BARONET AS A SAILOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 293, 10 December 1910, Page 17

BARONET AS A SAILOR.

PRESUMPTION OF HIS DROWNING OFF SUMATRA:- ' In the Probate Court, London, Mr. Harvey Murphy moved to presume the death of Sir Claude Robert Campbell, Bart., on or since July 25, 1900. From counsel's statement it appeared that Sir Claude was born in May, 1871, being the son of the late Sir Gilbert EdWard Campbell, Bart, and he was a bachelor, intestate, and uninsured. Having led "a somewhat rackety life" and dissipated the whole of his fortune, he left London in . 1898 " with the intention of shipping in a vessel as ordinary seaman. On September 21 of that year he went as an ordinary seaman -on -board the s.s. SutherlandsMre, of which-David Nicoll was then captain. He shipped under the name of "Claude R. Campbell, of 45, Gnllfordstreet, Londpn," giving his age as twenty-

eeven. . ■, 1 In has affidavit Captain NlcoU said that he knew the young man was a baronet, but he did his work as an ordinary seaman. On April 6, 1889, SIR CLAUDE WAS MBCHASGED from the ship at Glasgow at the termination of the voyage. About fourteen days later he wrote to Captain' Nicoll saying that his father was dead, that he HAD COME INTO A TITLE AND £100. In the summer of 1900 Sir Claude shipped again on board the Sutherlandshire at Rotterdam as on ordinary seaman, but as he only joined the vessel at the last moment, his name was not Included In the official list of crew. On July 25, 1900, the vessel was shipwrecked off Java Head, Sumatra. Sir Claude, with two apprentices, volunteered to swim ashore for. help. He and one of the apprentices were drowned, Sir Claude's body being woshed ashore the next day.

At the present time, if alive (counsel contlnued), he would be entitled to a sum of £306 10/6, left him by an aunt. His only next-of-kln wae his mother, Esther Lady Campbell, who was now of unsound mind. At a recent quarter sessions at Coventry, counsel' also stated, a man who had passed under the name of Sir Claude Campbell was convicted, of fraud. Within the last day or two a' document had come into the solicitors' hands purporting to come from Sir Claude, saying he was alive and welL The handwriting was not that of the baropet, and Captain Nlcoll had eworn hie belief in the former's death. His Lordship gave .leave to swear tbe death on the date asked' tori