New-York tribune., 1905-08-20
STATE CARE OF ESTATES
Property for Uhich Heirs Haze
Not Been Found.

Albany. Aug Is (SpeciaD.-In paving James
Travers $4,000 last week the State relieved itself
from the of a large private estate. The fund
had been in the State Treasury ten years as the
heirs of Jacob Travers could not be found . died
in the early SOS. but the money not given over
to the State until 1895. James Travers a son OF
Jacob, went to sea more than forty years ago. and
took UP his residence in New-Zealand. He finally
received communications from relatives informing
him that he entitled to a share of his fathers
estate, and he came to this country settle up the
matter. In settling the Travers estate the State
Controller deducted about 500 to meet the expenses
Of the Attorney Generals Department
1t is the mistaken belief of many that the State
hoids large sums of money in trust for missing
heirs" says George c. Lewis. secretary To Con-
tro!ler Kelsey. There 50 many Estates in
the possession of the State and the greater number
are those of inmates of soldiers and saiIors homes
and in most of these cases the amount involved is
less taan 800 We do not make these estates public,
for the reason that such course would invite
fraudulent claims and make end of trouble"
The law makes county treasurers public admins
traitors in Cases where there are no heirs of an
estate. The money is then deposited in the State
Treasury. y few months ago Controller kelsey
paid out $500 which had been willed several years
ago to the parish of Doveraie, Ireland This money
was received iii August, hS]l, and WAS paid 10 the
priest OF that parish who proved the claim last
March.
The most noted of the estates held by the State is
that of Major William \. KinneIly in BROOKLYN He
died in 1868, and since that the State has ad-
ninistered the estate, collecting rents and taking
care OF the buildings No. III Second Place Brook
lyn. II necessary for the State TO convert
the house into apartment building in order to
make it profitable. The State has also defended the
estate from many claimants who were unable to
prove their title it, 1t was originally an impos-
ms brownstone residence for family, in
fashionable quarter but by one the old
families had their ranks thnned by death the
younger generation either sold or leased their
b,t,Z
as more convenient and where more fashionable
people had taken up their residence. When a
search for heirs to Major Kinney was made none
were found, and the estate passed into the hands
OF the State The property difficult to rent.
and finally, when the State received an offer for
the building, il decided to sell it at auction But
the bid made was low that the property was
bid in by the State. Then improvements wese
made. and the KinneIly house was converted into
an apartment building. Money from the rentals
aggregatng 500 year turned over yearly to the
Controller, by whom it is deposited 10 the credit
of the heirs, in the State Treasury. With the cash
left by the old soldier at the time of his death
and the accrued rentals from the property. there is
being found Several times SnDnose9 u beir i b
Without doubt the State viii eventually take steps
to acquire regular title to the real estate and con
vert it into cash.
The William. y. F. McNab property. at Northern
Boulevard and WashinSton-ave.. Albany. is held
by the State. although claim for it is before
the surrogate IhlS property includes $1,000 In
money and residence. carpet beating works, gro
cery and StOrehOuse, valued at $1,000 more. Sec
retary Lewis. OF the Controllers office, has the
of this estate collecting revenues and order
ing improvements y from the West. who
says he is the OF sister of the former owner
IS prosecuting a claim Before his death NcNab
declared that there would be fighting over his
property. as it would 10 the State but the
property will probably soon pass from the care OF
the State.
Another estate in Albany held by the S-s-- was
the property of the late Matilda g. Johnson. This
is house in MadiSon-ave. valued at S7.O09. Mrs
Johnson and her husband held this house Jointly.
and the whole of it became the property OF Mrs
Johnson on her husbands death Mrs Johrson's
mind became affected and she unable to be
dueath her property, so il reverted to the State
A claim has been made for it. and the matter will
soon be adjusted.
An unusual case is that of the late William
Nurce, in the western part of the State. There is
not an estate like 1t in the history Of New-York.
NorCe left his property. amounting tO SS4GN0 in
trust to the State and provided that the interest
should be paid for school expenses in towns of
EIlery, Chautauqua and WeStfeld- Under the ex-
listing law that time. the State could not accept
the trust, but act was passed in 1902 permitting
the State TO act as executor. The money is in
vested and year the Controller pays the in
terest to the State Commissioner of Education who
turns it over to the school authorities Of the three
named