The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-13
FORGOTTEN BANK DEPOSITS.

IL is not every day that man or
woman dies without relatives or heirs,
leaving hundreds of thousands of dol
lars in bank or in cold cash and no one
who can legally lay claim TO II, but Chi
cago had an instance OF this kind
short time ago, says the Chronicle. Miss
Della O'Hara,, who for many years had
been employed as domestic, died at S3
Kinzle street. Nobody dreamed that
she had an estate. But. all the same.
when her trunk was opened II was
found TO contain 1851 I'm bills and bank
book of the Hiberian Banking Associa-
tion showing deposit to her credit OF
$666. IL doubtless took this humble
| worker a long time TO hoard up over
| $1,000: to her that amount OF money rep
resented the savings of years of toll.
She was 32 years old, and she had been
working i'm peoples Kitchens for more
than score of years. But when death
came she was at the house of strangers.
and she apparently had no relatives to
whom To leave her wealth,
You may be sure that persons will
turn up claiming TO be relatives and
heirs as soon az they learn of the wom-
ans savings" said an officer of one of
Chicago's largest savings banks. She
will have numerous post mortem
friends"
From this same banker IL was learned
that i'm Chicago banks there are very
few cases of unclaimed money on de-
posit 1--WE are too new civilization
out here i'm the west for many such
cases" he explained. And. another
thing, people out here. as a rule, find
some active use for their money; II not.
they are poor economists. In the older
countries there are doubtless large un-
claimed funds In the banking institu-
tions. the result OF depostors dying in
testate and no heirs coming forward
who are able TO establish their legal
right TO the money Under the laws of
Illinois unclaimed money OF this char
acter reverts to the state after 20 years.
That is the disposition OF unclaimed
funds i'm New York. Massachusetts and
other states, too
But there was a most singular occur
renee of this kind some time ago. \
wage-earner living on the west side had
been saving his money and making de-
posits i'm the Hiberian bank with great
regularity for years. At length. when
he had the snug sum of $1,000 to his
credit. he fell sick and was for while
insane as the result OF that sickness
His mind became complete blank, so
far as his bank account was concerned
and no inquiries were made I'm regard
to the deposit for "A year or so.
I'm the bank :" said the vice-president.
referring TO the case the other day
and II began Co look as though the
account would go to swell the un-
claimed fund Not only did he fail to
come near the bank. but he moved from
his former place OF residence and gave
no one any notice OF his removal or his
new address | got on the trail and
found my man, but TO my great sur
prise he protested that he had no
money in the bank. lie declared that
ne had never had any account with us.
to the best OF his recollection. At first
/ n Looked like "A case of mistaken iden-
tity. but when learned OF his sickness
/ and temporary loss OF mind, the mys-
terry was soon solved After n great
deal of questioning and the obtaining of
| corroboratiyc testimony among the
mans friends and acquaintances, ] sue
ceedei I'm convincing him that he was
| the rlghtfui owner OF that $500 and
| paid him the money"