The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-03-30
LucKx JOHN sI.nAcUn.


Several Thousand Dollars Found 10 an
Old Table.
John Sprague Is an honest shoe
maker residing at No. 731 West Second
street, and lis 90 years of age. His
wife, who was as honest as he. died
suddenly on the 27th of january, aged
&c.. They were both good English
people, natives of Hartlebury. Worce6-
tershlre, England. Mr.. 8prague was q
well to do shoemaker In England, and
had snug little sum OF money left
to him from a relative. Besides, he
made more than kept himself and
family and added to his little bank
Accommodations.
Twenty-Five years ago Mr.. Sprague
and his wife took notion TO emigrate
to this country and stopped In New
York, working at his trade a few
months, coming on to Wilmington a
year later. He bought the house in
which he lives from man named Gal
lagher, II having been carried in loan.
Good luck attended Mr.. Sprague in
this country. He made irregular habit
OF giving his wife q certain amount OF
money every week on which to keep
the family. He knew she did not spend
all the money, but did not know where
she kept what she did not spend,
neither did he trouble himself to find
out.
For 90 years she had been doing this
both In England and iu this country.
This honest couple had two sons, one
OF whom, William, remained In Eng-
land and the other, John Thomas
Sprague is married, lives with his par
ents, and works on the bench with his
father. When Mrs. Sprauge died, the
husband was very much broken up, as
they had lived happily together all
no sale of property but gave to his
son whatever lie wanted and gave q
great deal away To his fffends.
i knowing that his wife kept no bank
account. and there must be oonsldera.
BILE money some place in the house, he
gave strict orders that every place and
every article of furniture and every
book should be carefully searched.
These orders were strictly complied
with and every thing had been careful
ly overhauled, except an old fashioned
table that had no drawers In it, and
had no place in which to secrete
MONEY!.
few days ago, Mrs. Mckinley, c
neighbor very Intimate In the family
came in and intlmated that the table
1
done. when to the establishment OF al
a roll of greenbacks was found stucl
In between ledge and the table top
While searching, a bag dropped to tbs
floor which was found to contain abou
$500 in gold. The good woman hat
been In the habit of exchanging hel
money for gold and then her gold fo
greenbacks. The money was taken b!
, Mr.. Sprague's son and put in bank.
Mr.. Sprague would not tell the re
, porter of the REPUBLICAN, who called
this morning, how much money wa
i found, but he did say that the amour
now In bank would come to nea
: about $1,000, including what he had il
bank before. OF this he says his wifi
had saved the larger amount. Their,
is report that Mrs. Mckinley had /
, dream In which 1t was revealed to he
whore the money was concealed, but
]. this report Is thought to be littl,
flshy. Mrs. Mckinley was called upoI
this morning by REPUBLICAN reporte
and asked in regard TO her reportel
, dream but she laughed heartily at TIN
idea and asked the reporter what b.
would give for news.