Connecticut western news., 1883-08-29
HOW PEOPLE HIDE MONEY
A DETECTIVES REMIN1scENcEs.

A DETECTIVES "REMINISCENCES.
 'sI have been sent for very often in my time," said an elderly detective, s'to 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 whenever bank breaks the teapots and old stock ings 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.
 tsWhat is my method of search We'll, I can hardly say; in detective work set methods are only too apt to de- feat the ends for which they are put in operation. Our proceedings depend wholly upon circumstances. The char acter, habits, and surroundings of the concealer have to be considered. A knowledge of human nature and an apt itude for perceivipg the significance of certain classes of facts are especially needful.
 stFor instance was once sent for to find the money of a man over in New Jersey who had died suddenly, and left no visible trace of his wealth. The family had made careful, systematic search before I arrived. I learned that he was not miserly, and inferred that he had not used any of those complicated methods of concealment which are one of the miser's chief characteristics. I found that his business took him fre- quently from home, and that he had for merly been sailor. I asked what room he usually slept in, and they said, 'all over the house, adding that they had fully examined every place in which he had ever been known to be. I asked about his clothing.
 "sOh, the oldest possible kind,' said his wife. We couldn't get him to wear anything decent
 " May see it ?
 !" "sWhy, we have been all through 1t with knitting needles, and my girls ripped up the Innings everywhere, but we found nothing, and gave the old things away.
 TT insisted. of course, upon seeing the clothes. You see, sir. I reasoned in this way: The man was not miser, and therefore had used no extraordinary means of concealment; and he constant ly made short journeys from home, so I judged that he carried his money upon his person. You may set down as gen. eral rule that most men who conceal money like to have it as near them as possible. The fact that he did not de- sire to sleep in any particular room showed that the money was not hidden in room. It was either,ia his clothing or buried in the cellar, favorite place for hiding money. But he had been a sailor. Now, it is characteristic of & sailor not to conceal m oney on shipboard; the risks 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. We'll, some one brought the clothes in at last, and very shabby-look- ing they were. I went over them with out success until my eye caughts flie binding. He always kept thenaSwell bound, said his wife; sailors ares good sewers The binding was wide, but we soon had it of, and there we found, folded lengthwise and protected with oiled silk, four $1, ,00O bonds. A syste- matic search is often not as good as a shrewd guess by an experienced person.
 "Yes, there are men who conceal wealth away from their homes. Crimi- nals almost always do it. Middle-aged countrymen 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 weht up to farm house in Orange county, at the request of the heirs, to look for money. The deceased had had no striking char acteristics for my purpose, and, after try ing several lines of search for three days, grew doubtful. His riding sad. de had been ripped open, his bootheels knocked of for diamonds, his soles split up and his upholstery pulled to pieces. Bricks had been taken out, the hearth torn up, and the wainscoatings pulled kha Aan rlo ~f al, frames had been taken out, and the boys had dug around the roots of every tree in the orchard, but still no money had been found. The reward was toe large to be lost, but was nearly at m, wits end. Finally, asked for horse and wagon. I wanted to drive about , bit and settle my mind. As rode of the hEotherof tho decsaeed said, sYoul