Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-17
LAW AS TO FINDINGS.
When IA Thing Is Lost Who is Owner
of ItS
From Youths Companion.

From Youths Companion.
The finding of concealed wealth is now
an event of rare occurrence, except in tales
of romance and adventure. 1t was once not
uncommon. For when civilization was COM
paratively rude and the ways Of keeping
valuables were imperfect the earth was a
favorite hiding place for treasures, espec-
tally in times OF war or invasion.
The title to such valuables when discov-
cred has been often the subject of dispute
Money. gold, silver or plate found hidden in
the earth or in secret place is termed
treasure trove-from the French trouver Ito
find.
Such treasure, according to the law of
England, was the property Of the king and
In this country, strictly speaking once be-
lonSed TO the state In which it was found ;
but the title of the state has not for a long
time, II ever, been strongly asserted against
a finder.
Lost articles of value found upon the
surface OF the earth or in the sea, are, so
far as concerns every one but the owner
the property of the one who finds them If
they are afterward taken from him by an
other' the hnder can reclaim them as If he
were the owner.
A chimney sweeper's boy living in Eng
land more than 100 years ago had the for
tune to find jewel of unusual value He
took II to a goldsmith, who, after looking
at and weighing it, tried to buy 1t from the
boy for trifiing sum. The lad refusing the
oner, the goldsmith returned to him the set
ting, but would not give back the gem.
Upon the trial of an action brought by
the boy against the goldsmith the value of
the jewel was concealed by the goldsmith
and he was directed by the court to pay the
boy the price of the finest jewel which
could be fitted to the setting. This indict-
ment resulted in settling forever the right
or a hnder to the possession OF his findings.
Lost I'm "a store.
In order to give the finder such claim,
however the article must have been truly
lost. If it has been simply mislaid or put
in particular place by the owner and
afterward left there through his careless
ness, it is not legally lost.
A lady who leaves her purse on the
counter of shop where she has been trad
ing cannot be said to have lost 1t, and If
the purse Is afterward picked up by an
other the proprietor of the shop is said to
have better right to hold 1t than the one
who found II.
But If the purse had been accidentally
dropped on the floor of the premises, and
aftorward found there by a customer, that
would nave been real case of losing, and
the customer-if the owner cannot be found
would have as much right to keep the
purse as If he had found 1t In the street.
In order to be a finder one must be aware
that he has the thing in4.his possession,
and he must show an intention of keeping
1t. 1r
The purchaser of an old secretary or
bureau sometimes finds put away In a Sc
cret drawer money or jewels long forgot
ten. To whom do they belong? The seller
did not know they were there and showed
no Intention of claiming them when the
furniture was in his possession.
They cannot therefore, belong to him,
but are rightly claimed by the. person who
first discovers them, whether he be the
purchaser, a servant, or any one else who
Is not a trespaSSer.
Rights of the Finder.
To keep what one has found is not an
absolute, but a special right, which the
true owner may dispute by demanding his
property and proving his claim to it to
the reasonable satisfaction of the person
who holds 1t.
When the owner has offered q definite re-
ward the finder may keep the lost article
until the reward is paid to him. But he
cannot demand a reward where none is
offered, nor can he hold the lost property
as security for any expense incurred in
keeping IL, though he would be entitled to
be paid by the owner for such outlay.
One who Is so fortunate to find what
belongs to another must always act hon
estly and with what the law calls good
faith" toward the owner. If, at the time
OF finding, he knows or has the means of
knowing, or believes he can find out, who
the owner is, and makes no effort to dis