Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1902 — Great Singer Seeks Fortune [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Great Singer Seeks Fortune

Lillitxn Nordica. Want* Millions From United States Treasury.

Lillian Nordica, the famous singer, has retained Thomas Brackett Reetj, formerly speaker of the house of representatives and how a distinguished member of the New York bar, to handle a suit against the government, Whereby the diva expects to obtain a fortune of 14,000,000. Mme. Nordica has just come from Sioux City, where ■he met members of the Norton family, to whom she let out the secret of her intended assault upon Uncle Sam’s treasury. Ichabod Norton, of whom Mme. Nordica is a descendant, was a great saillor In colonial days. He was of the type of New Englander now so frequently used in the latter-day romance. Like the heroes in the books, he sailed many seas, and, true to the iromantic notion, collected riches and finery. About the time the Revolutionary war was begun the indomitable Ichabod risked every penny among bis numerous assets on a far eastern journey. He stocked his ships with the choicest gewgaws, jewels and silks, land then turned the prows of his little fleet homeward. Mme. Nordica would not now be baying Mr. Reed a magnificent retainer’s fee, nor would she be forgetting to acquire a new coon song in her dreams of new luxuries, if Captain iNorton had not fallen in with a collection of French privateers. But this was just his luck. The Frenchmen did pot know what the word “America” meant, and, not knowing, they did not think it exactly wrong to inspect (American barques. On looking Into the holds of the vessels they saw things that dazzled their pyes, While bearing no 111 will toward Captain Norton or his countrymen, the Frenchmen believed they could use the fine things in the American’s boats

to much better advantage in Paris. So the privateers seized the treasures of the courageous salt and politely informed him that he might proceed Without fear of further harm. Norton was ruined, and soon afterward he saw an opportunity to retrench when the new government at Washington was formed. He placed tils case before the state department and was gratified to hear steps would be taken for Indemnity from the French government. This indemnity, according to the tradition of the Norton family, was paid to Uncle Sam, and amounted to between $3,000,000 and $4,000,000. But the money as far as the Nortons ever knew remained in the strong <x>x of the United States treasury. The French spoliation claims have been before Congress for a century, and some ■of them have been adjusted, but the one in which Mme. Nordlca is interested is still pending, owing to the inability of the heirs to come to an understanding as to the relative demand of each Individual claimant. For two years past Mme. Nordica’s sister, Mrs. Walker, has been endeavoring to adjust the differences of opinion among the claimants, and they have at last reached an agreement whereby the ■claim when allowed will be distributed ■among the heirs on a basis already determined. Within the last two weeks the heirs held a meeting and employed counsel to press the claim. Mme. Nordlca expressed confidence that the claim would be allowed as soon as all the tacts are properly presented. Speaking further, Mme. Nordica said that she could trace her ancestry back to Sir Peter Norton, who came to tkfo country in 1600, and that she was also a descendant of the Allens,

one of whom had married a daughter of Miles Standish. The Nortons and the Allens had frequently intermarried. George Allen was the first missionary ever sent out of England and was a man of good repute and great influence in the early days of this country. Fortune from Husband. Mme. Nordica’s fortune has twice been increased by money from the estate of her former husband, Fred C. Gower, to whom she was married in Paris in 1882. He was reported to have perished in an attempt to cross the English channel in a balloon soon after his wife had begun a suit for separation in 1885. He was supposed to have left a fortune of $500,000, but was believed to have put most of it out of the reach es his wife. Mme. Nordica was reported in 1894 to have relinquished all claims to the Gower estate in consideration of a cash payment of $40,000 and in 1893 is said to have received $25,000 for her signature releasing her dower rights in an estate near Brookline, Mass., near the Country Club property there. Fred C. Gower has since been reported as alive in India and elsewhere and in 1894 he was reported to have been seen in Boston.

Mme. Lillian Nordica.