The Press., 1893-03-30

It was then placed back in the bags, re- sealed and has not since been touched. Here was nearly $500, 900 in gold as com pletely hoarded as though it had been hidden in a miser's stocking. although it would have required several large ones to have held 1t. It would have been of no use either to it's owner, the bank or to the people. There it lies to-day, almost as useless as though it were in its original ore.
 It is estimated that $40, 900, 900 or $50,- O00,0 of gold is hoarded in similar manner. During the war when gold went to very high premium, curious-looking persons appeared in the money marts of- fering gold for sale. Some of 1t was of foreign coinage, and much of it, though of ancient date, showed so little abrasion that it plainly had been hoarded almost as soon as soon as issued from the mint
 One of the bankers told the following story. He said that in 1884, just before the panic, there appeared in Wall street very singular looking individual. He was rustic and no mistake. He wore long linen duster, palm-leaf hat of the style in vogue with farmers when in the hay field, and if his manner revealed life in the remote rural districts it also suggested the keenest suspicion. His eyes were very bright and very wacthful. He went into one of the great banking houses, not national bank and he produced letter from the correspondent of that bank in one of the interior villages of southwest | ern New York. He was treated with | courtesy rather scant, for which it was a busy hour of the day, and his appearance | did not suggest the prospect of 8 profit | able customer. But scant courtesy soon | changed to extraordinary politeness and deference. The man produced from an inner pocket a sheepskin wallet nearly a foot long, tied with shoestring, and opening it drew therefrom some bonds | yellow with ago. He asked if the bonds | were worth anything, and no sooner had he made the inquiry than he was invited into the private office of the president. The banker gazed at these bonds with as- tonishment, and then, looking over his spectacles at the quaint specimen of hu- manity before him, he said, "You will | have to pardon me if make some rather searching inquiries. These bonds have long been regarded as lost, although they | have been charge upon the books of the railway company which issued them and which is now consolidated with great trunk line."
 'What want to know is what they're worth ?" the farmer asked.
 "They are worth to-day par and no more, since the issue has been called in long ago, but there is some interest yet due'upon them"
 "Well, how much do you call them worth ?" the man persisted.
 The bank president sent for an assist ant and asked him to make the computa- tion, and the accountant in few moments reported the bonds worth little over $4O, ,0O9.
 | Well, I want to sell 'em," said the rustic, after making his own computation; twill you buy them ?"
 "Yes, we will buy them, but we must first be satisfied about you. We do not know you at all, although you have let ter from our correspondent. I don't want to insult you by seeming to question the letter, but in transaction of this kind we must be careful. Will you wait until I telegraph to our correspondent" ?"
 Yes, the man would wait if it didn't take too long, and while the message was in transmission, he told the president the history of the bonds. He said that when he was a young man, the railroad com pany went through his fathers farm and to pay him for the land taken they gave his father some of the bonds. His uncle was paid in similar manner, and after wards when the bonds went very low, an- other relative bought or rather traded some property for another block of them. In this way his father became possessed of the whole block. The company de- faulted upon the interest for a time, and his father put the bonds away in a tin box, where they were forgotten. His father died suddenly, leaving no will, and he as the only heir inherited. A few months before he built a new house, and in re- moving the things from the old house this
 box was discovered and its contents. He had said nothing to anybody about it un- til he had finished his house, and then he
 went to banker in a neighboring city, | Ix.,ha oduicaJ him fn foly tho hhDHc n New York and dispose of them.
 "This is a most extraordinary story,"
 said the banker when he heard it. "There has been for years the greatest mystery about this block of bonds, and they have
 been given up as destroyed, though why the owner of them should not have made known his loss has never been under
 stood. The railroad company which now
 owns the company which issued these bonds will be very glad to get possession of them and to cancel them"
 Two hours later telegrams were received which proved the truth of the strangers
 story completely, and in a few minutes the transfer was made. The rustic, how.
 ever, objected to taking the firms check
 saying that he wanted money for it, so ii was necessary to send an employee with , him to the bank.
 When he handed in his check to the
 teller he did so with great hesitation
 seeming to fear that if he parted with the
 check he would neither get it nor his
 money. The amount was so large thai
 the cashier suggested to him that he take cashiers check with him to his home as matter of safety, and it was explained
 to him that he could deposit that check
 in home bank where it would be as gooc
 as money; but not he. He made quite { 1 scene demanding his m0nav nn0n thl