MILLIONS AT STAKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20811, 2 March 1931, Page 11

MILLIONS AT STAKE.

EVERINGHAM FORTUNE. HOPES OF CLAIMANTS. Claimants in the Windsor district, New South Wales, to the Everingham million;, which are said to lie in trust in England, are sanguine that their claims to about £15,000,000 are proved beyond doubt. Mr. A. _J. C. McGrath, of Paddington, who went to England in 1930 to prove or disprove the truth of the existence of the millions, after delving into official records in London for some months, says he satisfied himself that there was £23,000,000 waiting in trust for the descendants of Matthew J. Everineham. The searches of Mr. McGrath enabled him to find the birthplace of Matthew James Everingham, also the chapel in which he was christened, and the name of his father, and to trace his ancestors over 900 years, and the will of M. J. Everingham's father, leaving money and estates in trust for his son, Matthew. It was thought that the son Matthew had died intestate, but recently what is said to be his will was unearthed by Mr. McGrath. It was on a stained slip of paper, covered with faded writing, as follows:—"My sons, Matthew, William. George, James, John, to have all I now hold or may be entitled to hold in future. (Sgd.) Matthew J. Everingham, 1814." The recent discovery by Mr. McGrath of the original Bible of Matthew James Everingham is another important link in the chain of evidence. It contains all the pioneer's children's names, dates of their births, marriages, deaths, and other valuable information.

Mr. McGrath will return to England, and an application for a share in the estate will be heard shortly after his arrival. His solicitors in England state that any descendant in direct line will get his or her share on petitioning the King's Bench. Officials of the Royal Courts of Justice, London, and leading solicitors examined the investigator's documents and certificates of births, deaths and marriages, and declared them to be nil fhafc was necessary to prove lineal descent.. Opinion of leading solicitors is that approximately £15,000,000 will be the sum finallv distributed.

Mr. McGrath went to England as authorised delegate for the claimants, about 30 per cent, of whom are residents of the Hawkesbury district. Mr. McGrath is a. grandson of Michael McGrath, one time of Windsor. Mr. McGrath's mother was an Everlngham.