The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-12
A FORTUNE IN WASTE PAPERS.
The Curious Story Told by Collector of
Books aud Pamphlets.
New York Times.

A curious story was told the other day by
gentleman who buys and sells old books pam
phlets and papers, and now and then includes In
his stock in trade old deeds. aud mortgages ana
property maps. One would think that articles
OF the latter class were absolutely worthless, but
that they are not this gentleman is ready to ties
tify Lawyers who make speciality of search
ing titles are often anxious to buy old deeds and
some of the host of people who gather curious
things of no intrinsic value. and thereby gain
for themselves the title of collectors, have
fancy for such things The story this gentleman
tells runs chrOnologicay thus
Some years ago there died in this city
who all his life had been a Spectator in real
estate In his younger days he, with few
other men of like turn of mind, had owned an
immense tract of land in Ohio, and when he
died he possessed of real estate in the two
Carolinas, in Vermont, and in several other
States. His executors found his affairs in bad
shape. 1t was evident that though the specu-
lator had owned and handled an enormous
amount of real estate in his life, he had de-
pended as far as possible upon his memory for
memoranda for his transactions. When the
memoranda were no longer available the execu-
tors found they had very serious task on
their hands There were deeds and mortgages,
and maps without number-'dead loads
of them. In fact-but they were in the greatest
confusion. 1t took the executors a couple of
years to straighten out the tangled business.
Then they found, what executors and admins
traitors often find. that what promised to he
valuable estate dwindled away to next to moth
ing. Here comes in the bit of romance without
winch no story is complete The SPECTATOR had
married late in life. and when he died left wife
and young daughter just approaching woman
hood Both mad been delicately nurtured and
supplied with every luxury. and neither ad the
shadow of an accomplishments ny which q living
| could be earned For these two the executors
managed to save something like So, 900.
With poverty staining them in the face. the
two women gave up their luxurious home with
all its belongings, and rented a couple of rooms
in modest neghborhood. Pending some az
raDcements which they hoped to make, the eX-
ecutors sent the furniture in the old residence to
a storage warehouse, and with 1t two trunks full
OF Old deeds and mortgages which seemed to
have value. By and by the furniture was
taken out and sold and the proceeds turned over
to the widow and her daughters. The two
trunks full of papers were given to the storage
warehouse man. who solo them TO junk dealer
for paper rags. The junk dealer happened to
know that such papers sometimes bought
by dealers in old books, but he knew of no
to whom he could offer them. In the
hope that they might bring something more
than if sold for paper rags. he sent them
to an auction house, and they were offered in
sale of old books and papers. One OF the bidders
was an acquaintance of the gentleman who tells
this story, and knowing the latter's market for
such papers bought the two trunks, with their
contents. Here the dealer, who tells the story
takes up the tale.
my friend told me he had the papers, " said
he land | took them off his hands, paying
him, l believe, 500 for the lot ! sorted them
over and sold the greater part to the lawyers of
whom | told you. After careful sitting | had
half bushel left and put them into a market
basket, intending to send them to a junk
shop. One day stood by the window looking
down on Park. row, when my attention
tracted by man looking at my sign. Pretty
soon L saw him the street. and ] was
not much surprised when he came into my
room i was looking up at the Potter Building
SAID he, and saw your sign. | like TO hang
around second hand bookstores and so thought
Id run up Men who like to hang around places
like mine always good customers. They
can't resist the temptation when they once get
where old books This gentleman was no
exception, and sold him half a dozen books
He was leaning over the counter there looking
at some prints when his eyes lighted on the
basketful of old papers
"'What's thatF he asked.
" "A lot of old deeds ard mortgages said I,
setting the basket upon the counter He pulled
them over with his hands for minute reading
the titles he did So
q m give you $40 for the lot sand he
All right said [, thinking that was the best
bargain had made in many day. He paid the
money, and then went carefully through all the
papers in the basket. Finally he selected deed
and a property map, and, putting them in his
pocket, asked me to send the rest to his address
giving 1t to me at the same time.
Night ask said L. what you are going to
do with that tedF
'Then he told me about this old speculator
and that he was of the executors of the
estate We supposed said he, that we had
found every piece of property the old man owned
but learned few weeks ago that we were mis-
taken. friend of mine up the Hudson sent me
a barrel of very nice apples, and, to keep them
from bruising, no stuffed some newspapers
under the head. One of them was paper
printed in st. Lawrence county | happened
to pick up the paper, and elancing it over saw a
list OF tax Subsequently, to be sold for non paw
ment Of taxes. One of these pieces of land-a
good many acres and valued at a good rnanv
thousand doliars-waI in the name Of the man
whose executor had been. We hadn't scrap
of paper with which to prove our title, and the
deed had never been recorded. ! had concluded
we would have to give it up and let the town
take the land When | saw that basket of
papers / recognized the name of the man, and
when looked them | found the verv deed
l wanted, with the map of the property"