The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-01
LOST FORTUNES.

the Expense of It's Citizens.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec 31.-Just now there seems
to be q period of quietude among the thousands
of American heirs to foreign fortunes" Yet it
is we'll known that thousands of dollars
nu ally extorted from the pockets of the fools
who believe that they entitled to portion
of the alleged Jennings" millions held in chan
Gerry, in England. and of other vast estates.
Only few months ago q firm of lswindlers in
New York reaped a rich harvest by advertising
q list of surnames of American families, who
were said to be entitled to shares in enormous
fortunes which were held ia chancery until the
proper heirs were found. Thousands of Ameri-
cans, who believed that they were entitled to q
sharelin these estates sent .'retainers" in order
that their interests might be properly looked
after 1t is not recorded that one of them ever
received dollar in response.
While Americans have been trying for years
to secure fortunes from abroad they have been
neglectng the opportunities which present
themselves right here at home Americans are
ubiquitous. They are found in every country
and they do business under every flag. As
rule they are busy-too busy to communicate
with their relatives at home, and not infre-
quenty they die abroad without leaving scrap
of paper by which their heirs might be traced.
Whenever of the citizens of the United
States gives up the ghost in foreign country
the American consul, minister resident,
takes charge of his estate and sends whatever
proceeds may arise to the State Department
The State Department does it's best to find the
rghtful owners of the estate by advertising in
the newspapers in the neghborhood Of the de-
cedent's last place of residence in America. But
unfortunately that last residence is not always
known, and after all proper efforts have been
exhausted the money is, under the law covered
into the treasury, there to remain until the crack
of doom unless the rightful owner comes to the
front and substantates his claim. There is q
rigid rule in the Treasury Department which
makes it an offense. punishable by immediate
dismissal. for a clerk or empoye of the depart
ment to give out any information which might
lead to the payment to the riehtful heirs of any
sums which have been turned over to the Gus
tody of the department for safe keeping When
money has been covered into the treasury, there
fore, it is likely to stay there forever unless
Congress enacss the necessary legislation TO dis
cover the owners. 1t is said by who knows
that hundreds of thousands of dollars have been
collected by consuIs in foreign countries during
the past century, and turned over to the De-
partment of State, to be in turn handed over to
the Treasury Department. there to remain con-
cealed from public view and never to be paid
out except by miracle. Occasionally an ex-
traordinary effort is made and American heirs
are discovered and made happy by the
ceipt of moneys due them from the estate OF
deceased relatives who died abroad.
A case in point is that of man named Bird
sail, who died in the Argentine Republic several
years ago. His estate Melted something like
81 600. but he left papers by which his heirs
could be found, except one letter. This letter
evidently sent from New York, but it was
signed only by the Christian name of the writer,
who was evidently sister of the deceased. In
it she referred to other sisters. four in all. but
did not mention the surname Of a single one of
them. Advertisements were printed in the New
York and Brooklyn. papers, but they brought no
response. Private investigations were equally
fruitless in results. and the Secretary of State
about to order the money tobe covered into
the Treasury when one of his subordinate off,
Gals aske permission to make one more effort
Il was granted. and the dispatch agent of the
State Department in New York Mr.. Haueh-
won't Howe. was appealed to. He saw the post
masters of New York and Brooklyn and ar
ranged with them to secure the aid OF the letter
carriers These men Were furnished with the
Christian names or the supposed sisters OF
irdsall, and upon a given day were instructed
to inquire at every house visited for the sisters.
The effort successful. and the five we're all
to them instead of going to swell the surplus in
the Treasury.
A few wears ago one of our cousuls in France
reported the death of an American named Mark
Hamilton. He left papers by which his
heirs could be discovered, but among his per-
so7al effects were blank books. stock certificates
and other papers of value which showed him to
be a of wealth. Advertisements failed to
bring any information concerning his heirs, and
for some time it was thought that his fortune
which amounted to about S73, 900, would have to
go to the Treasury. One day two or three news
paper correspondents heard the story of Mark
Hamilton at the State Department, and they
proceededed to write accounts of the fortune
which awaited his heirs The fact was Incl
dsntally mentioned that portion OF his money
deposit in one of the New York banks.
This attracted the notice of Henry Eisendecker,
the public administrator of the city of New
York, who at once came on to Washington TO
secure the proceeds OF Hamiltons estate. he
failed to bring proper credentials with him at
first, but finally, upon producing them, the
money and other effects were turned over to
him. Then it appeared that there bad been
several Mark Hamitons who had mysteriously
disappeared, and heirs from all sections OF the
country began to SEND inquiries to the State
department They came from Iowa, from New
York. from Illinois and from Massachusetts.
But the Illinois people had the best claim.
They established their right to the money and
and Mr.. Eisendecker was compelled to pay
over to them $751; 900 which he expected to cover
into the treasury of the city of New York
Now another has arisen Unlike those
cited above there is decedent in the matter,
and unless the rightful owners of the money ap-
pear the State Department will be at a loss TO
know what to do with It 1t seems that some
months firm of Americans doing business
in Guatemala, under the firm name of Shea
Cormick & Co., failed. The business was set
tied up by the proper officials in Guatemala and
a pro rata division OF the assets made.
Among the creditors were seven American firms
and individuals who were awarded total OF
sl.417. Or the seven, only one j. B. Pooe, of
South Carolina. has been found and paid The
others, with the amounts due Dan Ma
honey. IS; J. F. Coleman. $40; A
Bowles, $40.SS; John Fenton, soc Il; Chas-
Carter, II; w. end L. T. Gurley $2204
These sums are held by the Secretary or State
and will De paid over to the rightful parties as
soon as they can establish their claims.
These are but samples of the many instances
in which money owned by Americans who die
abroad is received by the Secretary of State and
finally hidden away in the vaults of the Treas
ury, away from the hands of the people who
own and really need it. lnasmuch as every ef-
fort is made by the Treasury Department to