The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-18
Relative Has Appeared and Will File
Claim for the Fortune Which
Has Grown Like
Corn.
AMOUNTS TO MILLIONS
Scientific and Historical Circles Are
in Riot Of Sensation Since
the Remarkable
Find.

Since the discovery of the remains
of De Soto in the river at Quincy, a
relative has appeared on the scene and
has claimed the insurance The truth
full Quincy Herald has the following
to say.
Chief of Police Koch last night
received dispatch from Pedro
Mateo De Soto of De Soto, Mo-, asking
him to hold the remains of his illus
trious relative; fernando De Soto,
which were revealed in the bed OF
the Mississippi river here Sunday
as result of the phenomenally low
stage of the water. The chief is also
asked to procure copy of the pro-
ceedings of the coroner's inquest
and the verdict of the jury.
It appears that when the fearless
De Soto sailed from San Lucas on
his last i'll fated cruise In 1886 he
had life insurance policy for 1000
doubloons in the Royal Hispanol
Hidalgos. Under the Spanish law
the only recognized proof of death
is the presentation Of the body AS a
great many Spanish gentlemen in
those days were given to wandering
in odd corners of the earth, getting
their hides punctured with indian
arrows till they looked like a fretful
porcupine. 1t was impossible for
many policyholder to exhibit his
corpse on short notice. Therefore
there were many death claims un-
satisfied and many duenna left in
penury. At the same time the insur-
ance company waxed fat and pros
porous on the policyholders' money
and the rejected claims.
The marvellous discovery of the
casket of De Soto furnishes an OPP
portunity to reach this naughty cor
poration. Although the presumption
has long been in favor of De Soto's
death, the company has taken adj
vantage of the absence of body to
deny it. They exhibited so-called
photograph of De Soto taken in Mex
leo at the age Of 1873 as an argu-
ment that he might still be alive,
although Ala years old.
1t is computed that with interest
the De Soto Claim would now amount
to S1,6000,000 doubloons, or over
$245,000,000 in American money.
The claimant at De Soto, Mo-, in his
gratefulness announces that he will
give Chief Koch 10 per cent for
looking after the casket and remains
and securing the evidence asked
for This will give Capt. Koch So,
100000 and make him easily the rich
est man in the city.
AS stated yesterday only a small
section of the skeleton of the great
adventurer was found in the casket
but this portion included the love-
half of the skull. 1t is believed thai
Spanish court would hold this tt
be conclusive evidence of deatf
While there have been cases il
which the absence of the upper par
of the skull might not be noticed
history has failed to record an in
stances of any living man going abou
with the lower part of his skull
missing. There is hiatus which can
not be bridged by a rubber band o.
a silver wire
The discovery of the casket O
De Soto as narrated exclusively il
The Herald yesterday has created /;
profound sensation In scientific ant
historical circles. The wires las
night were burdened with messages
of inquiry from all over the worlt
and Manager Gates of the Western
Union when he crawled into hi
couch this morning said that It re
minded him OF busy day at Reno.
Next to that of Moses no buria
In ancient history has so much o
the weird, the inexplicable and mys
FERROUS as that of fernando De Soto
The brave Spanish Explorer wa
placed In casket of copper and a
midnight of June s. 1912, six of hi
followers slowly pulled out from tn,
bank in canoe and the body of thei
leader was tendely consigned to tn
mercies of the mighty river he ha,
discovered The great mother o
waters opened her yielding bosom Il
IeNSlNt HcI nero SOH ana he wa
known no more!
Time, stress and strife dissipate
his followers and no further recor
of the death and burial of the leade
was ever given, save as here ind
Gated.
1t was reserved for a Quincy. ferr
captain to disclose the mystery c
the ages, and following fast on tn
discovery comes the claiming of tn
casket by a descendant or next c
kin and possible retribution to
naughty Spanish corporation tina
has fattened on the tears of widows