The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-08
His Honesty Cost Him His Mod.
est Little Fortune.
AN ECHO OF OLD DAYS
Finder Seeks to Recover Money
from Present Holder.
Deposit Slip Indicates Money
Was Hidden in 1882.

Lawrence, Kan. Oct. S.-The find
ing OF large roll of money, covered
with the dust of years in an old cof-
Zee urn in the attic of the Morris
clark home and the subsequent dis
pute over the ownership of the find,
promises to unfold a most interesting
| legal tangle.
| The finding Of the money was un-
| der very peculiar circumstances and
| such as to leave but little clue as to
! the identity of the person who hid
the money many years ago in the de-
| serted attic of the little brick home.
Plumber Found Hidden Hoard.
T. H Mintier. a plumber. is the
Mr.. Morris Clark. Mr.. Mintier was
formerly a plumber for the Ohio
Natural Gas company when that
company had offices here. He later
worked for Frank Bennett and is
now running a pantatorium in Tex
arkana, Ark. Mr.. Mintier found the
money by the merest chance while
plumbing the Clark home.
The entire incident happened in
the year 1906 but has never been
brought to light until now when the
efforts of Mintier to recover the
money which he had unwittingly
given, became known. Mr.. Mintier
in a deposition before a Texarkana
T. R. Robinson, the manager of the
Ohio Natural Gas company to plumb
the Clark home at 1912 New Hamp-
shire streets for natural gas. Mintier
says that he worked there some time
and in piping some of the rooms had
to go up into the small attic or loft
under the caves. The house is a
small one story brick residence.
Money Was Buried in Brick Wall.
Mr.. Mintier claims that he plumbed
two of the rooms from overhead by
getting up through small trap
door. over two of the rooms. how
ever, he says that he had to make a
hole in the brick partition to put in
he noticed an old coffee urn stuffed
full of papers and covered with dust
sitting about three feet from the
wall. He paid no attention to it,
merely kicked it over and going
fore he finished his work. he heard
that that part of the house had been
built years ago and thinking there
might be something hid in the old
urn, he on going up into the loft
again, pulled out some of the old
that were stuffed in, and
were covered thick with dust. -
Urn Contained $500 in Bills.
To his great surprise he pulled out
with them roll of bills and on dump |
ing the urn over found that it contained |
two packs of bills with a deposit slip |
around them dated 1882 and one pile of
loose bills.
Minteir damned the money into his
pockets. finished his job up in a few !
minutes and hurried back to the Ohio
Natural Gas company's office in the /
700 block. Here he showed the money
to T. R. Robinson, his employer, and
the two counted 1t, finding that the
pack contained more than $500 in small
bills.
The two discussed what they had bet
Ter do with it and decided that Minteir
should take it back and see If 1t be-
onged to the Clarks.
Robinson accompanied Mintier to the
Clark home, so the deposition of Robin
son states which is in the hands of Ed
win Killing who is handling the Law
'ence end of the case for Mr.. Minteir.
he asked the Clark girl If they had any
money in the garnet and both she and
hrs. Clark said no. Then Mintfer
lairns that Mr.. Clark came out and
laimed the money and he unthinkingiy
urned it over to him.
Turned Find Over to Tenant. n
Mintier says that Clark told him to
ct him know of his Whereabouts and u
hat he, Clark would make it right
With him. This reused his suspicious
nd after investigating he decided to
AXE actions to recover the money.
Iintier also claims that the money
kept by tearing down the partition
hat he did when he plumbed the house
nd found the money.
The Clarks acknowledge the finding
the money by Mr.. Mintier in the Pc
uliar manner stated but Mr.. Clark
avs that he placed 1t there himself
nd it rightfully belongs to him.
The entire case is very complicated
nd promises to make a most interest
1g case. Mr.. Killing, who is Mintieris
ttorney. says he will file suit in a
aw days to recover the money.