Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-08-25
ALOST PEARL.

tons are used yearly.
LOST PEARL.
Searching for an Heir to . Large
Fortune--Is He LivingOr Dead.
Mr.. M. @. Gray OF 0nondaga county,
New York, arrived in this city last night,
saws the Louisville Co,irir-Journal, in
search of the heir to large estate in that
place. The story OF the man for whom
he is in search and of the fortune which
awaits a claimant as detailed by Mr..
Gray tos reporter is one Of deep interest.
About twenty years ago Frank Pearl,
young man about twenty, who was con.
sidered rst5er wild by his family, lett
his home in Onondaga county, near
Syracuse, New York, for the west, win
the intention of securing Tor himself an
uppermost round on LIES ladder. de
adjourned about from one place 10
another, keeping up desultory ana
Ilopg-interrupted communication with
his relatives until about the close OF the
war. when he returned to the place OF
his nativity. Here he found only one
brother, Silas Pearl, professerin charge
of a school there, who had accumulated
a respectable fortune, and whose family
consisted of a wife and one daughter.
Frank was well liked by his elder
brother, Notwithstanding his rowing ana
thriftless propelsities. de represented
to him and his family that he was tnen
living in Louisville and was connecteu
with some railroad in the capacity Oh
conductor. He was still unmarried and
protracted his visit several days. While
there his brother Silas concluded 10
maze his will, which. he executed, anu
divided his property equally between
his wife, daughter and brother. FRANK
returned to Louisville, and
CORRESPONDENCE WAS THEN ESTABLISHED,
and continued between the two brothers
until about seven years ago. In one OF
these letters Frank conveyed the IN
formation that he had married a Ken
lucky lady, describing her as being
rather small, with black eyes ana very
handsome. -,
About 1874 the letters from Louisville
ceased and all trace OF Frank was lost.
A few wears after this, about four years
ago, the daughter died, when Silas add
ed a codicil to his will, leaving his estate
to his wife and the absent though still
loved brother. Silas frequently wrote
here and sometimes to Frankfort, from
which place some OF the letters formerly
received from Frank had come, but
never received an answer, and finally
concluded that he was dead. Last Janu-
ary Silas was stricken with fatal Ill
ness, and being firmly convinced that
Frank did not live to share his bounty,
made preparations to again alter the
testamentary disposition OF his property
and leave his wife sole devisee. These
changes were made and the golden IN.
heritance was about to slip from the
hands OF the wandering heir when old
Silas died before his signature was attix-
ed to the last will This OF course lett
the one bequeathing the wealth to the
wife and brother, or the survivor, IN
force. The investments OF the school.
teacher had appreciated in value and
the comfortable means OF which he was
possessed when his last will was made
had grown into
A FORTUNE OF 100000,
the bulk of which was in government
bonds deposited in the county bank.
Letters were Immediately written to
this point in the hope Of discovering
Frank, but in about sixty days they
came back from the dead-letter office at
Washington. Advertisements were in
serted in all the Eastern papers inqulr-
ing OF the whereabouts OF the lost heir,
but met with no response. Mrs. Pearl
had about reached the conclusion that
she was the only heir to her husbands
property. About this time, some six
weeks ago, this lady took sick, and, IN
few days, funeral cortege was ap-
parently the last vestige OF the owners
of large fortune. The property went
into possession OF the Probate Court and
was turned over to the county clerk to
await renewed efforts to discover the
only possible person who now takes 1t.
This is briefly the story OF how Frank
Pearl,
IF he IS NOW LIVING.
is a rich man. II he is not living pei
hsps he has wife and children TO whom
the legacy will come as divine dispense
ton. Where is he, or where are theyF
Mr.. Gray was employed by the attorneys
in charge OF the estate to come out here
on the ground from where the last detin-
tie intelligence concerning him was OBJ
tanned and bring him to light if possible.
He passed through CiBcinnati day be.
fore yesterday and spent the day among
railroad men there, but none OF them
b ID even heard of Pearl. Although his
family was under the impression that ne
was conductor, the legal gentlemen in
/ Charge of the estate think it more likely
: that he was a brakeman. The Louis
vile Directory for 1874, the year in
which he was last heard from, contains
but one name OF Pearl, a servant girl.
| One would not suppose that this was
very uncommon name, yet in the direct
cries of this city of lao, 900 inhabitants
! for the last eleven years the name does
! not occur at all in some, and but once
or twice in others. Mr.. Cry is stopping
at the Gait house, and any information
of this man, whom somebody hear must
have known, can be communicated to
! him