News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-09-20
HOW PEOPLE HIDE MONEY.
A DETECTIVES "REMINISCENCES.

''I have been sent for very often in
my time" said an elderly detective, ''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
a bank breaks the teapots and old stock
ings come into use again. Then, too,
there are persons who have a delight in
concealing money in such a 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, [ 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 all apt
itude for perceiving the significance OF
certain classes of facts are especially
needful.
"For instance | 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
family had made a careful, systematic
search before / arrived. [ learned that
he was not misery, and inferred that he
had not used any of those complicated |
methods of concealment which are one |
of the miser's chief characteristics 7 |
found that his business took him fre-
o,uenrly frou, howe. and tha5 he had for
merly been a sailor. 1 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, [ asked
about his clothing.
" ooh, the oldest possible kind, said
his wife. we couldn't get him to wear
anything decent.
" May I see -
" why, we have been all through it
with knitting needles, and my girls ripped
up the Innings everywhere, but we found
nothing, and gave the old things away
81 insisted, of course, upon seeing the
clothes. You see, sir, I reasoned in this
way: The man was not a miser, and
therefore had used no extraordinary
means of cOncealment; and he constant
" made short journeys from home, so I
Judged that he carried his money upon
his person. You may set down as a gen.
| eraI 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 a room. 1t was either in his clothing
or buried in the cellar, favOrite place
for hiding money. But he had been a
sailor. Now, it is characteristic of q
sailor not to conceal money 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
|
you see, there were good reasons for my
guess. Well, some one brought the
clothes in at last, and very shabby-look-
ing they were. went over them with
out success until my eye 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 witt
oiled silk, four 81 900 bonds. A syste
matte search is often not as good as {
shrewd guess by an experienced person
eyes, there are men who cOncea
wealth away from their homes. Crimi
nails almost always do it. Middle-ageC
eountrymen will do it, but when they
get old they are almost sure to hide i
near the spot where they pass most o
their time.
"Some fifteen years ago l went up t,
farm house in Orange county, at tn
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 thre
days, | grew doubtful. His riding sad
die had been ripped open, his bootheel
knocked of for diamonds, his soles spli
up and his upholstery pulled to pieces
Bricks had been taken out, the heartl
torn up, and the wainscOatings pulle
down. Even the backboards of picture
= frames had been taken out, and til
boys had dug around the roots of ever
tree in the orchard, but still no none
had been found. The reward was to
large to be lost, hut ] was nearly at m
wits end. Finally, I asked for a hors
and wagon. wanted to drive about
bit and settle my mind. AS I rode of
the brother of the deceased said, You
find the farm well laid of, hs smveye
it himself
''Those words kept coming to N
mind. The man hadn't concealed til
money in the house, that was evident
nor in the barn, for heseldom went thert
, WHY shonId he use the roots of trees {
stones. if he knew how to survey III
| thought came like flash.
"'Where was the old gentleman in Il
habit of sittng?' l asked,
'.Oh. he almost always sat :
that window. said the brother, 'bl