The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-08
THE CLAIMS AGENT
SwindlerS VIA Work 10th Sides Of
tie Atlantic.
FEES FROM rEuTIOIOUs HEIRS

The United states Legation In Lon
don ovcrrun BY Dupes who Ans
wcr the old Timc Advertisement
and send Their Money ID Canning
Rognes--Iusl ishmen Also Deceived
LONDON Feb, {. s. Much American
gold falls into the pockets Of a particn-
lar class Of English swindlers annually.
The difficulty Is in imagining that Amer
leans can be 80 gullihle, as the game Of
the sharks in question Is such i plain
imposture. The game is worked from
both sidesAof the Atlantic, generally IN
New York and London, though the
swindlcrs have agents in other places. 1t
Is an old game, but Its efficacy i still
unimpaired.
Tho AIinring Advertisement.
For example an advertisement in a
New York paper about an immense es-
tate in Wales once owned BY the Jones'
family is pining for ownership, and that
the heirs fare probably In America,
certain John Jones having ernigrafeti
about 100, will make Thousand
Joneses prick their ears and open their
pockets. Not d week passes that the
representatives Of the United States
government here 10 not receive letters
from dupes, asking why more money
should beneeded BY the English agents
10 prosecute their claims. Two such
letters have Just been received BY Com
sui General New. and so large has this
sort Of correspondence become that he
has prepared circular letter in reply.
having first thoroughly investigated the
several cases Ia which 1t was claimed By
| the writers that they were heirs 10 large
fortunes held by the Bank Of England.
A sample agent
One pf the most successful of the
Hwindlers apparently ii William Lord
Moore He gives his address as s Inger-
soil rood, Shgpard's Bush London. To
begin with there III no such address, but
there Is public house ia the neighbor-
hood at which Moore. who doubtless has
! several other names, gets his mail. Hav-
/ ing obtained ono fes from ala American
victim and il return written several en-
! couraEing letters, be makes i second
deniailds The avetage clairnaft spends
/ first SO as an atlcnor to wiadwars1
\ Then he dislilxes to drop II when called
i on i sec0pd time and throws good
money after hsd.
MIR. News Good Advice.
To Ill such people Consul General
| New gives the following advice: No
action to recover land can 10 brought
after twelve years from the time paafl
the right accrued. III tbs caNe uf tEs@
abilities. fuch as infaiicy< the axina{fill.
y thirty years II the claim Il made
under q VIII the trustees of the will ire
/ proner persons against whom claims
should be made. III there Is any difii-
guilty IN connection with the trust and
the persons entitled cannot 81 foWna ap-
/ plication Is made 10 the cliancery di-
vision Of the high court of Justice. The
lana iseold and tina proceeds banded us
the pssymasteraof the conft IA Claim
against the crown II NOW placed an the
same ground as elains against iSlsii-
yiduals. II u q popular error to shink
that unc claimed property Is deposited IN
the Bank Of England.
The Unclaimed Fund.
"The total amount 81 unclaimed funds
IN ehancery Ii only about ci0O. $50, and
q large amount IF this appears 70 hive
been paid In BIZ railway Companies TAX
ing lands without good title Not more
than one-half OF the accounts exceed
ESQ and not more than seventeenth
exceed 81 600. These 10 called le9acies
and estates are castles iii the air, ana
the money invested for iayestigation8
will be money wasted.
Consul General New pnt d detective
on Moore and found him to be utterly
worthless
The New York swindle.
| Some people here Of the name Of Ed
wards arc being worked from hi w York
on the ground that about half VI tliS
east side Of New York his reverted to
the heirs OF John Edwards, who Is
said to have owned It at the time III tho
revolutionary war. Americans langhat
such a claim, but the English Edw ardes
win get quite as 1nych ont IL It Is the
American Joneses and Smiths ~ 1 ont
Of unclaimed fortunes III cash and Lind
IN England