The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-30
MILLIONS WITHOUT OWNERS
PROPERTY FOR WHICH NO
HEIRS CAN BE FOUND.
100000 In the Hands OF the City Chams
beriain- More Held by the State Treas
urer- Some Mysterious Disappearances
game OF Hunting for Missing Heirs.

beriain- More Held by the State Treas
uref- Some Mysterious Disappearance
game OF Hunting for Missing Heirs.
did you ever realize that millions of
dollars are in the hands OF the Chamberlain
Of New York city and the State Treasurer
awaiting owners, and that lawyers are
working on the task OF searching for heirs
for these funds all the time, succeeding
or failing in this task in the most unusual
waysY
There is SO, 900, 900 in the hands OF the
City Chamberlain alone, which would be
given over to the heirs OF the people
who died and left the money IL those heirs
would only appear.
Another odd thing, do you realize
that some of the most valuable property
in New York city is not improved and
| remains occupied by r~amsheckle buildings
because the owners have disappeared and
that large rents are collected by people
who lave no right whatever to them''
The speaker wal a lawyer who makes a
specially OF finding lost heirs to estates
and owners OF bank accounts who have dis
appeared
81 often think that no man gets 30 strong
an impression OF the twisting paths OF
life. Of the obscure eddies into which people
drift and Of the mysterious ways in which
they can be murdered or die in lonely places
or Just sink out OF the current of life and
disappear as a lawyer engaged in such
work as this he went n. Dozens Of
men nave disappeared in this way in cases
which I have investigated.
who knows whether they have been
knocked on the head or have taken to the
river or have changed their names, al
though without apparent motive TO do so,
and are quietly living in some retired
hamlet?
IF you came into contact with such cases
as I lave before me day in and day out
you would wonder too what becomes Of
all these people that were we'll known and
prominent one day and the next day have
disappeared as utterly as il the earth had
opened and swallowed them up.
AN odd case I remember-not the oldest,
hut stin rather out Of the ordinary-was
that Of a Belgian artist named Jean van der
Stock. he landed in this country in 1888,
when he was about 80.
He was a portrait painter and soon after
arriving here received numerous and lucra-
tive commissions and in short was on the
high tide Of success in no time, He had a
studio and living rooms in Waverley place
fixed up in bizarre fashion, and it was a
favorite stunt OF his friends TO have tea
there every afternoon and rabbit suppers
in the evening and that sort Of thing.
in 1892 he hired a safe deposit box from
a Broadway company and put in it between
5000 and $40. 900 worth OF securities. The
next day he disappeared.
I'VE have hunted for him ever since,
but in vain. Wehave found his old mother,
who had not heard from him for three
years before his death.
THE trust company would like to hand
the securities over to her, and abe is In
poor circumstances, but 1t cannot do so
az things are.
What was his fate' Did he voluntarily
disappear and simply forget the money!
Or was he knocked on the head In some
brawl along the waterfront as the endup
OF a crazy spreeH Or was he suddenly
stricken with aphasia and IL he living in
some interior city or perhaps right here
In New YoIEf
swho knows2 No one has ever been able
10 find any trace Of his whereabouts or any
proof Of his death.
About the largest fortune I know 20
have been tied up by lost heirs is that Of
William A. Kinelly, a wealthy Wholesale
grocer Of this city, who died In 1853. Kinelly
had q brother, Edward. with whom he had
had q violent quarrel about some trihing
personal matter.
Both men we're violent tempered and
Edward ended the quarrel by telling his
brother that he hoped he would never see
him again and getting out Of o the same
night. Kinelly didn't care at the time, but
on his deathbed he had q At Of repentance
quite az violent as his anger. Ee wrote a
will leaving his entire fortune OF close on
10 quarter OF q million dollars 70 his brother.
didnheritins all his other relatives.
Edward was traced 10 Michigan and
there the trail stopped. We have never
been able &C get any further. The State
Treasurer took over the entire estate under
the law and still has II.
did Edward resolve not TO touch q cent
| OF his brothers money on account Of their
quArrel7 He must have seen the advertise
ments We published II he YVES still alive.
II would be quite In keeping with his nature
TO ignore them and refuse 70 touch the
money.
Another odd case vss that Of james J.
Pomeroy OF Joplin, Mo-, and hhssoula,
Mont. In his Gaze We found the heir. but