Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-10-17
UNCLAIMED MILLIONS.
Property in Chancery and Those Who
Have n Claim 10 Ia

contains sign. the most prominent let
.ers IF which is Next of kin, over
900 600 unclaimed" This sign
marks the business and printing office of
q man whose occupation is that of
seachlng old foreign records and chan
Gerry lists for people of this country who
believe they are heirs TO property and ee
tates in Europe. When asked for par
ticulars regarding his unusual occupa-
ton the proprietor Of the place said
Eyes, it is a fact that the records of the
Bank of England. the court of chan
Gerry. and the Somerset house show that
the enormous sum Of over 81, 900, 600,
in. money and property, has been left in
England by persons who have died in
testate or without any known heirs. This
gigantic sum has been accumulating for
the past three hundred years, SUBJ ject to
the demand Of the direct issue or right
full heirs, and it is unguestioned that a
large percentage of the rightful heirs
are now settled in the United States and
Canada"
care you often successful in your
searches2" asked the reporter.
Il have been in this work for twenty
two years, dealing particularly with
claims in England, France and Holland
the last six years In this time | have
visited Europe regularly twice year,
taking on each trip an average Of about
twenty five claims to look up Out of
the twenty five am usually successful
with about three. | 60 only as an attor-
ney, to investigate, but each person 70.
whom 90 must pay me $25 for expen-
ses. beside agreeing to give me three per
cent. on the amount ofproperty or money
obtained, should his claim prove sue
cessful y
''What is the largest amount YOU have
ever obtained this way for a claimant
''It was for a resident of Long Island,
and reached S1S5, 900. An estate that |
am looking up now for a resident of
Ohio, if successful, as it now appears to
be, will amount to s400, 600. ] have
had the case in hand since the beginning
of the year and it all depended on find
ing a certain will drawn in 1740 Only
this week have | received this will from
England, after long search. 1t
is an old, mustv document, and one of
its specifications is that the property left
by the testator shall not he sold nor
mortgaged for one hundred years
from the date Of the will | shall sail
for England soon to investigate this
case and about forty others
Glow much money do those forty
claims representa- -
ITO one not familiar with the busi-
ness the amounts claimed are most as
tonishing. This one bundle Of claims
which shall take over with me repre-
sents millions of dollars more money,
in fact, than would pay off the national
debt The claimants are all of the bet
ter class of intelligent people. too, bus
/ mess men, bankers, newspaper men, and
professional men from all parts Of the
/ country, but particularly from the West.
! 1t costs me about $400 to make one of
these trips. When | get to London
there are only four or five places to- 60
to, and if do not find the names there
/ give up the search The books on the
subject arc all open for inspection. If
| find before going that a person
is to get large amount
| advise them to 20 them
selves. But when person saws to me,
as many do, why, as you are going over,
anyway, just look up my name, please,
| refuse TO do so most decidedly, for if |
did business in this way | would not get
over there at all | have great many
people come TO me with large claims that
they can not prove at all, having been
started in the idea by seeing some one
else successful. Why, have received
as 1nanv as sixty four letters week OF
inquiries, and lately the business has
grown so extensively that have had to
have q special man stationed regularly al
London.
DO you charge for looking into your
lists herei'
''Yes. have secured at much trouble
and expense lists Of about 200 900 names
all over the world OF persons who have
been advertised for n these matters, to
gether with full chancery lists Of Eng
land, France, Ireland and other eoun-
tries. In order 70 get some return foi
my ou,lay. charge each person who
wishes 10 look in these lists 81 Everg
three years there Is published in England
an Official cilancerr list, and this also
have ! fine thing for the heirs Of these
unclaimed estates Is the la~ passed few
years ago in England This is that gn
laimed money Of this kind shall lie Used