HIDDEN GOLD.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 17 August 1917, Page 2

HIDDEN GOLD.

MISERS AND THEIR SECRET HOARDS. When a man was carrying upstairs an old chest of drawers for two elderly sisters 'who had jnst moved frbrri Watford to Brighton, he suggested taking out some of the drawer to lighten his burden. This was done, and on a ledge inside were found a number of little packets, the paper wrapping being yellow with These parcels were found to contain .sovereigns and half-sovereigns to the amount of £2OO. The coins must have been placed there by the ladies' mother, who died intestate many years before. After the death of a well-known moneylender and miser of San Stefano a large sum of money was found hidden awav m his house. In a cupboard which "was stuffed with rags were found large bundles of bank notes of considerable value; and in an old chair and sofa were coins totalling nearly £12,000 and ("ovevnment stock vepresentmg a further sum of £12,000. Bank notes and money were also found in every conceivable hiding-place—in old boots and old clothes. The misers hoard is stated to he several million lire ta lhf equals about 9Jd). The millionaire hved on a frugal diet of potatoes and salad, and drank only water. A Liverpool chimiiev-sweep a f e w week* ago cleared up a very painful family mvstery by bringing from the back of the line a bag containing £4O in coin. Tfce owner of the coin Tost all recollection of the nding-place, and years ago had accused her son of stealing the monev. with the result that he left the house never to return.

• Of; re v t a . s « some . vears s ""ce, an old man m Shropshire who lived in a tumble-down cottage. He had never once been known to eat anything but bread for 20 years, although in possession of a large sum of money. WJ,*,, ?,* d'«|. a l«ng *..=., f -b f« r

his wealth was entirely in vain. After months of anxious inquiry the relatives—as usual in such cases, there were no lack of numbers—were almost in despair, when one day a youngster pulled out from the dust-bin an old hat which the miser had worn. The money, nearly £IO,OOO in notes, had been fixed in the- hat. mostly between the silk and tiie rim.

£4OO IX A BOMB. Looked upon in lus lifetime as a dangerous Anarchist, a laborer announced on his deathbed that, be would leave a " pleasant surprise" fny his heirs. After his demise an iron bomb was found prominently placbd on a table. Expert, artificers came to remove the infernal machine, which was opened, after having been laid in si pail of water. In it were found £4OO in notes and 'gold. £7,000 IX BAXK XOTES, A very eccentric ladv died in Countv Aleath.. After the lady's death no wiil could be found, and it was thought she had died intest;ute. The solicitor fov the person believed to be next of kin spent about 40 days in the house going through the most extraordinary accumulation of papers, documents, and valuable propertv that filled the rooms in the houas and even the hall. Xot only every room, but every corridor was piled high with loose papers, books, .and parcels of all siz|es and descriptions, aod the litter on the stairs was almost knee-deep. Vario-ns sums of money were found in very pecu"riaj- and unlikely places—in rubbish on the floor?, in bandboxes', and in .a purse—an.d two bank notes for £1 were actually toxoid glued to the floor. Tine lawyers recovered an im--S-nnn : ,nu ; llrt " f Property, 'deludingi'.UOO in bank notes and vecmities of every kind. They also discovered the lady's will, under which various charities much benefited.—' Tit-Bits, 5