Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-12-28
FABULOUS FORTUNES
In England That Make the Mouths
Of Alleged American
Heirs Water and Their POCketb00ks
Bleed.
FiOurishing Frauds PraCticsd Upon
the Credulous.

Auo JT6uuiUuSs
WASHINGTON, d. c., December 26.-A
paper on the subject of unclaimed estate
in England, prepared under the direction
of Minister Lowell, by Mr.. Henry White,
one OF the American Secretaries Of Lega-
ton, has been sent by the President to
Congress, with other State papers.
There seems to be no doubt" Mr.. White
says, that many are led to believe them
selves heir to vast estates in Great Britain
BY designing persons on both sides of the
ocean, who, with view to personal gain,
insert notices in local newspapers in the
United States to the effect that large prop
erty left BY person of the same name
with that of some we'll known family OF
the district or of some exceedingly com.
mon name likely to occur anywhere, such
as Smith or Jones, or who distribute, far
and wide, lists of unclaimed estates, which
do not exist. Large Gums Of money are
annually thrown away b. the dupes of these
advertisements and fictitious lists, and
handsome revenue is made by the agents,
as they cali themselves for the discovery
Of lost heirs and the recovery OF unclaimed
estates.
THE MoDUs oPERASDI
usually adoped By these agents is to ask
frat for remittance OF two or three
pounds to cover the cost of copying the will
upon which the claim purports TO be based,
then large sum for the expense Of insti
tutiDg inquiries, and at each successive
Stage more blsckmail is levied, the CORES.
pondence being so cleverIy conducted that
several years frequently elspse before the
fraud Is discovered. None should con-
tribute q dollar to unknown agents
especially toward any expenses connected
with establishing claims to estates in this
country until inquiry has been made Of
counsel here first, as to the existence of
The estate aud then as TO the chances OF
its recovery. l sm told by reputable So
licitors that
NOT ONE CLAIM IN A THOUSAND
of all kere referred to them by the lega-
ton has had any validity whatever, and
very few during their long experiences Of
claims from America have been success.
full.
The paper is a long one and the subject
is.treated extensively. Mr.. White says
the archives Of the legation show that
considerable proportion OF its foreign cor
respondence liz composed Of letters upon
this subject. Mr.. White describes the re-
suits Of inquiry relating to the "Jennins es-
tate" to which there were many American
claimants, showing that the property went
to the heirs long before the American
claimants were ever heard OF and that the
latter never had the shadow of title,
Moreover, had the title been good one it
would have long since been worthless BY the
operation of
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
ANY attempts, therefore, continued
Mr.. White, Ito recover real estate from
the Crown, or individuals, after lapse Of
twelve years, (which may be extended to
thirty under certain circumstances) and
personal property after lapse of twenty
years, however valid the claim may have
been originally, is certain to end in fail.
ure." All the members consequently OF
the "Jennins Association Of the United
States of America" may rest assured that
their subscriptions are simply
MONEY THROWN AWAY
if their object be the recovery OF the Jen:
Minis estate Recently letter was received
from the members of the aforesaid Jen-
Minis Association, who had Just been mott.
fed that a general assessment Of IS had
been levied for the year ending June 80,
1884, and who, before paying the same, in
ouired whether the legation could furnish
any information regarding the Jennin's
estate said to be pending before the Court
Of Chancery in England. The letter
enclosed sundry interesting documents
emansting from the association, in one of
which it is stated that the finance COM
mittee are fully satisfied with our agents
progress in the case, and further on, that
it becomes necessary for each and every
member Of this association To respond with
cash as literally as their means will afford,
to carry our case to final issue, which we
have every reason to believe will be sue.
cessful provided the funds be furnished.
Similar to this case are the Hedges es.
tate" the Bradford estate" the Hyde
estate" the Horne estate, and many
others which are described as among the
ordinary myths, by which so many OF our
countrymen have been beguiled.
With regard TO
LARGE SUNS SUPPOSED TO BE AWAITING
American claimants in the Bank Of Eng
land, Mr.. White quotes from letter
written by the chief accountant OF that In
stitulion US follows:
There are no large amounts OF un-
claimed stock or dividends standing IN our
books. Speaking generally, without hav
ing made an exhaustive research which
would involve some considerable labor,
there are very few amounts Of one thous'
and pounds and probably none that ex
coed this sum by more than one hundred
or two hundred pounds. And
IL REGAsD TO The FABULOUS FORTUNES
locked up in chsncery, be says: TO Judge
from the letters received at this legation
from the United States in reference TO I'M
claimed funds in chspcery, many OF our
coun,rymen must imagine toat institution
10 be a depository OF incslculable millions
a poodly share Of which can be Withdrawn
upon the mere institution Of q claim to
the same by the American Minister
and without requirement BY the court
OF any particulars ss 10 the name OF tss
suit, the relationship Of the claimant tc
the parties mentioned therein or 10 the
original owner OF the estate claimed. Ii
is very rarely that IN any communication
geo, US on this subj ct, smaller sum ID
mentioned than several millions, and FIRE
ouen,ly our correspondents state that they
are entitled to twenty-five, 6tty and ever
more millions
DISAPPOINTING.
1t will doubtless cause surprise and dis
appointment to such as these to be inform
ed that the whole amount Of money IN To
custody of the Court OF Chsncery at th
present time is about $4,000, 900 pounds
Of which 90. 900, OOO belong to owners VII
t are known, leaving about one million onl
: of unclaimed or dormant funds.
What Can be Done.
a nm nOuraO