The Sun. — 1844-05-10 (London, England)

UNCLAIMED DIVIDENDS.  TO THE EDITOR OF 'THE SUN. SlR,—The remarks which recently appeared in your paper, on the subject of unclaimed dividends, are much to be commended. The evidence produced on the trial of Barber, Fletcher and Co shows the , 9 injustice, if :not absurdity, of the system at present adopted by the Bank. It was there stated by Miss Ann Slack, that until this forgery was brought to light, she never knew of her being entitled to the 3,500/. in question, and was receiving the dividends on other stock at the Bank of England, without the least intimation being given to her of her right to this other money. Now, Miss Ann Slack,had it not been for this circumstance, would, in all probability, have gone to the grave quite ignorant on this point, although it was known that she was the legal claimant.  For aught we know, there are at this time many poor creatures, in a state of actual starvation, entitled to thousands of this unclaimed property; and who, for want of the required information, are doomed to end their miserable existence in some obscure garret, or (the last resource of the wretched) a workhouse. Most persons of property are tenacious, while living, of disclosing their wealth ; they often neglect to make a will until the last moment, and then, in sa imperfect a manner, that a correct; detail of the property is never got at. The survivor finds his relative possessed money in some particular stock, and goes to the Bank to claim it accordingly, but should there be more money invested by the same party in other portions of the funds, he gets no information about it, and very often loses it altogether. Again, the secresy observed by the Bank on these matters is not the least security against frauds, as was shown on the late occasion, where a person holding a responsible situation in that establishment, furnished the delinquents with the necessary information which enabled them ultimately to complete their nefarious designs, so that this man's rank in life was no proof of his being above temptation. Had a list of these dividends been published, the right owner would probably have appeared long ago, and these forgeries not have happened. I differ entirely with you where you propose that after certain publicity, and a lapse of time stated, they should revert to Government altogether. The Government might have the use of them after the adoption of the above proposals ; but they ought (at all events for a long term of years) to be open to claimants ; and if an office (similar to that of Doctors' Commons) were established for the registry of " Unclaimed Stock and Dividends," where, upon payment of a small fee, every person had the facility of examining the books, the Government would be spared the odium of being charged with suppressing that necessary information which the public are justly entitled to, and much general dissatisfaction allayed. I remain, Sire your obedient servant, POPULUS  DREADFUL DEATH BY FlRE.—Yesterday, Mr. Baker held an inquest at the London Hospital on Mary Woolnough, aged forty-eight, a married woman, of Hattstreet, Barking. Police-constable 246 Ii said, that on Sunday night, between eleven and twelve o'clock, he was going along Hatt-street, when he heard cries of " police, murder," and going in their direction he perceived a strong light through the upper window of deceased's house, the door of which lie forced open and found _the interior full of smoke. He went up stairs and found deceased lying on the landing, with her head downwards on the steps, her clothes nearly burnt off, and a bundle of linen lying smouldering by her side. He extinguished the flames, and, procuring a horse and cart, he brought her to that hospital. Mi. Gill, the house-surgeon, said deceased was admitted on Monday morning between two and three o,.clock, dreadfully burned on the back and lower extremities, and she died in two hours afterwards of shock to the system caused by the burns.—Verdict, " Accidental death."