Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-02-05
A Strange Story.

AND THE FINDER RETURNS IT TO HIS
WIDOW.
The New York Herald publishes the
following strange story:
Five years ago Mr.. Homer E. Sawyer
came to this city from Boston. He stop
ped at Belmont Hotel, in Fulton street.
He had $3.50 in bank bills, which for
safe keeping he carried in his pantaloons
watch pocket, and, to make assurance
doubly sure as to its safety, he kept his
pocket pinned. But en- route to New Or
leans, he went to railroad office, bought
a ticket, took out his money, paid for
the ticket, returned the remaining roll
to his watch pocket, carefully pinned it
as before, and returned to his hotel.-I
He shortly missed his money, but on ex
animation found his pocket pinned. The
only conclusion he could come to was
that he placed the roll of bills inside
the waist of his pantaloons, instead of
iu his watch pocket, and thus lost it
This was on January s, 1864. 1t rained
hard all day. The supposition was that
the money got mixed up with the slush
of snow and mud of the streets, and
with the street refuse for they cleaned
the streets in those days-would find its
way to some dumping ground, an ire
mediable loss.
"What shall / do about it?" he asked
Mr.. j. P. Richards, proprietor of the
Belmont Hotel, after reeiting to him his
loss.
"Advertise it in the Herald" an
swered the keenly penetrative Mr.. Rich
ards.
| The loss of money, though with no
statement of the amount, was advertised
as Mr.. Richards suggested, the finder to
call on Mr.. Richards. There came no
response to the advertisement Mr.
Sawyer went to New Orleans, where two
years ago he died of yellow fever. That
advertisement was seen in the Herald.
The finder remembered Remembered
the name of Mr.. Richards to whom the
information was asked to be given, re-
membered the hotel, remembered every
thing but giving back the money. The
memory, in fact, haunted him, followed
him through five years. The struggles
of conscience none can know. He de-
termined to restore the money, but with
the determination resolved not to let
himself be known. He wrote q note,
without signature, to Mr.. Richards, ask
ing him to specify in the Herald "per-
sonal" particulars of theloss of the mon
ey and to whom it belonged. This let
ter Mr.. Richards received on the 4th of
December last. In the next mornings
Herald he inserted the following "per-
sonal."
MONEY LosT-On Broadway, five
years ago, Ga snowy day,) about $500
in greenbacks; owner is dead; any COM
munication for his widow, who is invery
needy circumstances, will be gratefully
received by S. ?. R., for Mrs. Sawyer.
The above was not sufficiently explic-
it. Another letter by the same anony-
nous hand, was written to Mr.. Richards,
upon which the following personal" was
published:
Alive YEARS AGO MONEY LOST.
Mrs. III. E. Sawyer, III Warren ave
nue., Boston; amounting to $3.50 small
est bill $50; the roll might have separa-
ted in losing. j. P. r.
But yet the anonymous letter waiter
was not satisfied. He wanted to know
more about the death of the original
owner of the money and the date of his
marriage. The name of the Waters
was signed to this third note, with spe-
cial request that the answer should be
directed to this address, SO there could
be no mistake that he was holding his
communications with the same party.
The following third personal was the re-
suit of these inquiries:
WATERs.-H. Z. S.-Married Oct %.
1855, Hopkinton, Mass, by Rev. E. S.
Hill died Oct. 10, 1867, at New Orleans,
of yellow fever. The remains were
1 brought to Mass. and inferred. By ex-
press to III Warren avenue.
In the fourth note the money finder
for there could be no doubt of course but
this was the individual writ ing them
1 asks about the circumstances of the Wild
ow of the one losing the money, the ex-
pense of advertising, and if there is no
| shadow of doubt that she is the widow of
the original owner of the money. This
calls out the following personal:
III. E. S. is THE RIGHT PERSON.
can give bonds to that effect. Her only
means of support is singing in church
Paid ad't s16. JPR
1t is unnecessary to trace this story
outin all its minute details. The anony-
nous letter writer became satisfied with
the correctness of Mr.. Richards state
ment- And we come to the end. A Ia
" i II Il