The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-13
AN HONEST MAN
FOUND IN ORLANDO
(Tampa Tribune)

lTampa IrlDune)
The centuries old quest of Diogenes
has ended and the worlds honest man
has ben found in Orlando. Today j.
B. Lewis, of Boston, Mass, was hand
ed back intact his wallet containing
ten thousand and fifteen hundred dol
lars in bills and bank drafts which he
had lost three days ago and for whose
riehtful owner a quiet search had
been made by its trustee, Newton P.
Vowel. president of the Yowell-Drew
Company, and vice president of the
chamber of commerce. Owing to the
nature of the contents of the wallet
and the possibility of unscrupulous
and fraudulent claims of ownership
being made to its valuables, neither
the owner, finder, nor the trustee, ad-
vertised the Joss.
The honest man is Jonah Hancock,
a rather peculiar character, in humble
circumstances who lives in Orange
county. on the Econlockhatchee creek,
in the same house where he was born
fifty-odd years ago. Jonah has been
trading in Orlando ever since it was
a crossroads, and three days ago on
walking down Orange avenue very
early in the morning, discovered the
valuable wallet on the sidewalk. 1t
was hours before stores and banks
were open, 80 he patiently awaited the
coming of Mr.. Yowell to his PLACE of
business. Jonah has traded with
Newton P. Yowell ever since he has
been in the mercantile business In Or
laI do and that is more than twenty
years. He exhibited his find to his
lifelong friend and asked his advice
as to how to find the owner. both
agreeing that the peculiar nature OF
the find precluded public search for
the owner until every other means
had been exhausted. Today, Mr.. Lewis
was discovered and overjoyed to have
again placed in his hands his treasure
the loss of which had been preying or
his mind. At least one Florida visitor
will return to his northern home to
spread the tidings that Florida and
Orlando are not filled with confidence
men and crooked strangers, but that
the old-fashioned trait of rugged
honesty still abounds. >
Jonah Hancock is sometimes called
Rev. Hancock, for at intervals he un'
dertakes evangelistic tours in mod
est way, preaching the doctrines Of
his sect, called the Church of God, anc
he has been no infrequent visitor tt
the distant localities of the sunshine
state for several years past, where III
gathers little knots of men together
on street corners or in front Of store:
in the smaller towns, and, with Bibl.
in hand, expounds his views of th'
way to righteousness. On these tours
he travels in decrepit spring wager
drawn by more decrepit horse ant
starts without scrip in his purse, stop
ping wherever night overtakes him.
He is now so well known through
out Florida thatehis strange habit o:
first driving into the barn and putting
up his horse choosing the first habi
tation that presents itself at night
fall, and then announcing himself t.
the jewellers in the house that he ha
come to spend the night, no longe
occasions surprise, Because of hi
gentle ways and his profound ant
fixed religious beliefs cordial wei
come is never denied him by thos
who understand his harmless pecu
| liarities, and he is always treated a
Ian honored guest,