Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1895-08-23
FORGOTTEN FORTUNES.
Banks Holding Vast Piles of Un-
claimed Wealth.
An Englishman Deposits FIFTY Thousand
Dollars and immediately Eorgets An
About 1t - other Cases OF
Like Nature,

To say that there must be al
least %, 500, 600 lying in London
banks which has been forgotten, or
is awaiting claims from relatives. Is
no exaggeration at all, said a bank
manager to representative of
Tit-Bits the other day. If an in
vestigation could be made, he went
son, it would most likely be found
that this unclaimed sum was nearer
80, OOO, 600 than SO, 500, 900.
A most curious case was that Of a
wealthy merchant in Leadenhall
street, whose .forgetfulness was a
!oyword. Ten years ago he placed
800, 900 in his bank, to his private ac-
count, and Immediately forgot all
about it, having neglected to fill up
the counterfeit in his deposit book.
A few months ago, while tearing
up some old papers, he came across
o penciled note bearing the words:
Bank $50,00O," and date which
ne was unable to decipher. He made
inquiries into the matter, and found
that be was wealthier than he
thought by $50, 900, with interest.
How he overlooked the amount it is
difficult to say. He is still noted
for the haphazard way in which he
keeps his private accounts.
The old woman who forgot the ex-
astence of legacy of 81, 900 year
from her master was another in
stance of carelessness. Here the
eold lady, time housekeeper,
could hardly read or write. When
she received letter from her late
masters solicitors to the effect that
the legacy would be paid quarterly
ON application at city bank the
lucky woman for fortnight was
none the wiser
The important look of the seal on
the envelope and the fine note paper
caused her to make inquiries, and a
friendly neighbor, after much effort,
spelled through the letter. The
old lady, who was in poor circum-
stances, could not believe the good
news, and so, without going to the
bank, she decided that the letter was {
a hoax.
Five years passed away, when her
only son-a soldier-returned from
India. One day he accidentally !,
came across the letter, read it, and i
asked his old mother the particulars. S
But her mind was complete blank P
onfthe subject. However, the son
made inquiries, and the result was
that bis mother and he found $5, 900 !
awaiting them at the bank and the =
promise of 81, 900 year during the /
orgetful old lady's lifetime. /
Old misers who have amassed t
small fortunes have more than once
destroyed their bank books and all
evidence showing they were pos
,essed of money, and in this way one
well-known bank once benefited to O
the extent of $40, 900. None of the Y
relatives of the old man knew of v
MS fortune, and such things are A
never the concern of the bank. G
The money was kept in the de- G
positor's name for FIVE years, when z
1t passed into the banks own ac- &
count. No doubt, if q claimant
came forward, they would give the
money up, but they would probably
fercely fight the case if the evidence
on the other side showed any weak
loopholes.
At present there is money in diff
ferent banks in the metropolis
which never will be claimed, for
naturally bank is not inclined to
go to great trouble in finding right
full owners if they fail to come for
ward of their own account.
Singular Test of Sanity.