San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-06-13
NUMBER "a.
UNCLAIMED AND LOST.

A Bank Cashisrs Chat About Propssey
That Il Placed In chargs Of rnstitu-
tions and Never Reclaimed : Unrs-
deemed rssdsss That aralse Sad Stories.
Speaking to an old bank cashier the
other day, asked him whether there
was not On enormous amount Of property
lying unclaimed In bank cellars and I'd
safo deposit vaults.
"a very large amount" said he; "but
not nearly as much as somo people I'M
agine. When property IL placed In
charge Of bank or q safo deposit oom-
pany II Is generally put there by people
Of pretty strict business habits, and a
careful record is kept, not only by tho
depositor, but also by the parties into
whose charge It Is given. That reduces
the ohanceof valuables being overlooked,
but still very large quantity does no
main unclaimed. All the custodians Of
such property can do is to preserve u In
tact and hopo for Its redemption In the
course Of f.time."
"Is there limit to such o timer I
asked
Legally there may DO, but I am mob
prepared to say what 1t Is, since every
case has to be settled upon It's own mer-
It's. Sometimes tho boxes which have
been regarded for long time as contain
ing valuables turn out to bo mere collec-
tions Of rubbish, and the wonder is why
thew xx,ara ayop v,~oaoxuad sTl,,k a bopL
official never expresses surprise. because
he meets 80 many peculiar people and
his whole time Is occupied In keeping
things straight"
"But surely list Is kept OF tho con-
tents Of packages left on deposit?"
"When desired, yes; but when sealed
parcel or box Is deposited the bank does
exactly what common carriers do; signs,
Contents unknown and unknown they
remain, whether delivered to the owner
or awaiting reclamation. OF course
every place Of deposit has stories to tell
about mysterious boxes, strange parcels
and odd packages which have been lying
In secure corners Of their strong rooms
for years, but am inclined to think that
as far as banks and safe deposit COM
panies are concerned, tho vast bulk Of
such property Ia redeemed soon or later.
Lawyers nowadays are very apt to dig
up every possible form Of claim to valu-
ables Of any description in the hands Of
public bodies, and very faint clew IL
sufficient to start them Off upon suc.
cessful hunt. They often come upon rich
while searching for wills.
and the FIRST places, after counsers offices,
they start for. are the banks and safe do
posits."
Tho desire to hoard In some form or ana
other is very widespread one, and every
one could enumerate among friends and
considerable number In
whom the boarding spirit 70 distinguish
able. The difficulty Of accommodating is
as often rewarded by loss as by possess
sion, but the knowledge Of that fact does
not diminish tho desire to hoard. In the
case Of q nicer, to whose heir the accu-
mulated property goes, the very opposite
motives are found to exist. The miser
at the idea Of his coveted pos
sessions falling into other hands than his
own, even when those hands are merely
4 bundle Of dry bones, while tho heir is
al eagerness to clutch the property I'm
order to disperse It.
Misery habits, II they ever prove to be
only become fully developed
with ago and certain kind Of expert
,ncc, although sort Of avariciousness
nay always be traced In the progeny Of
,ne who has boarded. II does not al
ways take tho form Of grasping for
wealth, but, as often MS not, takes shape
IN desire for superiority Of position,
power Of dictation or uncommon popuA
arity.
THE MIsER's WAY.
II Is your miser who ruinmages out o
placo Of hiding, to avoid any of those
,hings he loved 80 well ON earth being
even by those legally and equi-
ably entitled to what no is compelled to
eavo behind him. Tho hiding Of treas
iro by mere miser does not long re-
main mystery. because II his habitation
Q carefully searched 1t will surely be
ound. Ho could not in life bear to be
ar away from It, and In his last mo-
nents It Ia morally certain 1t was the
hing his fingers with their clammy
ouch turned over before he said good
" 10 II forever.
The misanthropo who breads to trust
lis fellow man, and Ia distr,istful Of him
elf, Is a great factor among the creators
Z unclaimed property. Even when
making q will. as n sort OF posthumous
oppression Of hate toward humanity he
'loces Il In somo spot where not even
swyer can find II When his bones have
cen whitening a decade or two some
workman stumbies on his grabbed writ
ngs and nine days wonder Is the re-
ult Those 10 whom his property should
aye descended have suffered poverty
nd have Joined the great majority, and
is after death revenge on society has
cen gratlfed
Then there arc those who 60 down to
be sen In ships, who. before the last
oyagc, deposit valuables whore they
lone could claim them Tie dishonest
ppropriator Of others goods must not
Q forgotten. lie breads 20 carry the
be has stolen about his per
1n. md hides them from prying eyes.
Ie takes flight. hoping at a future date
} claim them, but either some new adj
cnture seclndes him forever ron soci-
ty, OF he ends his WORTHLESS life. under
fictitious name. IN some distant land