Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-10-27

81 think | can find the will of Jol,
Collins, signtl aid witncsscd."
Its appearance now, as 1 said be
fore, would undoubtedly start Il law
suit to break up its validity, 1t would
have to be a very perlect will, such Il
wi as man who is not lawyer is
not certain of producing; and Mr.. Col
Inns wrote the will that l saw without
legal eoupsel. I should want to study
it before / hal faith enough i'll it to
make any proposition"
Betsy Collins might value it moro
thal You do
That is true; but she would never
invest in it without submitting it to her
attorllCy tdr oXaiii nation, md once nj
his hands, your chances for TevRnue
would lie wholly in Miss Bctsy's 1iber.
, alit.., which is notnotorious. They could
troubl you even with criminal charge
of attempting blackmail If you will
tell me how you came by it, and allow
me to cxam'n NJ it, L will promise You
fair treatment in any event. Such
a will, if strong enough to hold, would
certainly be Il very good discovery for
us; AMI 7 should he willing to do what
was right and generous to recover it"
"Wtll, I'll tell you what | know
about it. Three years ago was mail,
carrier in one of the districts of New
York City. My beat embraced part
of Canal street, and i'll gathering mail
from the 1etter-boxes [ occasionally
found signs of absent min ledness il
articles deposited in the boxes that
mt 30 lao I
taken out spoctacle3, pencils. tootl,
brush. s, tickets, and, once or twice,
money, dropped in. probably, when
letter was intended to be dropped. |
was not surprised, thererorH, 70
find one afternoon, in one OF
the boxes re1r a hotel IN open,
undirected enveiop2, which contained
II will. l suppose that, accor, ing to
rules, | should have taken this docu-
ment to headquarters, but | d:dn'f: !
took it homr. | supposed that the
tcst&tor would make new will whan
he discovered the loss-:n fact, l did
rot think much about it as anything OF
valuc-and after awhile it got into my
trunk with other rul bsh, and was for
gotten. The rnading of your MARI age
notice, and its m antion OF Job Collins.
deceased, recalled this will. / huntcl it
up, ard found that it was in every way
legally execut d, signed by til, tesla
tor, Job Collins, and witnessed by
Charles SAWYER and John Wilson. Ii
| produce that will, and it stands law,
| ought to have five thousand dollars
out of TIL estate. | believe | could
work the old maid for more than that,
but here is where it belongs, and pre-.
fer to be honest and trust to your gen.
cr2sity."
took some time to think over thi.
proposition before answering. If the
will could b. produced, as he claimed
i could be, there W. snp question but
that it would be worth TO my vie
about twenty-five thousand dollars.
There seemed nothing specially repre-
hensihle in claim for reward 10y one
who held in his hand such fortune.
81 Will accept your proposition" l
said 10 my visitor, who was putting his
cigar very patientig While [ reelected
Have you the will with yCu:"
mo; but / will produce it in half an
hour if you will give me your note fol
five thousand, PAYABLE when your wife
becomes possessed of the Collins estate.
[ won't ask any other security; but
want something to show for the claim
| shall make when the propr time
comes"
This [ readily gave, and was very
soon in possession of the will, which ]
found as repres snted, and in every way
legally perfect. ] knew one of the