West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-06-11
WASTED MONEY.
De,uded Americans Who Believe
Themselves Heirs to Wealth
Theesands OF Dollars Thrown Away 4.
the Hopeless Endeavor 60 Push
Claims which Have No Toun.
dation whatever.

In spite OF tho repeated warnings
which have been sent out from time To
time by the United States legation here
and by the press of America concerning
the fraudulent character OF so-callcd
English estate agents In America. re-
cent developments have shown, SAYS
the Chicago Times, that the warnings
have been unheeded, and that the num-
Der of dapes il increasing instead OF de-
crcasing. During the last few weeks
moro letters than ever before have been
received from America inqu iring after
Imaginary estates OF fabulous sums
awaiting the writer's I'm the banks of
England This correspondence, as far
back as Mr.. Lowcll's time, grew TO such
enormous proportions that ali letters OF
this description had 70 bc answered by
printed circulars. Mr.. Lowell, In his
circular, said:
The pretended prosecution OF these pretended
American Gains TO Enslsh property Is carried
on with suca pcrsistcncc aud ingenuity by the
mea engaged IA II that We despair OF being
aelc 10 make their crc lulous victims uader-
stand what an utter impr sture Ind dciusion
the whole business Il. I cannot too strongly
advise you. since you have addressed us on the
subject 10 have nothing 10 Go with such
schemes, and especially 20 reni, no money TO
their aRcnta
In the case of many estates, such as
the Jennings, Lawrence-Townley. or
Chase-Townley, Hyde, Hernc. Bradford,
Hedges and others, special circulars
had 20 be printed TO answer the numer-
ous applicants. The plan generally
adopted by the estate agents is 20 in
sert advertisements in the country
papers 20 the effect that n large prop
crty has been left by person OF the
same name as that Of some wcll-lSnown
family of the district or OF some exceed
ingly common name likely TO occur my
where.
The modus opcrandi usually adopted
by these agents is TO ask first for a re-
mittance of R2 or e3 20 cover the cost of
copying the viii upon which tho claim
purports TO bc based; then a larger
sum for the expense OF instituting In
quiries, and at each successive stage
more blaclIrnail il levied, the corre-
spondcncc being so clevcrly conducted
that several years frequently clapsc be-
fore tho fraud is discovered.
During Mr.. Lincom's term OF Office
as minister nearly all the let
ters have come from small country
towns. showing that the agents find
them the most profitable field. Texas,
Kansas. Iowa and tho far west seem 20
be especially productive OF them, al
though letters are received from all
parts OF the United States. Among the
letters recently received at the legation
arc communications from claimants 10
sonlc thirty-dvo estates. OF all the
claims investigated by English solicitors
not ono has been found 10 have any
validity whatever. In every cage the
legation Is utterly powcrless to
help claimants or even investigate these
cases, as under positive instructions
from the state department no one at
tachcd TO the legation can take any
part in the investigation of claims of
this character, and in report drawn
up by Mr. White. secretary OF Icga-
ton, It is plainly stated that the time Of
anyone wishing 10 prosecute claims
will be wasted by addressing the lega-
ton on the subject.
Claimants should also bear IN mind
that n statute OF limitations fixes n
period within which unclaimed estates
revert TO the crown, and this period Is
twenty years. The limit within which
Of real property Is twelve years.
There arc no largo sums of money
awaiting claimants in the Bank of
England. There are very few amounts
of II 900, and none exceeding that sum
by moro than R1o0 or goo. The amount
of money in chancery belonging to un-
known heirs Is altogether less than
81 600 Oc0.