Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-29
A CABINET OF SECRETS.
Strange Tales Of Error and Misery the
state Department has Failed to Probe.

strange rates OF Error Ano IutsoEy sho
state Department has Failed to Probe.
Prom the Ne,o Yoyh San.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.-Few would
imagine that there was anything under
the roof OF the state Department that
could excite the softer emotions OF
humanity. One OF Us branches is COM
monty associated with awesome inter-
national secrets, diplomatic dignity, and
| primeval silence; the other with
consular reports and monotonous mer-
camille transactions. But in the
room of DR.. st. Clair, Chief OF
the Consular Bureau, there, is cabinet,
the contents OF which suggest tears and
sorrow, deaths in strange lands, mans
waywardness and woman's devotion. The
collection is simply that OF the effects,
trinkets and papers Of American citizens
who have died abroad, their abode ana
relatives in this country being unknown.
| The United States Consuls send these
relics to the Consular Bureau. 1t insti-
tutes searches for heirs or friends of the
mysterious deceased.
There is now a current advertisement
in the papers for the heirs of Joseph Hell
desberger, who died In Havana. Some
curious cases have been developed in the
endeavOrs TO establish the identity of
Americans who have died at consular
stations without removing the veil OF
mystery enVeloping their past careers.
Some years ago Mark Hamilton
died at Nice, France. He had lived
there in the opuence OF retired
lie, in questionable intimacy with a wo-
man. His name was presumed to be an
alias. After his demise and the usual
effort had been made to trace his heirs,
the Public Administrator of New York
came to the State Department and de-
manded the effects which the Nicene Con-
sui bad sent over. The gold coin, gold
watch, and personal papers were turned
over to him after proper authorization
OF his official position. He had him
self secured in New York city $l2,-
600 belonging TO the estate of
Mark Hamilton. AfterwaId letters came
from persons in Pennsylvania, Illinois,
and Ohio claiming kinship with the dead.
They were all transmitted TO the Public
Administrator. Here was a man whose
papers disclosed the fact that he had had
extensive stock dealings with brokers in
New York, Chicago aud st. Louis. He
had even had his orders tor the purchase
Of $4,000 worth of stocks hOnored, and
yet his death seemed to be a complete ex-
tinguishment Of self, either as a memory
or an ever existent fact. 1t is not known
here whether any distribution was ever
made among those who asserted heirship.
In one corner of this cabinet is a small
package, which comprehends the entire
estate, devised and residuary," of 5.
Sanders, alias Isaac LandeTs, OF the
British ship Robert Pearce. This seaman
died at Havana in 1881. In the package
are $25, a Testament, and some letters.
Upon the fly leaf of the Testament is writ
ten: present d TO Isaac Lauders to COM
memorate a solemn vow-Hattie." Who
could not guess that that vow was absti-
hence from grog? The letters are from
this sister. Hattie Landers, who writes
from Bradford street, Lawrence, Mass,
and also from Boston. And yet she has
never been found by advertisement.
In common wooden box are some of
! the ''estates" of unknown Americans
who died at Shanghai. The handwriting
upon many of the packages is that of
| Burg Rawle Lewis, whose tragic fate
was as sad as that of these fellow coun-
| trymen whom in death he sought to be-
friend. Lewis was summoned to this city
| from China as witness in the George
| +. seward investigation. When he was
sent back he was penniless. Though the
| orders were explicit tor his reinstatement,
Seward successfully obstructed their ex-
| ecutiOn. Finally poor Lewis was re-
stored to his place, but the debts con-
tracted during intorced ideness SO proved
upon his mind that he ended an Oppres-
sive lite by bullet through his brain.
In this box is an ordinary black muslin
covered portfolio. In it is an envelope
with no enclosure. Upon it is written in
| a plain, bold hand. suggesting high in
/ telhgence: ''Mv mothers address is
| Mrs. Nathaniel Ruggles, care of Mrs. E.
d. Taylor, Evanston, Cook county. i'll. |
leave this so that should sudden accident
oVertake me, some kind soul may write
my mother" The writer OF this pathetic
memorandum was Jonathan Ruggles, who
died at Shanghai, Dec. 10, 1853 Sixteen
years have passed-years, may be, of
alternate hope and despair in a mothers
breast broOding over q sons wayward.
/ ness.
In pasteboard box are some trinkets
that indicate feminine ownership. A
velvet case encloses the daguerreotype of
a man whose features suggest the liber-
tine. This was what LeonOra Williams
left when depTaved life ended at Shang-
hai. 1t has been not unusual Tor women
who have gone astray in san Francisco
to stagger down further along depravity's
career IN some Chinese port, and there die
ia abjeet poverty and degradation.
There are more of these personal effects
Of wanderers and iugitives. They are not
relies Of the saints, rather souvenirs of
mysterious sinners. When the work of
tracing personal histories is begun by the
departmental officials, 1t proceeds almost
invariably through details Of liaisons,
aliases, Sights from justice, dispositions
to roam, and all the shadows that tall
upon human life.