Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-12-13
CASTLES IN THE AIR.
a Fraudulent Bait ut which Americans
Are Too Often Prone to Bite.

4 Fraudulent Bait ut which Amertcans
Are Too Often Prone to Bite.
II would seem, after all the publicity
given to the scheme in the papers
throughout the country, that few per
sons would indulge in the chimera of
obtaining a part or a whole Of the es-
tates said to be held unclaimed in the
courts Of England. Circulars TO the
effect that more than half a billion of
dollars in unclaimed estates are await
ing the rightful heirs in England. Scot
land, Wales and Ireland continue to
be scattered broadcast through this
country, and there is an agency in this
city employing men to promote just
such schemes.
There is something alluring in this
little paragraph: Thousands of heirs
have never seen these advertisements.
II your ancestors on your fathers or
mothers side came from any Of the
above named countries do not fail to
send the ancestral name and ascertain
IL you are an heir. Your deceased an
cestors' rights are yours by British law.
We have information of every estate
and deceased person whose heirs have
been advertised for in 125 years. Send
postal note for twenty-five cents to in.
sure information. If you are an heir
we will recover the estate for you. No
recovery, no Fee"
1t must have BEEN this circular
which caused Miss c. ii. Clopton, of
Columbia, Tenn, to address the agency
In this city for information concerning
a supposed Drake estate in England,
TO which she believed she was an heir.
In reply she was told that Mrs. :. NJ.
Redfeld, of Edwards, Miss. and Mrs.
L. V. Donelson. of Lexington. Homes
county, Miss, had lied claims 10 the
estate, and then the lgeniously worded
letter suggested TO Ter that she might
be permitted TO enrer the lists with the
Others consent. Continuing, il said:
"Our terms IRE the same to each,
namely, ] per mi of the amount
gained slf we gain nothing we get
nothing. And Il we nave to assume
the costs, $40 81 our fee in advance as
a small guarar tee of good faith"
The meat II the nut is in the last
sentence. Tie circular distinctly states:
mo recovery, no fee"
Miss Clopton replied to this letter in
effect that her Uncle Elijah knew moth
ing about Mrs. Redleld or Mrs. Donel-
son. In n letter of the dat. Of Oct. 20
she received this brief communication:
in replying 10 your favor of Oct. IA
we beg to say that Mrs. Rediield has
accepted our terms. and suit is o
pending in her behalf"
For the benefit Of Miss Clopton and
others who fancy that they are within
one step of wealth the letter of the see.
rotary Of the United States legation in
London, bearing the date of April 10,
1857, and addressed to n person inquir.
ing about the Sands estate, may be of
some benefit; Il beg to inform you
that there is no such estate as the one
you mention, Vast numbers Of people
in Il country are deceived and de-
frauded by designing persons, who rep
resent thar great estates are awaiting
American claimants here, whereas there
are none such"
Again. Sept, IS, 1857, a deluded per.
son in Massachusetts,, who thought he
was an heir 10 the Internationally
estate, rec we'd a letter of caution.
this time { advice coming from Min.
lister Phelps, in which he said; "A
worse fraud WAS never attempted.
There is not n pretense of foundation
for it in fact, 1t is simply a device for
obtaining money by false prctenses
from the credulous. New York Times.