The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-18
THE LAW As TO FINDINGS.
whe. IL = Thing Lost, and when May the
Finder Legally Keep ~

rum ne ONN NOHfIhNtOV-
The finding Of concealed wealth is now an
event of rare occurrence, except in tales of ro-
nance and adventure. 1t was once not uncom.
rude and the ways OF keeping valuables were
imperfect, the earth vas %favortte hiding place
s for tre r.. sitlS Ss % sueE l IN Sh%ss OF when SsT Or Gi ieoS.
cred has been often tho subject of dispute,
Money, gold. silver, or plate found hid.
termed treasure . t~rove-from the French
trouver, 10 find Such treasure, accord,
ing to the law of England, was the property OF
the King, and in this country, strictly speaking,
once belonged to the state in which 1t was found;
but the title OF the state has not for q long time,
II ever, been strongly asserted against n finder.
Lost articles OF value found upon the surface
of the earth, or in the sea-, are, go far as concerns
who Hnds them. IL they are sfterward taken
from him by another, the finder can reclaim
them as II he were the owner; r...,
more than loo years ago, had the fortune to
find a jewel of unusual value. He took IL 70 a
Il, tried to buy II from the boy for q .trifing
sum. The lad refusing the offer, the, goldsmith
F bssn sSs to se him t 1So sS't .hs t GHs w OF an not ACTON siDS
S SsPSs b. X X. the SsS sSY % Sssi cosc s@G s0 S1 THE so 5de
the boy the price Of the finest Jewel which could
be fitted to the setting. This incident resulted
in settling forever the right OF q finder to the
In order to give the finder such q claim. how
ever, the article must have been truly lost. lit
place by the owner and aiterward left there
through his carelessness, 1t is not legally lost. A
lady who leaves, her purse on the counter Of g
TO have lost 1t, and IL the purse is afterward
gis aka y, up b By sa 2 s ! t9 9Sg Rso p SsfS # 4 , the sh ,Ss
one who found II. But II the purse had been ac-
cldentally dropped on the floor q the Prremi-
customer. that would have been q real
case of losing, and the customer-if the, owner
cannot be found-would have rs much right to
keep the purse as IL he had found II In the street.
he has the thing in his possession, and he must
show an intention OF keeping IL.
The purchaser of an old secretary or bureau
r %oney os ,e nSes PPo %s "T FORGOTTEN Il a 'f To wh %rnw do
they belong2 The seller did not know that they
were there, and showed no intention OF claiming
They cannot, therefore, belong to him, but are
rightly claimed by the person who first discovers
them, whether he be the purchaser. q servant, or
To keep what one has found Is not an abso-
lutte but q special right, which the true owner
may dispute by demanding his property and
faction OF the person who holds 1t. When the
owner has offered a definite reward tho finder
may keep the lost article until the reward Is
paid to him. But he cannot demand reward
where none Is offered, nor can he hold the lost
property as security for any expense incurred
IN Keeping 4, though he would be entitled to
be paid by the owner for such outlay.
One who is 80 fortunate as TO find what be-
longs TO another must always act honestly and
with what the law calls good faith toward
knows, or has the means or knowing. or believes
he can find out, who the owner is, and makes
no effort to discover him; but intentionally
regards him no better than n thief.
On the other hand, II the owner does not APP
E pesr; s titl eI 10 th se ,Eins fo al Cm tho9gh ae by statute sn t ao,
some OF the states have In various ways limited
and regulated the gaining OF such a title.