New-York tribune., 1901-02-10
QUEER, ISN'T 1T?
SOME PHASES OF THE UNUSUAL
MR.. ZUENTss BILLIONS.
HE Is WILLING TO MAKE A DISCOUNT FOB
CASH ON his BAYARIAN BOND.

HE is WILLING TO MAKE A DISCOUNT FOR
CASH ON HIS BAvARIAN BOND.
Jefferson City CMo) letter in The Kansas city
Star.
AS good as Government bond" means
something genuine in this country-goOd for
1ust what il says. But there lives in Jefferson
city German who holds a single bond that
on It's face is worth more than all the Govern
ment bonds the United States ever issued, and
he is wondering what il is worth.
In l561 there lived in Upper Bavaria one John
scnoour a man OF some dignity, who performed
valiant service Tor the then Duke Of Upper and
Lower Bavaria. Just what shat service was
the information Obtainable at this late date
docs not specify, but the reisning duke issued TO
him bond for 1000 guldens, worth approx
5mately S@.No in American money. The bond
bears interest at the rate of . per cent. COM
pounded every year, and no part Of the prin-
cia4 or interest on IL has been paid II
IS ms bond thar is the aope and pride, largely
nope, OF Gefinan family now living al Je!fer-
son City II il did not have to he discounted il
" cGld be worth the snug sum Of 5000 psAVo
more money than the ts1ulds. EaUGUrliltS.
and the other WeN 10 do men carry in their
bank accounts. The rate Of interest and the
contract makes the face value OF the bond
double every fourteen years. ard as this has
been going on Tor three and ore-half c,ntures
the interest for one year alone would be fort
une.
The possess7r of the bond. Adelbert Zusnts
claims L. lie the lineal descendant Of John
Schohur The bond has been handed 9oEn from
generation TO generation, but as far as known
no effort has been made TO cash II. The early
holders Of the bond may have had prudential
reasons for not presenting il in the disturbed
condition OF affairs which. as the weather
Prophet would say, was normal in Central
Europe" for a few centuries after the bond
signed.
To the family the bond was long a source Of
pride, but the American descendant has devel-
oped utilitarian ideas, and wants the cash Ie
s willing 10 make reasonable discount for
cash in hand. There is every reason Cor be-
lieving that he would throw of the accrued
interest OF a century or tWC If tn principal ana
interest Of the remaining centuries can oe
turned 20 good American dollars.
Even then Zuents could buy a shoe factory.
q railroad or two and a couple OF pa kin-s
houses and live in peace and luEury Cor the
mainder Of his days. The bond says the duke
ar has heirs VIII pay the grantee Of the bond
on presentation, but the duke departed this
life some four hundred years ago. and his heirs
may deny their responsibility for his contracts.
However Charles Ginter, a lawyer of Indian
al oils, has undertaken To collect the bond a
PERCENTAGE basis. He has connected by CORE
sp0ndence, with attorneys at Berlin and Heidel-
borg. who say the bond is good and can stiu
ce collected. These lawyers say they have found
that the bond differs from the good paper dol
lars that Representative Organ, Of Dent, saved
out OF his salary while serving the Confederate
army, in that the government that now exists
IS descended from The original government of
The duke who reigned in the sixteenth century.
The only danger is that hen they see the bill
the American lawyer IS about To present to
Them they viii begin 20 throw doubt the
authenticity of their family tree Zuents
however, isn't losing sleep over the matter. He
lives as a quiet. modest German citizen Of the
quiet old capital within his means, honest and
respected by his neighbors He can trace his
own ancestral tree back To the grantee Of the
bond and hopes that the future has great things
in store for himself and his little family. but
he isn't taking options On railroads OF endowng
charitable institutions. Not yet.
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