The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-19
ovERLooKED A CHEST OF GOLD.
Captain George IL. Lemon Forgot to
Mention II in HIS VIII.

Washington, October l6--''You may talk
about the wonderful discoveries of gold in
the Klundike region" said a prominent
lawyer to a Republic correspondent, but
one OF the richest gold finds of the year &C.
Cured right here in Washington. / viii
not mention names. but the gentleman re-
ferred TO was known all over the country
as one of THE wealthiest pension agents
and publishers of the present day.
"a short time after he died, HIS execu-
tors were engaged in making an examina-
ton of his effects. liis VIII had been
drawn carefully and all hts real ana per-
sonal property was supposed 10 be d's-
tributed among has relatives and friends
according 10 his last ~isnes. one day IN
clcai ing out the safe in the buiiuiig wslacn
still bears the captains name. an old chest
was discovered in one of the dark corners
OF The vault. 1t had been there for years
and was supposed to coutain only sosne
plates and drawings OF war PICTURES used
In connection with q book oil war stories
The executors lad passed the Old chest by
without examining It's contents. supposinS.
OF course, that IL contained nOlhinR but
the plates and Cravings. as Indicated by
the marking on the outside. one ot the
clerks engaged In the work had curiosity
enough to take peep into the chest
When the loose drawings were ranoysl
sight met his gaze that fairly TOOK ms
bre,rth away. There, nesting among the
sheets of war pictures ut the bottom OF
the chest was an immense pile OF gold
coin. whAch amounted 10 something more
than $4,000.
There were gold pieces of every denom-
nation. from 81 to SO. The discovery was
SO Unexpected that the executors We're at
a loss for some time to account for the
pile OF treasure. The latest VIII was care.
FUZZY scrutinized. but nothing in It could
he found relative 10 the unlooked-for gold
deposit Various theories We're advanced
TO explain the accumulation OF coin, ana
1t finally was concluded that the captain
had followed the example OF otlSAr eau
tious capitalists during the last raid on
the treasury gold reserve and had hoard-
ed the amount found In che chest The
coin looked as though 1t might have been
dropped into the chest carelessiy, for the
various denominations were In confusion
The executors were unable to account for
the omission of the gold pile In the WV.
for although tho captain was great
spender, he usually kept clear account
Of his securities. 1T Is possible that ne
may have been engaged in boarding gold
pieces for number OF years prior to ms
dea m. and when his fatal illness came on
he may have forgot the gold lining to the
old chest containing the war pictures. VI
course the gold was carefully counted
and entered up as a very desirable part
OF the estate" -,
THE pension agent referred to Will be
Recognized readily as the late Captain
George r. Lemon, His pension cases wero
allowed by the Harrison Standardization
al the rate of hundreds daily, and ON each
ha gst a fee OF $40 The gold was only a
small portion OF his personal property: lie
had In his possession a note TOT szsvp;
signed by the republican commissioner OF
pensions for money loaned 10 the COM
missioner.