Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-10
MILLIONS IN THEIR MINDS.
Wandering Helr> Looking Amer city Prop
erty Owned by other People
lPhilalelphia Inquirer.

iPhitaielphia Inquirer
II remember that when | was Mayor
there was an old woman who used 20 come
g. the Mayors ofiiee nearly every day.
She always sought an interview with me
aud would talk over how she was 20 get
possession Of certain valuable tracts OF
land right ia the heart OF the city that she
said she owned. but was unlawfully kept
out Of. She ina agined she owned the May
or's ogice. the State-house and the court
buildings and all OF Independence Square
AWAY listened attentively 20 her. and
would SAY. It's too bad This would
please her and she would leave apparently
satisfied that she would get her rights some
day. She efTd take possession of a vacant
house on Dock street somewhere once, and
the owner had great deal Of trouble TO
get her out; finally one day, while she was
looking after her vast estates, he got In
one Of the windows and put key in the
key-hole OF the door lock and she couldn't
get in. She came and told me about her
trouble and sympathized with her and she
took IL Just as II it were another scheme To
defraud her.
"A man called on me recently and rep
resented that he had large undivided in
terest in large property in the center of
the city. He told me his great grand
father formerly owned the land, and, after
wanting % borrow money on his interest,
he finally directed me To clear up the title
for him. have an application before me
now from a man who claims he owns the
property on Market street, in West Phila-
delphia. He specifies the location Of the
property and complains that the trustees
Of a certain church have taken possession
OF the property. | thought because he
was SO explicit in his charges that there
was something wrong in it, but upon in
vsstigation .ound that there was no truth
In what he claimed.
Il have bad repeated visits from parties
who ;complained tnat either the executors
or administrators Of relatives estates were
keeping them out OF their share of the
property land in every instance have al
ways found that the story was without
basis. Frequently persons who imagine
ths have inherited property seek
out tombstones in the OLD grave
yards about the city for the purpose
Of establishing their identity and furnish
iuz the missing link OF their relationship
with some one who they suppose has left
them property. Not long ago we'll
dressed woman came 70 me claiming 70 be
the only heir 70 property in the heart OF
the business portion Of the city, which il
she owuei would make her worth 5000. :
0o She todd me- she could prove her re-
iationship by the inscriptions on some
.,~,,l.affr,as in the graveyard OF the old
swedish Church. Nearly AL the real es
tate ia this city concluded the ex-Mayor,
eis held under goodsitles. - that's it's safe
- say thar when any one presents them
selves and MAKES claim tn some property
which they say WAS iest % them years ago.
Va know shat their claim i purely mag
mary. There are cases where persons have
come 60 me claiming ~ b. the heirs II 80
tates In En-.ani, where toe claims were
founded ga fact. and have recovered
several English estates for heirs in this
ss,untry.~