The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-09-01

CLAIMING VAST EsTATEs.-Pefio1i.
cally. in all sections Of the Unitsd
States, the newspapers are sheratdinn
that this person or that pesscH, o.. this
family or that family, mSy sbe consi.
dered among the fortunate, because an
eztate Of many millions ssiawaiting
ownership We have not escaped suoh
trouble in the South. and SO the New
York Times is to be thanked for throw.
ing some daylight upon this provoking
business. We quote:
The most extraordinary ideas pre-.
vail among q large class of ignorant
persons as to the vast properties await.
ing them in the old country, il they
could but got together the missing
links. The consular authorities OF
Great Britain are often worried out of
their lives by tue visits of persona who
believe, or affect to believe, themselves
entitled to sums which would mike u
Rothsohild's mouth water. OF course,
the gentleman who comes in for the
brunt of these inquiries is the Consul
General at New York. Persons Of both
sexes are continually looking iu on
that much enduring gentleman, to
learn whether few millions have ar-
rived for them, and to suggest that he
should prosecute inquiries in their be-
half-suggestions which, in the ab
sence of cash down, arc apt to BIZ ac-
companied by generous offer of par
titioD, or at least per centnge. on resto-
ration to ancestral halls, or the receipt
OF check in Ave or six figures from
the Bank of England.
There are. moreover. certain fami.
lies who periodically hold meetings.
recalling that cheerful assemblage do.
scribed at the opening of Martin Chnz
zlewit, with the view of composing
the recovery OF "their own ugain;"
but we have never been able to hear OF
q single instance in which a really IA.
tisfactory pecuniary result followed.
In most cases. there is not even sha.
dow of foundation for the claim.
Some time ago, a gentleman bearing
the name of those who C aimed one Of
these estates. having become bored to
distraction With the visits and letters
OF those who represented themselves as
his co-heirs, exhorting him to assist
them in their efforts to recover their
joint Inheritance. determined, with
the view Of bringing the matter to u
climax, to make inquiries through the
most efficient channel. He accord.
ingly put himself in communication
with the agents of Messrs. Barring.
who, through the London solicitors Of
that firm, made the closest inquiries
into the matter. The result was to
ascertain that the colossal fortune was
pure delusion. But there was NO con.
vincing the ignorant claimants. who
are as eager as ever in the wild goose
chase. We imagine that in many
cases these delusions are fostered by
roguish lawyers. A case occurred two
years ago in England illustrative Of
this. It appeared that in the "Black
Country" of Staffordshire, two sharp
ers, who had acquired q smattsring Of
law as clerks in an attorneys Office,
fleeced people out Of incredibly large
sums on pretrxt of prosecuting their
claims. In an instance which came
before the British Consul. General
three years ago, it was evident that the
young woman claiming hoped by this
means to entrap O man in superior
position into marriage with her. and.
possibly, she might have succeeded,
if she had "piled on" rather more
moderately. But nothing is more re-
markable in these ridiculous claims
than the amount at which the claim
ants assess them. This young lady or
her brother was in the habit of Drop
ping in to know "whether the l9, 900,
900 pounds sterling had yet been paid
to her credit" and affected to be quite
surprised when Mr.. Archibald was
forced to confess that this tritle had
not yet come 10 hand.