The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-09-07
mi iscolIane O vi q.
Curious Pick-Ups.

The pick-ups, the findings, from under
ground or under sea, or in hidden places
above ground comprise a strange medley
of the odd and choice, appealing to the
tastes or the pockets of persons filling
widely diverse positions in society. The
drains and sewers, for instance; can more
lowly and uncomfortable treasure. house
than this be found? Rat-killing by dogs,
in an inclosed space surrounded by the
toughest rogues, is a savage exhibition,
unfortunately not yet died out amongst us.
The exhibitors purchase the live rats at so
much per dozen from men who grope
along the filthy sewers in search of them;
and in Paris especially, dead rats are
brought up from the same unseemly regions
and placed in the hands of skinners and
tanners, who manage to get out of them
strong, and good-looking pieces of leather
suitable for the manufacture of gloves
The great changes made in recent years in
London by the extensive Main Drainage
Works have deprived the sewer grubbers
of much of their chance but in the old
sewers the pick-ups were often strange
enough. Dead infants, q dead seal, cats
and dogs both alive and dead, spoons,
tobacco-boxes, children's playthings, bad
half: and shillings, sets of false teeth,
washing bowls, mops, human heads and
limbs which had been thus hidden from
view, are among these discoveries.
A laborer, digging drain on farm on
the estate of the late Lord Palmerston,
found golden troque or tongue, an an
cient British necklace. 1t was ascertained
that the original grant of the estate gave
to the grantee, as lord of the manor, a
right to all treasure-trove found therein;
the veteran statesman established his claim
but took care that the finder should not
60 unrewarded. A ploughman working
near Horndean in Hants, found more than
hundred old silver coins in an earthen
jar underneath the surface of the ground;
the lord of the manor gave to the finder
the intrinsic value of the coins as mere
silver, and then had to fight battle with
the Crown as to who ought to possess the
coins themselves. One find near Highgate,
was very remarkable, on account of the
strange manner in which the veritable
owner made his appearance. Laborers,
grubbing up tree in field found two
jars containing nearly four hundred SOW
ereigns; they divided the money among
themselves, and were then taken aback by
the lord Of the manor claiming it. Before
this claim could be investigated, trades.
man came forward and stated that one
night, under temporary delusion, he had
gone out buried the money; when he
awoke, and for some time afterwards, he
tried in vain to recollect the locality lie
had selected, and only obtained clue
| when he heard "a rumor of the finding OF
four hundred sovereigns. He was able to
bring forward sufficient evidence in sup
port of his singular story; and his claim
was admitted.
On different occasions, in 1864, the
Crown put in claims for treasure trove-a
gold coin found at Long Crendon in Buck
inghampshire slxty-two gold coins found
in an earthen jar in O field at Stockerston,
Leicestershire no less than six thousand
pennies of the time of Henry III. found at
Eccles near Manchester; and seven hun
dred and sixty silver coins earthed up at
Newark. The next year following gave
| the Crowna claim to a hundred and eighty
silver coins of the reigns Of Mary, Eliza
beth, James /. and Charles /. found at
Grantham; and to gold cross and chain
brought to light at Castle Bailey, Glare, in
| Suffolk. The years 1866 and 1867 were
marke ed among other instances, by the find
ing of nearly seven thousand small silver
and gold coins at Highbury, near London;
eight guineas concealed in the wall of an
old house at East Farley near Christ
Church, Hants; and two hundred and sixty
old silver coins in house at Lichfeld.-
In other years there were nine hundred
silver coins found at Cumberford, lin Stat.
| fordshire: and eleven Iose nohles fnund in
the cloisters of Westminster Abbey
These several instances of treasure trove
were settled in various ways. Some of the
findings were returned by the Crown to
the finders some were sold to the British
Museum, in manner to place an bonora.
rum in the finders pocket; some were
presented to museums, and the money
value given to the finders some are re.
tanned by the Grown, as antiquarian curl os
tiles; while one has been handed over tc
the descendants of a former owner.
Seven or eight years ago two laborine
men found a very ancient gold chain
which they sold to q dealer who knew the
value better than they did; the un
lucky men Jared badly in this instance
seeing that they were punished for selling
the "fnd". without giving notice to thu
uthorities-rather hard lines for rustics
who are not likely to know much about til,
law of treasure-troye. In another case
poor man found pair of ancient Irisl
bracelets; he sold them as old silver to
silyersmith. who melted them down at one