Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-26
FAMILY OF HERM|TS
HAD MUCH MONEY
ASSUMPTION, Ill. COUPLE AND
TWO CHILDREN Become RE.
cLUSES 30 YEARS AGO
PROPERTY WENT 10 RACK AND RUIN
Conservator Appointed at Daughters
Request Finds Wealth IN ESery
Room.

Assumption, Ill.-Who can solve the
mystery of the House OF ues LargeS'
ut Assumption? The finding Of Sl0,-
900 in currency in the annQuated
structure has given the Christian
county town its greatest sensation.
Under the eyes Of the aged mother
there was dragged forth. silver gold,
bills horded presumably, for So years.
From cellar TO garnet. the mystery
house yielded treasure. musty with
the years. Paper bags were found 10
contain green and yellow bills, tin
cans and fruit jars, taken from be
meath Il roof that could not exclude
the summer rains, elinked story OF
wealth,
The occupants of the decrepid old
house. on farm two miles east Of
Assumption were Mrs Jean ues
Larges, her son, Louis. SIS years old,
and her daughter, Hortense, so. They
have lived the life of reeluses 80 years
The discovery OF the fortune was
made by frank Cakes Of Assumption,
who recently was appointed conserv.
ator for the mother. following d pc.
tton filed by her daughter, Mrs Ed
ward RainSford OF Evansville Ind.
For 80 years the Des Larges home
has been a house Of mystery. The
marriage Of the youngest daughter,
Ardelle, to Rainsford. was bitterly op.
posed by her parents, and when she
went away, the household drew cur
tain over their affairs aud stunned
their neiehbors. Nobody called upon
them and the farm grew UP 10 weeds.
Their live stock. with the exception
Of chickens died and were not re
placed
At rare intervals, Hortense, the
older daughter was seen about the
place, but hid herself when she no
ticed anyone passing.
Jean Des Larges, the father. was u
Trenchman, emgrating 10 this coun-
try about 80 years ago The daugh
tiers were comely and popular, but the
son was somewhat different and did
not care TO mingle in society as did
his sisters. Old residents who knew
the family before they decided upon
their. hermit existence. agree that
Hortense was wonderful intelligent
and beautiful Girl She taught school
in the neighbOrhood for several years.
Jean Des Larges died Il months ago
after an illness Of several years with
dropsy He was unattended by ply
stefan. A neighbor heard Of bis death
and found that the wife and children
were about to bury him upon the
farm. The neighbor protested and
sent for an undertaken The daughter
in Evansville was notified and she at
tended the funeral. Her reception was
not cordial. and she remained with
friends whom she had known before
her marriage. Recently she decided
that someone should look after the
mother and the property and a con
servator was appointed.
The first action was to clean house,
and this operation revealed the hord
ed wealth, nearly every room yielding
thousands 1t required several mar
ket baskets TO hold the secreted mon
ey. The greenbacks were dated as
far back as 1880. Most of the notes
were clean and did not appear to have
been handled many times. All had a
musty smell indicating their posses
sion for many years. One $40 bill OF
1880. which was found has been out
OF circulation for many years.
Where did the money come FROM
Neighbors claim that it could not haze
been saved of late years, as the
farm was unproductive and was bare
" able TO furnish a living for the oc.
cupants. II has been told that the
son, Louis made occasional trips TO
Assumption to exchange eggs for gro
ceries The family kept fewer hens
than the ordinary farmer and there
could be no great income from the
poultry yard. There was no effort to
sell butter or other farm produce.
Those who do not credit the hordlng
theory think that the money came
from some source in lump, possibly
from the estate OF a deceased relative
in Europe. Having no faith in banks,
Des Larges may have cashed his leg
acy and kept the money hidden in the
house. The age of the money strength
ems this theory 1t Is also believed
that the requirement OF this wealth in
spired the hermit like existence, rath
or than the marriage Of the younger
/ daughter
The Des Larges were always con
sidered honest and upright, and the
only feature Of their lives that the
neghbors did not understand, was
their extreme reticence and desire tt
avoid talking with anyone The home
once cheerful and we'll kept, took or
/ the appearance of desolation tn,
family shrank back into the little
world bounded by the tumble dowr
fence that surrounded the house
Weeds grew without restraint In tho
orchard and upon the farm The roo
Of the dwelling and barns, lost theil
shingles and no effort was made tt
replace them. Horses and cattle dis
appeared from the pastures.