§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury the names, dates, and places of publication of the publications in which advertisements appeared for the next-of-kin of the late Mrs. Helen Blake, nee Sheridan; the steps, if any, taken by the Court or by the Crown to test the kinship of Mrs. Blake's relatives in Westmeath; if any evidence appeared of her birth elsewhere than 'in Westmeath, where did it purport to show that she had been born; whether an examination of her papers and other personal effects will be allowed for the purpose of settling her place of origin; the date and terms of the order of the Court devolving her property upon the Crown; and the nature and total value of that property when acquired by the Crown?
§ Mr. MASTERMANAdvertisements for the heir-at-law and kin of Mrs. Helen Blake were inserted in the following newspapers: The "Times," 30th November and 9th December, 1876, 10th and 16th May, 1877; the "Standard," 29th November and 7th December, 1876, 9th and 16th May, 1877; the "Daily News," 29th November and 7th December, 1876; the "Globe," 29th November and 7th December, 1876; the "London Gazette," 11th May, 1877; the "Morning Post," 9th and 16th May, 1877. No steps other than by means of the advertisements issued were taken by the Crown to bring this matter to the notice of persons residing in Westmeath, because, so far as the advisers of the Crown were or are aware, there is no evidence that Mrs. Blake was a native of Westmeath, or that any kin of hers were or are living there. The only information in the possession of the Crown which bears upon the antecedents of Mrs. Blake is obtained from a document supposed to be in the handwriting of the deceased's late husband, and found with the deceased's papers, in which it is stated that the deceased was the daughter of William Latanue Sheridan, of Baltimore, U.S.A., and Galway, Ireland. The information contained in this document was embodied in another memorandum partly in the handwriting of Mrs. Blake, which was evidently meant to be instructions for the inscription on her tombstone. None of the other papers of the deceased in the possession of the Crown contain any information1804W which bears in any way on the deceased's antecedents. The Order of the Court, dated 23rd June, 1883, contains the following, that "This Court doth declare that Her Majesty the Queen in right of Her Royal Prerogative is entitled to the personal estate of the intestate by the Chief Clerk's Certificate, dated the 24th April, 1883, found to be outstanding or undisposed of." The deceased's estate consisted of both real and personal estate, and was upwards of £100,000 in value.
§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will state the text of the advertisement or advertisements issued for the next-of-kin of the late Mrs. Helen Blake, née Sheridan, of Boherquill and Kensington, whose, property has lapsed to the Crown owing to the failure of the advertisement to reach her next-of-kin in Ireland?
§ Mr. MASTERMANSome of the advertisements issued by the Treasury Solicitor in this case were in the following terms: "Pursuant to a judgment of the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, made in an action in the matter of the estate of Helen Blake, widow, deceased, the solicitor for the affairs of Her Majesty's Treasury, against Her Majesty's Attorney-General, 1877, B 132, the persons claiming to be next-of-kin according to the statutes for the distribution of intestates of Helen Blake, late of No 4, Earl's Terrace, Kensington, in the county of Middlesex, widow, deceased (and who is believed to have been described on her marriage as Helen Sheridan, spinster), who died in or about the month of September, 1876, living at the time of her death or claiming to be the legal personal representatives of such of the said next-of-kin as are now dead, are by their solicitors on or before the 11th day of June, 1877, to come in and prove their claims at the chambers of the Master of the Rolls situate in the Rolls Yard, Chancery Lane, Middlesex, or in default thereof they will be peremptorily excluded from the benefit of the said judgment. Monday, the 25th day of June, 1877, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon, at the said Chambers, is appointed for hearing and adjudicating upon the claims.—Dated the 7th day of May, 1877." Other advertisements were in the following form: "Blake. Heir-at-law—next-of-kin. The heir at-law and the next-of-kin of Mrs. Helen Blake, late of No. 4, Earl's Terrace, Kensington, widow, deceased, are requested to communicate with the solicitor for the 1805W affairs of Her Majesty's Treasury, Whitehall." So far as the advisers of the Crown are aware, there is no evidence that Mrs. Blake was a native of Boherquill, Westmeath.