The Washington times., 1901-12-29
AFTER MILLIONS
THAT ARE NOT.
Treasury BeSeiged by Claim
ants for Fortunes.
TEE DURKBE CHIMERA EXPLODED.
Demands Made by Hundreds of
Persons AS Heirs of Jacob De
Haven and Annel1e Jens-Other
Interesting Cases.

Interesting Cases.
Two or three months ago Secretary
Gage laid to permanently, It Is be-
lieyed-the chimcra known as "the Dur
kec claim" The final scene was when two
or three Western lawyers commanded the
Secretary to deliver the Union Pacific
bonds lleged to have been deposited in the
Treasury, almcst generation ago, by
Governor Durkee OF Utah. The bonds in
question were not and had never been
in the Treasury. and there is strong :
son to believe that they never were ex-
istence.
Recently a New York lawyer demanded
the modest sum of 100000 for a Polish
client named Dembitzky. nephew of
Baron Ludwig Napoleon Dembitzky. who,
it IS alleged. deposited his personal for
tune-siO0 0O0-in the Treasury in 1863, en-
tered the Union Army. aud was killed in
the battle OF the Wilderness. This money.
at compound interest, is said to aggregate
the amount claimed.
The attorney was informed that the
fund in question did not exist. but since
then many other Dembitzkys. in Russia
and other far-away lands. have been bonn
harding the Treasury with letters in re-
gard to their share of the supposed in
hcritance.
No Record of Service.
The records Of the War Department and
the Treasury are both destitute Of in
formation as to the military service OF
this noble Pole, who. contrary to prece-
dent, is said by his kinsmen to have been
only private.
Most OF the titled soldiers OF fortune
who left Europe to serve in the civil war
demanded commissions, and obtained
them. If 1t is found that any back pay Is
due Baron Dem5itzky it will be forwarded
to his heirs.
Few such litigants, however, are ia
vored with even pretence Of legal serv-
ice by the lawyers to whom they have
paid retainers These men know from the
beginning that they can make no valid
claim. and, therefore do uot trouble
themselves TO visit the Treasury or even
to enter into correspondence with it.
A year ago an avalanche of letters de-
scended on the Treasury, enquiring as to
the disposition Of a large sum OF money
| said to be held In Uncle Sans big strong
| box for the heirs OF one Jacob De Haven.
! Another avalanche Of communications re
| lated to eighty millions OF dollars claimed
to have been brought from Holland year
earlier. and deposited in the Treasury for
the heirs OF Anneke Jams.
These enquiries came from persons who
had been vctimized through the advertise
| ments Of claim agents, several OF whom
! had their law" Offices in Washington. Sc
specious were the methods employed By
these men that a number of the so-oalled
"De Haven heirs" permitted their photo
| graphs and the details as to their sup
posed windfalls to be published in the
/ newspapers.
De Hnven's Obscure History.
Nothing more than tradition exists as tc
the history of Jacob De Haven; and
though his descendants are numerous, ant
| scattered all over the country, not one ma:
brought forward any information to prove
the allegation that he loaned money t'
the Government nor do the official records
of the Treasury Department furnish any
| evidence that the United States was evel
indebted to him.
1t is averred that he was proprietor OF ;
small hotel in Chestnut Street, Philadel
phia: that. during the winter that Wash
inEton and his army suffered at Vale.
korge. De Haven, at the instance Of Rob
ert Morris. loaned the Government $4,000
for the relief Of the army. This sum. will
interest. was estimated BY The claimants Il
aggregate S35O.OO0.
Others claimed that the amount lcanct
was S45O.C00. and that It had increased Il
s. 500 600 In view Of the fact that ever
$50 900 was a consp!guously large fortun
in the days of the struggle for indopend
ence. and that the name Of Jacob De Have.
does not appear in any Of the histories o
the Revolution, or the annals OF Philadel
uhia. either as phiianthropist or flnaucier
or even as a bonilace, the absurdity of th
! claim is apparent
The Anneisc Jams Bubble.
The Anncke Jams bubble exhibited eve
more glttering hues. This Manhattan
dame came to America as the wife OF
tenant farmer, and her mother. Tryntj
Jansen. followed her as proiessiona
accoucheusc, employed by the West Indi
Company for their colony OF Ne" Neither
land at a moderate salary.
Such being the case. it is difficult t
understand under what circumstance
;s0, eco 600 could accrue in Holland for tn
army Of descendants OF Anna Ians. as sh
once signed herself though the nucleu
Of the sum is said to have been be
queathed to her by an uncle named Web
bcr.
Sine was the mother Of nine children
rour Of whom were the sons of the Rev
Everardus Bogardus, to whom she Wa
married in 1857. after year of widow
hood.
SCARCELY a generation after Tryntie Jan
sen took up her residence in New Amster
dam her two daughters. Anneke an
Maritje, and their children. were connect
ed by marriage With all The leading fam
lilies of the province, among them bein
stnyycsant. Van Corilandt, Bayard, Ro
denburgh. Van Brugh. Van Rensselaer,
Cuvler. Livingston. Ten Broock, De Wit
Kniekcrlocker, Wendell, kennedy an
CoUYcTneur.
without Niue Eiood.