The Washington times., 1905-04-06
MALTESE ENVELOPE
YIELDS SNUG sum
William r. SimnOnds Finds
1t in Southwest.
WAS UNDER AN IRON PORCH
One Cross Remains Hidden on Bright
wood Road and Defes Army
of Scarchers.
WAS UNDER AN IRON PORCH

only one OF the five envelopes mark ed
with the Maltese Cross, and containing
an order on The Times for crisp, new
greenbacks remains undiscovered Will
liam r. Simmonds, of 431 Sixth street
southwest, found one of the envelopes
containing an order for SIS at an early
hour this morning, under the iron porch
of ~ Seventh street southwest. His
lucky find was the reward of determined
search. and he declares that he is well
repaid for the two days which he spent
IN the work.
Somewhere on Brightwood road. be-
tween Harvard and Sheridan streets,
there is another envelope containing
another order. Daily big crowds con-
gregate between the two streets and
look here, there, and everywhere, but
without result. No one has as vet been
able to discover the hiding place of the
elusive envelope, and it still lies within
reach Of all, awaiting a finder
Went Out to Brightwood.
When the news that the order hidden
In the Southwest section became gen
orally known this morning. there was
a noticeable influx of searchers to
Brightwood road. BY noon the street.
4oASes was tilpilStu Win
crowd of eager. excited searchers, who.
fearful that some one would discover the
hiding place before them, hurried over
the ground. scanning every inch as
carefully as their rapid progress allow
ed, and then returned, covering the sud-
denly popular district more thoroughly.
Over 90 per cent OF the crowd were
supplied with sharp sticks, with which
they pried into small hooks and crannies
which could not be reached with their
hands The rest of the crowd. rernern-
Der1ng that each of the other envelopes
was wrapped up In old pieces of tin.
or The like, devoted most of their time
10 OLD TN cans, paper bags, anything
and everything in which an envelope
might be hidden.
Searchers Are Suspicious
1t is suspicious crowd-those people
who are searching in the Brightwood
district. Each fortune hunter regards
the searcher at his side with distrust-
full eyes. This is due to the fact that
every stranger is strongly suspected of
being the reporter who hid the envelope.
and who is searching merely as a
bind. On more than one occasion
many of the searchers have passed
within two feet of the hidden money.
but they did not know it. One man
was seen prying into a crevice with a.
crooked WIRE who had no idea that he
could have reached the envelope with
out moving from his tracks He was A
thorough searcher and looked every
place in the vicinity but the right one.
Finally he walked off, exploring as he
went. but without result He. together
with the other searchers. went home to
a late supper, disappointed, but not dis
heartened.
All the searchers seem to believe in
the adage. If at first you don't sue
coed, try, try again. AS each of the
few who were willing to abandon the
search for meal went home to their
luncheon, he announced HIS Intention of
eating only a snack" and returning
Meanwhile the money lies Awaiting q
Claimant, much sought for, but as vet
unbound.
Wrapped Up in Tin.
Junk dealers would be eager. indeed.
to buy old scraps of tin We're there
any possibility of their purchases yield
ing such rich finds as that old and bent
piece which was raked from under-~an
iron porch by William r. Simmonds
this morning. Simmonds, who is due
at his work at o'clock. has been get
ting up with the sun ever since he found
out that money was hidden near his
home, and this morning, while rakng
over a pile of dead leaves which lay