The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-01-15
CASTLES IN SPAIN.

Before retiring from his of6ciel post
Iinister Lowell performed for many of
is deluded countrymen An excellent
e1viee in directing an Investigation
nto the alleged estates in the Bank OF
England awaiting claimants in Ameri-
"a. Mr.. Henry White, one. OF the Sec
-etaries OF Legation in London, con-
Quoted the inquiry, and his report trans
mitted to the State Department shows |
that these fortunes are as illusory as the |
proyeTbiaI castles in Spain or the gold
that is picked up in dreams on Tom It'd
dler's Ground.
1t appears by statement made by
the chief accountant of the Bank of
England that the whole amount of
money at the present time in the keep
ing of the Court of Cbancery is eighty
four million pounds sterling, of which
eIghty-three millions belong to owners
who are known. This leaves about five
million dollars to be divided among the
imaginary heirs of the "Jennens, the
Hedges" the Hyde" the BRAD
ford - the Horne and many another
supposititious estate of vast wealth If set
tIement should ever be reached on this
side of the millennium. The numerous
American heirs of the "Jennens estate''
OF fabulous amount hold meetings every
now and then to r..ise funds for sending
out-at-elbow lawyers TO London to pros
ecute their claims. Mr.. White says
| that the Jennens property went to the
/ heirs-at-law long before the American
i claimants were heard of, and that the
| latter never had shadow of title
! The rest of these estates rest on the
same airy foundations. Of the IN
claimed amounts in the Bank of Eng
land the chief accountant quoted by
Mr.. White says there are few of one
Thousand pounds, and probably none
that exceed this sum by more than one
hundred or two hundred pounds
Such are the phantom estates in Eng
land, the foolish quest of which hai
lured So much money out of the pockets
of honest people in America. Poo
Becky Flyte was made mad in the vail
prosecution OF a real claim in Chancery
How many persons in this country hav
lost their wits in pursuing estates II
Europe that are as unsubstantial as l
tue pot of gold at the base of the rain
bow in the fables Of childhood Mex
to England, Germany and Holland ar
the favOrite countries in which weak
headed Americans are pursuing ances
, tral wealth From the time when tn
! Flying DutchmyA Began his ocea
, roamings his descendants have bee
{ searching for his phantom fortune
The estate of Anneke Jams, after th
q accumulations of several centuries,
Supposed to contain as much wealth q
I that which Vanderbilt left behind hiI
n the other day. Their there is the Zim
q norman estate, some of whose Amer
q can heirs have lost their identity
, changing their names to Carpenter, an
? with it their share in fortune which
believed to be as vast as that of tt
: Fuggers of the Middle Ages, if it coul
. only be found. Some of our diplomat
lists on the Continent of Europe, who!
t time hangs heavily on their hand
might find some employ in initial
ing the example of ex-Minister Lowe
= and exposing the illusOTy character
K these foreign fortunes. But it is som
Il what doubtful whether the victims
q this peculiar halluciuation would dt
y rive any substantial benefit from IL
/ investigation. Once possessed of Il
g isuGy that they are heirs of va
o estate in Europe, it quits them on
e with death. As long as they car raj
Il money to send a lawyer or other agel
e abroad they will continue to prosecu
is their imaginary claims.-PhiIadelp lph
b ( Record