The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-15
DEATH ENDS QUEST
OF 100000 LEGACY
Henry Golfer Robbed in Youth
in West Was Left Fortune by
Man Who Wronged Him
GOLD WAS STOLEN FROM SHIP

6ULU WAN SIuLcN rnuM SE1lf
Strange story Revealed In Papers
Found by the Mans Sister since
His BurlaI-Money In Brazil, but Hs
was Never Able to Get II.
Newark, N. 1.-THE death in this
city of Henry Golfer, who was seventy
years old, a veteran Of the civil war,
has revealed the fact that he devoted
the last thirty years Of his life search.
ing for legacy Of 100000, which
was bequeathed him by stranger
who had wronged him half a century
ago.
The discovery was made by his sis
ter, Mrs. James H. Fleming, who is
past seventy and who lives with her
son-in-lsw. Henry Helms, at No. 224
Seventeenth street, Brooklyn. She
had not seen her brother in f1fty-five
years until she looked upon him in
death q few days ago. And In nearly
threescore years the only tidings she
received of him were borne on a pos
tai card stating that he was "alive
and we'll"
Before he was twenty years old Col
ter went to Portland, Ore, where.
with man named Lane, he engaged in
the wholesale grocery business. They
grew rich rapidly. Every few months
Golfer went to San Francisco by ship
to bank the profits.
On one of these journeys, when he
had $4,000 in gold in satchel. and
Portland, Golfer was stricken with
fever. Realizing that delirium was
about to seize him, he intrusted the
money to young friend who shared
his stateroom. This companion also
took the fever, and fearing to trust
the satchel to anyone, he threw it In
dark corner under the berth. That
was the last ever seen Of 1t.
The man recovered soon after the
ship reached San Francisco. A search
was made for the money, but 1t could
not be found. Information that Golfer
received led him to suspect a Brazil
ian, who had been passenger on the
vessel. Golfer learned that this man
had gone to New York and he follow.
ed him East as soon as his health
would permit.
Ignorant of the Brazilian's name, ex.
cept that with which the West had
supplied him gratuitously, but with
an indelible mental picture of the
thief, Golfer took the trail. He car.
ried on his search alone and after a
few months learned that the Brazilian
had sailed for his native land.
Golfers funds were about exhaust
ed. He wrote to his partner in Port
land for money and waited three
months for a reply, but none came.
Golfer could not extend his credit in
New York. nor could he Borrow
enough to return West.
He was in quaddary what steps to
take when war was declared between
North and South. Golfer enlisted in
the Union ranks. fought with honor
and when peace came he went back
West with the pay he had earned as
a soldier. Things were greatly chang
ed. He had been given up as dead by
his friends.
He was about to engage in business
again when he read in paper Of the
death Of the Brazilian. The man left
a confession in which he told of rob-
bing Golfer of the $4,000. With this
money he had bought sugar planta'
ton and had amassed a fortune. AS
recompense for the injury he had
done, the planter bequeathed Golfer
100000, the story said.
Golfer at once started East, but all
attempts to secure the fortune from
this end failed. His pension was not
sufficient to allow him to go to Brazil
Wounds received in battle left him
physically unfit to earn good wages
With what little he managed to save
he renewed his efforts to secure the
legacy. Scores of letters were written
to Brazil, lawyers communicated with
all to no avail.
Tenaciously Golfer hoped and work
ed on. To possess the legacy was the
dominant purpose Of his life. Death
ended the struggle. He had worked
silently; not even his closest friends
knew the secret. And 1t might have
died with him had not Mrs. Fleming
in going through the papers he left
accidentally found the records of the
search.
Mr.. Helms said that he would nov
take up the work death had halted
and make every effort to get the be