The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-05-05
No. 80
Fortunes Left Not Claimed.


Every day the police report the death
of men and women in the city of New
York whose relatives are unknown.
The general public does hot realize the
wealth of legal detail which is behind
these bare announcements The gen
eral supposition is that the poor UNI
fortunates is only another addition to
the unmarked graves on Harris Island,
which is best known as Potter's Field.
! But this in vast majority Of cases is all
wrong. The personal property which is
| often left by these poor unfortunates who
die intestate aggregates over a half of a
million of dollars each year, and it re-
quires the services of a public admins
trator to settle their estates
The office of the public administrator,
which is held in New York county by
Mr.. William II. Hoes. and in Kings
county by Mr.. Charles T. Teale is far
from being a sinecur The response
bilites are far more cvacung than the
remuneration which consists of fees.
II the personal prop rty left bv the
friendless man or woman who dies intes-
tate amounts to only one cent. the same
care must be given 10 h. administration
of this estate as ii it amo nted TO several
thousand dollars.
Public Administrator Hoes OF, Man
haitian, has Just filed an accounting of his
stewardship for the yea 1910. The es-
tates which he was called upon to admin
lister upon during the past II months of
last year represented cash value of
S422, 2Io.o6. The money which he dis
bursed from this amount was S2SS, 74I.I5,
leaving a cash balance Of S263, 4oS. "a,
awaiting claimants.
CHANGING over the 1910 report of the
public administrator it is surprising to
note the money value OF the estates
which were left by some OF The foreign
born population who were denied a word
OF consolation from grieving relatives
in their last moments. August Zolver,
whose address i'll New York was not
even known, left an estat valued at
$2I I4I. The Teutonic character of the
name prompted the public administrator
to put his nationality down as German.
Francisco Geronido, native of Sunny
Italy followed the seas until death over
took him in New York. Without kin
it became the duty of the public admin
istrator to take charge OF ms estate,
which approximated the comfortable
sum of $40, 1877
Nicholas Koran. though only en-
ployed in the mental capacity of watch;
man, amassed competence Of $40, 244. .
But the expense attached in the admin-t
istration of his estate amounted to So, o64.
The case of Carl and Alma Stilzner isl
an interesting one. They cdrne from.
Germany many years ago, and by frugal
living and industry they left am estateh
of sS,574 when they died Strangely.
enough the public administrator couldi-
find no relatives. In his search for thief.
next of kin, funeral and other incidentalt.
expenses, he spent SASS. 81
Michael Larkin, recluse, managed toll
acquire an estate valued at S3,os7. whems
he died The money is still awaitinsw
a claimant. Mary l.. Warner, who's,
home address the public administrator
could not locate, left fortune OF s., e63.r-
which can be claimed any time anye-
relative appears and submits the neeesd
sary proof e.
For years John Nettlefeld was tn as
coachman of one of the best known famine
lies in New York When he died h;oTT
left an estate of $Io,52I, but not singlsit
relative could be located kosinin.
Heath, native Of England, by manyas
years service as a domestic, had a Dances
account of $6,53I. Deducting charge
Sos for funeral expenses, the balane :,
is still awaiting a claimant. If the proptn1r.
claimant comes along he or she me-,
collect an estate valued at 5000, whiG,n..
was left by Herman Burger, who 20 - :"
Quoted a saloon business in New Yor ~
Amalia Gunlock. German donesti- :
left an estate valued at $Io,4 WIG .
was distributed among the different sa :
ing banks.