The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-10-22
FORGOT HIS HOME WEALTH.
BE Left a Fortune In California to
Become Rich In South Africa.

Become Rich in South Africa.
Another strange discovery has come
10 light in the Hibernia Bank deposits
that have been neglected for many
years by their owners. 1t appears that
Jeremiah Pendergaet, long mourned as
dead. is alive and prosperous In South
Africa, where he has made fortune.
1t Is learned that he has apparently for
gotten that $4,000 await him In the Hi
hernia Bank Of San Francisco.
The history Of Pendergast's deposit
is one of the most interesting OF all the
old estates that have lain unclaimed for
years In the vaults Of San Francisco
banks. In the first place 1t now amounts
to 1000, being the largest sum OF all
the unclaimed deposits; and, In the ne1e
place, 1t has perhaps been more widely
advertised and more generally claimed
than any other sum In the list. Strange
". however, nearly all the Pendergasts
save the real owner seem to have heard
Of this money and laid claim to 1t, while
the original depositor has lived quietly
in South Africa all these years, needless
of the fact that his gold lies in the bank
awaiting the owners orders. Attorney
Oscar T. Shuck has just located the
original jeremiah Pendergast In the
Congo Free State, where the old man
lives in great luxury, having amassed
q large fortune since he went there as
one Of the pioneers Of nearly twenty
years ago.
"Pendergast went to South Africa In
1878" said Attorney Shuck, being one
of the leaders Of California colony.
He left a good sum in the bank here.
since which time no one has ever heard
of him until got word that he was well
and rich. The nearest trace we ever
got Of him here was that he was at the
old Empire Hotel on Pacific street some
time between 1868 and 1870. Hundreds
of alleged heirs have been after the es-
tate. but it will no doubt, soon reach
the original depositor."
A strange fact about the case Is that
the public administrator recently peti-
toned for letters Of administration, al
leging In a general way that Pender-
CAST died some years ago in Nevada
Judge Slack went so far as to ap1>oiS..
Attorney ]. ]. Dwyes To represent the
akS,s,,za. aI,etrs, but Attorney Shuck sug-
gested that Pendergast still lived,
whereupon the letters of administration
were withheld.
It IL quite probable that the claimants
were really induced to believe that
their ancestor died In Nevada, where
an old miner named Pendergast ex'
pired In a fire that destroyed his cabin
and himself at midnight in mountain
fastness. They will soon learn, how
ever. that the true jeremiah Pender'
cast, who left few thousand dollars
in the Hibernia Bank in 1868, went to
South Africa with only little money,
and is now grizzled with age, but gilded
with gold also. The real heirs to THIS
strange pioneer lived in Massachusetts
The bankers and attorneys, as well
as the public administrator, are Won
dering why the pioneer OF 40 deserted
his gold here, even to become pioneer
In the African gold fields. At any rate.
the money is safe. The distribution OF
a living mans funds has been prevent
ed. and $4,000 now awaits the owners
order.-San Francisco Chronicle.