The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-12-15
saF CAD MONEY re BURN.
ur. Conrad's Claim For Charred
c.sanbacks More Than Granted.

Washington, D. G., Dec Con
oressman joys private secretary.
n, Sweet, received information
,roa The United States Treasurer 6
oH;ce to-day which will give much
horniness to Mrs. Maria Conrad, OF
oo1e Gano avenue, st. Louis. When
Mr. Sweet came to Washington he
brought with him two packages Of
,.ry badly charrsd legal tender notes.
The bills belonged to Mrs. Conrad,
During the summer months Mrs
Conrad, in celebrating upon the
hast place to hide several hundred
dollars which she possessed, hit up
IN the idea of putting her money in
tba oven of the kitchen stove, an in
spiration which, however novel it
NAV appear to some, was by no
means original with her. She divld
ad her wealth in two parts, placing
each OF the parts in a separate box
Her best recollection was that in one
box she had placed $3.50 and in the
other box $50. Her belief was that
M one would ever think Of looking
in the oven of the kitchen stove for
money. She was quite correct No
ons did look she forgot about it
herself.
When the cold weather came on
Mrs. Conrad lighted fire in the
kitchen stove all unconscious of the
importance of her baking. Her first
intimation of the mistake she made
csms when she smelt something
burning. Throwing open the oven
I doors she discovered her money
boxes on fire She drew them out
hastily but the damage had already
been done. Every one OF the bills
had been badly charred. On most
Of them the denomination was entire
ly burned away.
In her distress Mrs. Conrad ap
pealed TO her neighbors They ad
vised her to go to the sub-treasury
in ST. Louis and present the charred
bills to the treasurer for redemption
The treasurer at st. Louis told her
be could do nothing for her and ad
vised her TO send the bills on to
Washington, where they have experts
for deter mining the value of damag
led and partly destroyed currency.
Appraiser Walkenhorst took her to
Congressman JOY who promptly
agreed to do everything he could in
Washington for her relief.
Experts were put to work on the
oharred bills here, and after a couple
Of days work, the denomination of
every eharred piece was ascertained.
1t was found that size had underes
timated her wealth. Ia the package
which she thought there had been
$3.50 only 1866 was found, but in
the package which she thought con
tanned only $3.50 it was found there
had been $3.50 Thus while she
claimed only S430 she will get 1856 |
She will gSt her money in the form
OF check on the treasury.
The treasury experts say they |
have many cases such as that of Mrs.
Oonran to deal with. They require
an affidavit detailing the manner in
which the money was destroyed to |
be filed with the claim for redemp |
ton, and the person making the
claim must also have certificate of
good character. If the treasurer is
satisfied that the case is a genuine
one the person sustaining the loss is
remunerated. When he is not salts.
ned with the representations made
ne turns the case over to the secret
service.
ut is really surprising" said Mrs.
brown, the expert who examined
AIRS. Oonrad's bills, show many peo-
pie there is in this country who
nave money to burn. Every fall we
nave number of cases such as that
OF Mrs. Conrad. 1t is only few
uays since man in this city season
ed his coffee with $500 in United
States notes.