ROMANCE OF A FORTUNE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1000, 30 January 1912, Page 4

ROMANCE OF A FORTUNE.

INTERESTING AMERICAN SYSTEM.

THE DETECTIVE IN AUCKLAND.

A story told to an Auckland Star reporter by Inspector-Detec-tive Lea Bleakraore, of the United States Administration Department, ■shortly before the departure of the Marama, by which vessel he is travelling to Vancouver, endorses the contention that truth can be just as strange as fiction. It concerns the quest that took him to Sydney, and constitutes an interesting record in regard to international detective achievements. Inspector Bleakmore reached Sydney by the Aorangi from San Francisco a week ago last Tuesday, and within a couple of days he had located the relatives of an old miser named Stephen Cunningham, whom death disconnected a hoard of about ,£30,000 in December last. The narrative of the detective hunt, as told to Sydney reporters before the Inspector’s departure, was given in a recent issue of the Star, showing how the first clue was nothing more substantial than a few pieces of square chalk, which kindled the belief that the old man had once been a tailor, also how the discovery of a similar name was made iu an ancient register of tailors as having worked in Newcastle, New South Wales, very many years ago. Some additional facts which have not so far been made public were told to the Star representative. Detective Bleakmore returns to the States the richer by about Sooodol., which sum represents the 20 per cent, reward which the Government pays for such discoveries. When an unknown person dies iu America all inquiries are left to what is known as the Administrator’s Department, and all possessions which come to light are kept for a period of five years unless the identity of relatives is satisfactorily established. It at the end of that time no claimants have appeared the assets of the estate are used for educational purposes and public benefaction. Detective Bleakmore was in Australia less than a week. “My work opened up before me like a flower,” he remarked. “When I went out in .an automobile to the country homes of the two elderly brothers and the two sisters of the deceased they ridiculed the idea that my mission could be serious. They knew all about these Yankee ways, they said. However, I soon convinced them and their heads —those of the families at least—were nearly turned with excitement. Some of the young ones have made up their minds that they can find uses for the money. Each one of the families were living in poor circumstances, most of them carrying on farming a few miles out from Newcastle.” Another point not mentioned before was that this old miser made his pile as a tailor in the mining centres of New South Wales. Before leaving Australia some of his acquaintances remarked upon the likelihood of a reunion with his relatives, and of a transference of portion of his riches in that direction. No fear of that, he said, he never wanted to see any of his relatives again. He never did, and what is more, none of them ever received a letter from him. The millstone of wealth bore very heavily on this superselfish specimen of humanity.