The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-03-14
CHANCERY ESTATE
 SWINDLE REVIVED
Americans Warned Agains1 Old Fraudulent Scheme
 By English.
EXPLORER FINDS TRIBE
 RULED BY WITCH MEN
Strange Customs and Primitive Tongue Survive in South
 ern Nigeria.

London, March 14-The missing es- tate swindIe is evidently again being worked extensively in the United States. The embassy nere is over whelned with letters from American heirs asking how best to secure es- tates due them. Some lett CTS indicate that victims were induced to part with all their property to pay expenses of pseudo representatives Of the Chan cery Court.
 Ten years ago, the State Department at Washington received so many re- quests about missing estates in Chan cery that 8 special investigation was made by Henry White. then first sec-# retarY Of the American embassy here. ca1Iy impossible for any American to secure an estate from the. Court of lChancery
 The report showed that the large estates constantly spoken of as dor l mant in chancery, or awaiting claim ants in the Bank of England were purely imaginary. and usually the in vention of swindIers who obtain mon ey for the prosecution of claims to fictitious fortunes.
 The funds in Chancery open to claim are few averaging less than $1,s00 each, two only approaching SIS, 1000, and most of them inevitably 1 would consume their own value in the expenses of recovery The fullest proofs Of genealogy are demanded. and in the case Of Americans such proofs are almost impossible. Even the c1earest claims are usually barred by the statute Of limitations. About the time of this report, the inquiries. became so heavy that they overload- l ed the eorrespondence Of the embassy and 2 printed form of reply was adopt Fed and this is in use today.
 
 1ers persuaded a, number of alleged descendants in America that the estate of their ancestor, Sir Francis Drake was ready for distribution by the Court of Chancery, the swindIe was widely exposed by the American news. quirles practically ceased until within l1ss..p the past asst.s few weeks. els s..... l Mrs Scott, mother of the Captain Scott who lost his life in returning from the South Pole, has been offered
 one Of the apartments in Hampton Court Palace: These are at the dis posaI Of the King. who usually grants them to widows of men who have dis tinguished thennselyes in national ser vice. E E Although the apartments are finely appointed. they are not always de- light to those to whom the King offers them rent free It is customary for l the tenants to pay the rates and taxes, 1 which amount to something like 300. a year. For this price fairly good cottage can be obtained in the vicinity Hampton Court has it's disadvan- | tages. among them gossip and mis- understandings. as the life is some 1 what like that of 3, continuity. Many E of the apartments also are very high 1 up and have no elevators This fn- convenience is not altogether met by 1 a basket on the end Of a string let down to the postraan or tradesnnan. On the other hand, the rooms are very beautiful and the tenants have the use of the gardens in the early
 morning before the crowds of visitors
 arrive. P Annaury Talbot. Of the Algerian I Political Service, who has trayeled I much through Africa studying the
 yarious tribes says the Tbibios. natives Iof Southern Nigeria, who are of such a. low type that they are called mud fish, rank among the most ancient of i Southern Nigerian tribes, and speak l different dialects Of very old and l primitive tongue
 I Witch doctors dominate the life of I the face. As protection against farm thefts, certain spells are recited lover the long hoe used for breaking up the ground, and medicine,
 poured over it, after which 1t is given 1 back to it's owner to be hung up in I some conspicuous place on the plan I tation No sooner does the thiefcreep I over the boundary than the magic hoe springs to his hand Unconscfous1y I his fingers clasp themselves around the haft He is bent down by a power I there is no resisting. and finds him.
 self forced against his will to hoe and
 hoe.
 Not for moment can he pause, 2 even to straighten his back. so long as a single weed remains on the farm.
 a single yam needs banking or a. sim I gle clod would be the better for break l ing So long must the evi1-doer con
 tIrue to work for the man lie had in-
 tended to rob. Only when the owner
 arrives on the scene, should he so
 wish. can the magic hoe be released
 from the hand Of the thief It is not
 said whether the magic has ever
 worked.
 Slaves are frequently sacrificed at the ] death of a chief and buried with him. ; | Until prohibited by the government
 chiefs were buried in their houses
 with strange ritual and sacrifice.
 burial chamber was prepared under
 meath one of the rooms, and in this i the chiefs body was placed. His best zi loved wife and two Of the most beau tofuI of his slaves entered the room
 and seated themselves at a table ops Fl Dosite their lord. After some cere- l rnoaiaI all but the women withdrew,
 the chamber was sealed up,. and the l ,1rfortunate women were left to a
 lingering death.
 A petition in favor of the Plumage BEI to be presented to the House o1 | Commons has been signed by 21,58s persons who visited the Bird Court 1 Of the Exhibition of Australian ManJl- lecturers last fall. So strong is Aus
 traIian opinion in favor of the bill that it is stated in official circles that
 had the petition been circulated pub
 licIy it would undoubtedly have beer signed by n1nety-fve per cent. of the