The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-08-31
HOW PEOPLE HIDE MONEY.

my Tune, Salu an eluerly UoteCtlSo, W
search for money concealed by eccentric
people. There was more of this hiding
away Of cash forty years ago than there
is now, owing probably to the doubtful
character of some of the old savings
banks. Still there is more of it now
than most people suppose, and when
ever bank breaks the teapots and old
stockings come into use again. Then,
too, there are persons who have
delight in concealing money in such
way that they can get sight at it now
and then, or at the place in which it is
concealed.
"What is my method of search? Well.
I can hardly say; in detective work set
methods are only too apt to defeat the
ends for which they are put in operation.
Our proceedings depend wholly upon
circumstances. The character, habits
and surroundings of the concealer have
to be considered. A knowledge of hu.
man nature and an aptitude for perceiv-
ing the significance Of certain classes of
facts are especially needful.
"For instance: I was once sent for
to find the money of man over in New
Jersey who had died suddenly, and left
no visible trace of his wealth. The fam
lily had made careful. systematic
search before arrived. I learned that
he was not misery, and inferred that
he had not used any of those complicat-
ed methods Of concealment which are one
of the miser's chief characteristics.
found that his business took him fire.
formerly been sailor. I asked what
1a Ivy ole nd
'all over the house, adding that they
had fully examined every place in which
he had ever been known to be. Iasked
about his clothing.
"Oh, the oldest possible kind" said
his wife. eve couldn't get him to wear
anything decent"
'May 1 see it,"
"Why, we have been all through il
with knitting needles, and my girls
ripped up the lining everywhere, but
we found nothing, and gave the old
things away"
u insisted, of course, upon seeing the
clothes. You see, sir, reasoned in this
way: The man was not miser, and
therefore had, used no extraordinary
means of concealment; and he constantly
made short journeys from home, SO I
Judge that he carried his money upon
his person. You may set it down as
general rule that most men who conceal
money like to have it as near them as
possible. The fact that he did not desire
to sleep in any particular room showed
that the money was not hidden in a
room. It was neither in his clothing or
buried in the cellar, favorite place for
hiding money. But he had been sail
or. Now, it is characteristic of sailor
not to conceal money on shipboard; the
risk from fire and water are too great.
This feeling would be likely to continue
after he had settled down ashore. Then,
too, sailor is in the habit of carrying
his pay with him. So, you see, there
were good, reasons for my guess. Well,
some one brought the clothes in at last,
and very shabby-Iooking they were. 1
went over them without success until
nv eyes caught the binding. He always
kept them well bound" said his wife:
sailors are good sewers The binding
was wide, but we soon had it off, and
there we found, folded lengthwise and
protected with oiled silk -four 500 bonds.
A systematic search is often not as good
as shrewd guess by an experienced
person.
YES, there are men who concea-
wealth away from their homes. Grim
inals almost all do it. Middle-aged coun
trymen will do it, but when they get old
they are almost sure to hide it near the
spot where they pass most of their time.
Some fifteen years ago I went up to
a farm house in Orange county, attbe re-
quest of the heirs, to look for money.
The deceased had had no striking char
acteristics for my purpose, and, after
trying several lines Of search for three
days, grew doubtful. His riding sad.
die had been ripped open, his boot
heels knocked off for diamonds, his soles
split up and his upholstery pulled to
pieces. Bricks had been taken out, the
hearth torn up and the wainscotings
pulled down. Even the backboards Of
picture frames had been taken out, and
the boys had dug around the roots of
every tree in the orchard, but still no
money bad been found. The reward
was too large to be lost, but was near
ly at my wits end. Finally I asked for
q horse and wagon. wanted to drive
about a bit and settle my mind. ASH
rode off the brother Of the deceased
said: you'll find the farm well laid
off; he surveyed it himself"
Those words kept coming to nv mind.
The man hadn't concealed the money in
the house, that was evident; nor in the
barn, for he seldom went there. Why
should he use the roots of trees r stones
II he knew how to survey? The thought
came like fash. Where was the Old
gentleman in the habit of eittinp7'
ssked. oh. he most always sat by that
window said the brother, but we've
pulled everything to pieces around
there Sit down Just as he did, The
man sat down. In which direction Was
he most apt to look7' Nowhere in par
ticular; out of the window GENERALLY,
Toward the barn?' No, in this way I
followed the look; it was in the line of
an old, used up pump. which way did
he walk when he went out to the feld?'
over to the pump, and then made a
bee line for the pond These answers
had a certain signii canoe. Men like to
have place of concealment in sight.
and it is we'll known that they will often
walk over money they have buried to
gee that the sod is undisturbed. I had
the pump taken up and excavations
made but no money. The pump was re-
placed. entered the room once more
and stood by the window. Suddenly
saw faint but peculiar looking mark
on the sill; it was a surveyors point.
I lined it up to the pump, measured
out to the exact centre. of tie line, and
the digging began. A two-inch steam
pipe was struck at depth of four feet.
The end was plugged; took home
$500 bill that night.
u had curious case two years ago.
A wealthy man had been attacked with
partial paralysis. and his speech and
the greater part Of his memory had left