Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-30
Dormant Funds I'm Chancery.
ILondon Times.I


The list OF unclaimed funds in chaneery,
which nrprsis as q su.rleulent 10 the Lon
don Gastite, will provide some Interesting
reading. and convey little Information to
that large class Of the community which Is
constantly expecting 10 come across some
hidden End, either in forgotten legacy or
in the still more usual form Of sur
yiying next Of kin. This list appears
triennislly, in accordance with the no.
visions oil "the Court OF Chancery funds
act OF 1872" and the present issue will
compare most iayorably with that which
preceded il in 1881, as regards both method
OF arrangement and copiousneSs OF iniorml-
top. Whereas the earlier publication
only gave the nsmes, and then IN the most
fragmentary way, without any attempt at
alphabetical arrangemenf-realizins what
he French wit said 81 metaphysics, +" Tart
de Jt1dYer dtec methode n-the present Us.
tells is own story in simple, straiS htior-
ward. and convenient fashion. The ar
rargoment OF the names Is, in the first
place, strictly Alphabetical, and, la the Sc
cond, the rames OF all parties concerned in
the different plants and cases are given
With cross references. lu addition TO this
essential information the year OF opening
each account Is recorded, while IN another
column appears the date OF the latest
transaction in each case. Those who may
imagine that they possess legal clam 10
some OF these dormant funds arc thus pro-
yided with a certain amount OF informa-
ton In ahighly accessible form. aud quite
sufficient In most cases TO enable them TO
institute the preliminaries toward estab-
fishing their rights. One important item,
10 which we shall refer later ON, Is, indeed,
a AZ Of Of cial oro
omiu.., -: but by the nature OF
IN no case pubnsns~ ~-'auut az the
The enact caent the minimum n...-
casss included in this list Is $50. II is ai.V
confined 10 those funds which have lain
dormant for fifteen years.
Very few persons have any conception
Of the enormous sums OF money which pass
2 through the hands OF the Paymaster Gem
ersl Ia Cbaneery, and Of which very con-
siderable proportion remains permanently
nader his control through the deccase OF
The parties Immediately interested aud tue
absence Of the next OF sin. - iar as the
tourt G. Cianeery Is concerned, Il co-..,1
do nothing towards restoring 70 their right
full owners those properties which, from
yniors causes, had been placed and had
rtualned in lie Golfers as the highest re-
posltory Of absolute security and public
faith. SO long as the actual litigants. trus-
tees, or wards survive there Is always the
guarantee OF the effectual discharge OF an
onerous trust, and with II the conference
on the public Of an enormous and In many
cases quite iaestImable obligation. But
cpce case Ia dormant, from whatever
GAUGE, the court can take no initiative, and
the funds or properly originally confded
10 II IN trust remain practically lnaeeessi-
bic 10 those who would be lis rightiul own
ers. The publication Of these trisnnial
lists Is the first step yet taken towards Ia.
e.litoting the discovery and recovery Of
these funds, which represent Ger.
tain End increasing percentage OF the
cbancery returns. Those returns show
. pteody and continual growth, ana al
though there are no published data 20 TO
veal the exact amount Of dormant funds,
there isno doubt that Il swells In proper
ton 10 The total payments into the chan
cefy exchequef. The latest official returns
Of ehaucery payments aud receipts show
thai whereas In February, 1873. there was
Balance In hanc OF ec5,30o, IA, thls sun
ha6 Yis<n ct the end OF February, 1893. Ia
The course OF ten years, 70 .f77, so, go, re-
presenting IN increase Of more than El2,-
COCO IN that portion OF the national capital
which, n not absolutely unsructiiylng,
d siili inoperatiye for private or public
advantage. OF these kf2.0o0.000 . certain
Derferlaxe Will rcnluin dormant forever,
While Of the whole k77,0o0,000 that were
or tala1aoa n tie esfiy part al Iast year,
IA r. shelt q -, oIoqe comes pn1a'