The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-10 00:00:00

UNCLAIMED DIVIDENDS.

TO THE EDITOR OF 'THE SUN.
SlR,—The remarks which recently appeared in
your paper, on the subject of unclaimed dividends,
are much to be commended. The evidence produced
on the trial of Barber, Fletcher and Co shows the
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injustice, if :not absurdity, of the system at present
adopted by the Bank. It was there stated by Miss
Ann Slack, that until this forgery was brought to
light, she never knew of her being entitled to the
3,500/. in question, and was receiving the dividends
on other stock at the Bank of England, without the
least intimation being given to her of her right to
this other money. Now, Miss Ann Slack,had it not
been for this circumstance, would, in all probability,
have gone to the grave quite ignorant on this point,
although it was known that she was the legal
claimant.

For aught we know, there are at this time many
poor creatures, in a state of actual starvation, en-
titled to thousands of this unclaimed property; and
who, for want of the required information, are
doomed to end their miserable existence in some ob-
scure garret, or (the last resource of the wretched)
a workhouse. Most persons of property are tena-
cious, while living, of disclosing their wealth ; they
often neglect to make a will until the last mo-
ment, and then, in sa imperfect a manner, that a
correct; detail of the property is never got at. The
survivor finds his relative possessed money in some
particular stock, and goes to the Bank to claim it
accordingly, but should there be more money invested
by the same party in other portions of the funds,
he gets no information about it, and very often loses
it altogether.
Again, the secresy observed by the Bank on these
matters is not the least security against frauds, as
was shown on the late occasion, where a person hold-
ing a responsible situation in that establishment, fur-
nished the delinquents with the necessary information
which enabled them ultimately to complete their ne-
farious designs, so that this man's rank in life was no
proof of his being above temptation. Had a list of
these dividends been published, the right owner would
probably have appeared long ago, and these forgeries
not have happened.
I differ entirely with you where you propose that
after certain publicity, and a lapse of time stated,
they should revert to Government altogether. The
Government might have the use of them after the
adoption of the above proposals ; but they ought (at
all events for a long term of years) to be open to
claimants ; and if an office (similar to that of Doctors'
Commons) were established for the registry of " Un-
claimed Stock and Dividends," where, upon payment
of a small fee, every person had the facility of exa-
mining the books, the Government would be spared
the odium of being charged with suppressing that
necessary information which the public are justly en-
titled to, and much general dissatisfaction allayed.
I remain, Sire your obedient servant,
POPULUS

DREADFUL DEATH BY FlRE.—Yesterday, Mr.
Baker held an inquest at the London Hospital on Mary
Woolnough, aged forty-eight, a married woman, of Hatt-
street, Barking. Police-constable 246 Ii said, that on Sun-
day night, between eleven and twelve o'clock, he was going
along Hatt-street, when he heard cries of " police, mur-
der," and going in their direction he perceived a strong light
through the upper window of deceased's house, the door of
which lie forced open and found
_the interior full of smoke.
He went up stairs and found deceased lying on the landing,
with her head downwards on the steps, her clothes nearly
burnt off, and a bundle of linen lying smouldering by her
side. He extinguished the flames, and, procuring a horse
and cart, he brought her to that hospital. Mi. Gill, the
house-surgeon, said deceased was admitted on Monday morn-
ing between two and three o,.clock, dreadfully burned on the
back and lower extremities, and she died in two hours after-
wards of shock to the system caused by the burns.—Verdict,
" Accidental death."
ROYAL ARTILLERY.—Brevet-Major Otway's corn-
pany, 3d battalion, proceeded from Roff's wharf at the early
hour of two o'clOck on Tuesday morning, by one of the
Woolwich steam-packets to London, and from Euston-
square, by railway, en route to Ireland, to relieve Captain
Gosling's company, Bth battalion, preparatory to the return
of the latter company to head-quarters at Woolwich, to hold
themselves is readn' ten to proceed to a foreign station