posted to his son John enclosing Hunter's bill for £300, with a proposition that if he (E.N) put - his interest in the Arcade over to him (J.N-) he will undertake the case of Willy till he was 16, when at that age he would be able to earn his own living. Proposed to. send draft for £50. On his (E. N.) return from Auckland promised to be up and see !(J-N.) ■