DEATH OF MR. JOSEPH OLDALE.
The announcement of the death of Mr. Joseph Oldale, which occurred a few days ago at the house of his grandson, Mr. A.J. Oldale of View road, Heeley, will revive memories of a long-standing dispute as to the ownership of properties popularly spiken of as the Millhouse Estate. Mr. Oldale claimed a title through his father, John Oldale, who is said to have been the adopted child of Peter Wigfall, the original owner of the lands and premises in dispute. Mr. Wigfall made a will in 1812 in favor of Thomas Whitehead, but his (according to the story told by Joseph Oldale) was revoked in 1814. Some time after the death of John Oldale, his son, Joseph, who's possession of the properties, claiming to be heir-at-law. As far back as 1850 he endeavored to seize a house at the back of the Robin Hood Inn at Millhouses, but the attacking force was repulsed. Then he tried Legal remedies, and in 1857 he believed that the courts had sanctioned his claim for the succeeded in obtaining some kind of judgment which, to his mind, and in the view of his not very judicious supporters, gave him an absolute right to the estate.

The Judgment, whatever it was, did not much advance his interests. It led to proceedings at Leeds, where he learned that his claim was barred by the statute of limitations. The record was withdrawn, and Mr. Oldale was advised to proceed by filing a bill in equity. This he did, but a claim against him for costs resulted in his detention at York Castle for over two years. He was ultimately released on adjudication as a bankrupt, and returning to Sheffield remained quiet for several years, though his supposed right to the estate was always in his thoughts. Somewhere about 1874 he again sought legal advice, and was told that his bankruptcy stood in the way of the assertion of his claim. Accordingly he set to work to pay his creditors in full, and this being done the bankruptcy was annulled. Then writs were served in the queens Branch Division for the recovery of the estate. The other side demanded security for costs, a proceeding that so exasperated Mr. Oldale that he again resolved to take forcible possession. In this resolve he was backed up by a number of persons who had banded themselves together as the local branch of this Magna Charta Association which, founded by Dr. Kenesly, made itself conspicuous during its brief existence. The head of this organization in Sheffield was Mr.. Thomas Godson, a hot-headed Tichbornite, whose advice and support Mr. Oldale would have been better without. On the morning of the 25th May, 1875, a score of the men, acting under Godson's instructions, repaired to Millhouses, and broke into a house which, intended by Mr. Thomas Berry, the brewer, for a public-house, providing license could be obtained, had just at that time been purchased by the Wesleyans for conversion into a chapel. The locks were removed, possession taken, and Godson left half-a-dozen men in charge of the premises, besides going through the form of letting the house. Then a field was visited at the back of the Robin Hood, a post containing a notice that the land was to be let for building purposes was torn down and the gate was chained and padlocked. The latter process was repeated in other fields, and in addition, a notice was served on the landlady of the Robin Hood to pay rent in future to Mr. Oldale. The same evening, Mr. Berry brought up three cab-loads of men and the house was retaken, Godson's agents being ejected with scant ceremony. A month later, further aggressive action was taken. Early on the morning of June 22, a waggonette drove up, containing Godson, two sons of Mr. Oldale, and a number of sympathizers. A move was made to a field in the occupation of Mr. Speight, containing an excellent crop of grass. Godson, like the Roman Consul in Macaulay's lay of "Horatius," was "the foremost man to take in band" not an axe but a scythe, and with this weapon he soon cut down some handfuls of hay. The other men set to work lustily, and before the sun fell the crop had been gathered, and the greater portion sold at a sacrifice and carted away. Proceedings at law naturally followed. The leaders were charged with malicious damage and riotously assembling. They were committed to the Assizes, where, expressing their regret and submitting to the judgment of the Court, they were bound over to come up at the next Assizes for judgement, unless in the meantime they had paid for the grass and abstained from any annoyance to Mr. Speight. Failing to fulfil these conditions, they came up at the March Assizes, 1876, and were sentenced to imprisonment, Oldale for six months, Godson for four months, and Charles Penny and john Oldale for three months each. Since 1876 the public have heard nothing of the Millhouses claimant. He has lived with his family and passed away last week at the age of 79, survived by his wife, an old lady of 80. Had he allowed his supposed rights to remain dormant, he would in his old age have been possessed of some means. He preferred, however, to spend his money in asserting a claim which he, at any rate, believed to be just and legal, but which, founded or unfounded, only led, as such claims too often do, to worry, indiscretion, and financial loss.