LONELY MAN'S FORTUNE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20130, 15 December 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

LONELY MAN'S FORTUNE

, NO WILL OR RELATIVES.

WINDFALL FOR THE CROWN.

'LOVER OF'ART AND BOOKS

LIBRARY OF 6000 VOLUMES.

| A lifo of loneliness devoted to tho joys bf art and literature has resulted in a windfall for the' British Treasury, r Mr. Ailolphus Herman Louis died at his beautiful' house,' Beaulieu, High Beech, Epping, without; making a will, and a rloso search failed to reveal any relatives living. Therefore,,the whole, of his property goes to tho. Crown. , Mr. Louis .had business interests in London, but for some y<?ars had ceased to attend personally to them. Instead ho preferred to shut himself up in his Epping homo surrounded by pictures and books and attended only by his servant. Of friends ho: had few, and those ho saw only rarely. Thus the slogan "On behalf tho Crown,"' Which topped tho front of an auctioneer's catalogue, transformed a sale of "furniture tind effects" into an affair of myste'ry and romance.'

Lonely Mr. Louis, who was over 60 when he died, had tho temperament of an'artist and a book-lover. They know him well in most of tho public librarios, at tho salerooms of West End auctioneers where art treasures were to bo bought, and at tho art galleries. French by descent, English by birth and inclination ho was a hero worshipper; and especially did ho reverence tho late W. E. Gladstone. Two photographs of tho great Liberal leader were among tho treasures sold. He had a quiet sense of humour, too, and had original sketches by Phil May, which ho occasionally showed with a dry chuckle. Famous Artist's Works. Mr. Louis was wrapt up in his love of art. Ho was by no means tho cynic many people pictured him. .Ilis appearance was striking and his conversation —when he did talk—was interesting. Tho pictures ho collected are of the rarest, with watercolours, mezzotints, and sketches. Among the artists represented are Corot, Constable, Leader East, Tadema,, Whistler, Birket Foster and Phil May. All schools of art are here. Some of the treasures were purchased from the famous Andrew Young collection. Mr. Louis' library is a collection of 6000 volumes. Tho books are exceedingly valuable and their variation shows his versatility. Thero are early editions. of Dickens and Thomas Hardy, biographies, works of travel and adventure. A barrister of whom an interviewer inquired concerning the law of estates, which, in the technical phrase, aro " escheat to tho Crown," said that before a salp of property is arranged and the proceeds handed to the Crown tho utmost care is taken to mako sure that no relative ot the dead person exists. Advertisements aro inserted in several newspapers and careful investigation is made by representatives of the Treasury. When once tho money is handed over, however, claimants have no powei to sue except by that curious proceeding known as a petition of right. Before he can take the first step the claimant must receive the permission of tho Attorney-General to sue.

" Thero havo been many cases in which largo sums wero unclaimed and went to tho Crown,"' said the barrister. " The Angell Estate, which recently came into prominence, is ono of these. This involves capital to tho enormous extent of £60,000,000. Vital Scraps o! Paper. " Then thero Were tho Crawfurd millions and tho Jennens millions, which aro said to have formed tho basis of tho Jarndyce v. Jarndvce action in Dickons' 4 Bleak House.' Many men and women have impoverished themselves in their attempts to obtain a share of the huge estate. " There arc many smaller sums which come as windfalls to the Crown. Not long ago a man died in tho East End of London, and as he apparently had no legal representative tho Crown camo into the possession of some £6OOO. " Afterwards a claimant arrived on tho scene, and there was no doubt but that ho was a descendant. Representations were mndo to the Treasury, and an application was made for permission to proceed by a petition of right. A settlement was eventually mado without tho case going into Court. " There is much inquiry work to be done before any claim can be aecopted. Birth and marriage certificates must bo examined; and it may be, as in the case of tho Jennens millions, that the only link in the chain of evidence that is missing is a scrap of parchment. But with the lapso of years the possibility of obtaining an estate grows fainter and fainter."