The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-17
WAITING FOR OWNERS.
London Banks That Hold Unclaimed
Wealth.

If all the gold, silver and jewelry now
lying dormant in the storerooms of the
great banks of the country were TO be ar
rayed IN stage scene, a spectacle of gilt
tering magnificence would be presented
beside which the splendor of Aladdin's
cave would pale to insignificance, says
London Tit-Bits.
|. There would be heavy gold plate. solid
silver heirlooms and jewels surprising in
beauty the headgear OF a Maharajah.
For instance. who knows how much
plate and jewelry was sent over TO Eng
land just prior to the French revolution?
That its value is untold many people
know. Some of the owners persisted dur
ing the Commune troubles; others died be-
fore they were able to reveal the secret
of their hidden treasure. Consequently,
there are doubtless in France today many
people blissfuliy ignorant of the wealth
in England to which they are entitled.
And ignorant they will remain.
What becomes of all this wealth? Also.
what becomes of the hundreds of un-
claimed bank balances? 1t is said of d
certain bank, famous for its architectural
magnificence and surrounding beauty.
that the whole structure was raised out
of these unclaimed balances and divi-
dends.
Mr.. Bottomley, NJ P, is doing his ut
most to push through the house of COM
mons a bill. the object of which is to
bring into the possession and control OF
the state this dormant wealth now lying
in the vaults of our great banking mSti-
tutions. Mr.. Bottomley. who is unusually
well Informed. declares that the banks
themselves could nOtNknow what was ly-
ing in their Strongrooms. There is he
says scrip lying in their vaults on which
dividends have not been claimed, that
there is over Ct, 600. 900 today in the shape
of unpaid dividends in the possession Of
the joint stock companies in this country.
There is one joint stock bank in the city
of London which, until a few years ago,
had as a customer an eccentric old lady
who had G2S,01o standing to her credit
| n-,nn che 1rfnr
up to the bank. ask for the manager. and
draw a check for the entire sum. HAY
ing counted the notes and checked the
interest, she was well satisfied as TO the
security OF her money and then d1sap-
peared. For the last seven years the bank
has seen nothing of that old lady. The
G2s.c00 is lying in the joint stock bank.
But what about the lady? Has she any,
relatives? Are they aware of her wealth, I
or is she. in fact. living?
1t might be cOmical in one respect, bvf
what about the dependents of that poor
old lady? Again, wealthy man was in
the habit of having all his money on de-
| post in various banks. a few years ago
he was in "A railroad accident and was
| killed At this moment, though he was
known 10 have been a wealthy man, his
| family are living in absolute want, and
almost penury, because they are utterly
unable to ascertain where his money is at
present lodged Inquiries have been made,
but the banks always reply that they give
| no information on such subjects. A third
! case is that of an officer who lost his life
i in the South African war. Within week
| of his death he wrote saying that II any
| thing befell him he had $4,000 in the bank
| for the assistance of his family. That
| family today cannot find out where any
| portion of that money is
Regarding jewelry and plate, one well
i known West End bank alone has admit
| teddy two millions worth of securities
waiting for lawful claimants to come
along and be put in possession OF them