MR. SEDDON'S DOUBLE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 9, 11 January 1908, Page 7

MR. SEDDON'S DOUBLE.

The editor of the Sunday Times, an important weekly newspaper published at Seattlel^ Washington, has;'sent to the Lyttelton Times a revised proof of w.hat he ca»ilsK," a story about Graf yon Ulfich;" wht>, he explains in an acconapanymg; note, " spent much time lin New Zeklaitidr arid was associated with Richard Seddon." Charles A'delbort Ulrioh died in Seattle a few weeks ago, after a strangely eventful life, and in a warm appreciation of his character and his career the Sunday Times says that h© had the blood of the Bavarian kings in his veins, inheriting his title of Graf, or Baron, from Eberha.rd of the Iron Hand whose greatness is immortalised by Schiller. He tiad been a warrior, an author, a journalist ? and a statesman, but though inheriting a title that is as old as any in Europe, he disclaimed any rank and lived as a humble citizen. He came to New Zealand when less than twenty years old, and was soon in the midst of the Maori war, rendering valuable services to his adopted country. When the troubles with the natives were over he turned his attention to politics and allied himself ■' with the party which he thought was closest to the people. This brought him into contact with the late Premier, to whom he bore an extraowinary personal resemblance, and the Sunday Times tells how he was once mistaken for his friend. It will be better to repeat the story in its own words. "He was so much like the great New Zealand statesman,' the Times says, " that one was often mistaken for the other. On one occasion, when travelling from Christchurch to Dmnedin, one of the station agents at a small town caught a glimpse of the Baron and wired to Timaru that Richard Seddon was on the way. At that time Seddon was in the heyhay of his political glory. At Timaru, to his complete surprise, Ulrich was met by almost the entire town and literally carried to the Town Hall where the Mayor got half way through his speech of welcome before the embarrassed man could explain that he was; not Dick Seddon. The good natured New Zealariders enjoyed the laugh on themselves, but went' on with the festivities just the same." The story has not been told with this detail m New Zealand before, and it would be interesting to have it confirmed by some of the good-natured folk who enjoyed the laugh against themsel- es.