The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-27
The Conditions Under Which Real and Person.
al Property May Be Secured-American
Should Keep Their Money at Home.
Stationery for Members of Congress, and
How the Business Is Managed.
The Fight Made by Congressman Cobb ant
Others in Behalf of Bedford Building
Stone-The Presidents Receptions.
UNCLAIMED ENGLISH ESTATES.

UNCLAIMED ENGLISH ESTATES.
Official Information Which Is of Great In
terest to Expectant American Heirs.
WAsHINGToN, Dec. ga paper on the sub
ject of unclaimed estates in England, prepared
under the direction of Minister Lowell, by Mr.
Henry White one of the American secretaries of
legation, has been sent by the President to Con-
gress with other state papers. 'There seems to
be no doubt" Mr. White says, 'that many are
led to believe themselves heirs to vast
estates in Great Britain by designing per-
sons on both sides of the ocean, who,
with view to personal gain, insert notices
in local newspapers of tho United States, to the
effect that a large property, left by person Of
the same name with that of some well-known
family Of the district, of some exceedingly
common name likely to occur anywhere, such
as Smith or JONES' and who distribute far
and wide lists of unclaimed estates which
do not exist Large sums of money are
annually thrown away by the dupes of
these advertisements and fictitious claims, and
handsome revenues are made by the agents, as
they call themselves, for the discovery of lost
property and the recovery of unclaimed estates.
The modus operandi usually adopted by these
agents is to ask. first, for remittance of f2 or
f3 sterling, to cover the cost of copying the will
upon which the claim purports to be based
and at each successive stage more black
mail is levied, the correspondence be-
ing cleverly conducted that
several years often pass before the fraud is
discovered. I am told by reputable solicitors
hat 1o;, Ill
ferred to them by the legation has any stability
whatever"
The paper is long one, and the subject is
treated exhaustively. Mr.. White says the ar
chives of the legation show that a con-
siderable proportion Of its foreign
correspondence is composed of letters upon
this subject. Mr.. White describes the results
of inquiries relating to the Jennings estate" t
which there were many American claimants,
showing that the property went to the heirs at
law long before the American claimants were
heard of, and that the latter never had shadow
of title to it. Moreover. had the title once
been good one, it would long since have be-
come worthless by the operation of the
statute Of limitations Any attempts there
fore" continues Mr. White, Ito recover real es-
of twelve years (which may be extended to
thirty under the circumstances, and personal
property after lapse of twenty years, however
valid the claim of the person making the attempt
may have been originally is certain to end in
failure. All members, consequently, of the Jen-
nings Association of the United States Of
America may rest assured that their subscrp.
tions simply money thrown away-if their
object be the recovery of the Jennings estat
Recently a letter was received from member Of
the aforesaid Jennings Association, who had
just been notified that general assessment of
s. had been levied for the year ending June 80,
1884, and who, before paying the same, inquired
whether the lega tion could furnish any infor-
nation regarding the Jennings estate, said
to be pending before the Court of Chan
Gerry in England The letter inclosed
sundry interesting documents emanatiting from
the association in of which 1t is stated
that the Finance committee are fully satisfied
with our progress in the case;" and further on
that it becomes necessary for each and every
member of this association to respond with cash,
as liberal as their means will Afford to carry our
case to final issue, which we have every reason
to believe will be successful, provided the funds
be furnished" Similar to this case
are the Hedges estate, the Brad
ford estate" the Clyde estate
the Horn estate, and many others. which are
described rs among 'the ordinary myths by
which SO many of our eountrymen have been
beguiled." With regard to large sums supposed
to be awaiting American claimants in the Bank
of England, Mr. White quotes from a letter
written by the chief accountant of that institu
ton as follows:
There no large amounts of unclaimed
stock or dividends standing our books. Speak
ing generally, without having made an exhaust
i've research, which would involve some consd-
erable labor, there are very few accounts of
e. G00 and probably that exceed this sum
by more than fI00 or E200 1t is very rarely
that, in any communication sent Us on this sub
ject a smaller sum is mentioned than several
millions. and frequently our correspondents
state that they entitled to G20 900 900, ESQ.,
coo, 600, and even more millions. 1t will doubt
less cause surprise and disappointment to such
as these to be informed that the total amount of
money in the custody of the Court of Chancery
at the present time is about GS4 00O O0O Of
which f83 600 900 belong to owners who are
known leaving about 81, 100000 only of un-
claimed funds.
How Americans Are DupeG.
New York Special.
New York always has large class of peonle