A LUCKY AUCTION PURCHASE.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 22, 3 January 1877, Page 3

A LUCKY AUCTION PURCHASE.

There has been m circulation lately (says the Mount Alexander Mail) a remarkable story respecting a wealthy gentleman who was once a citizen of Castlemaine. Some time since a person m a neighboring township died, leaving a quantity of old lumber m his domicile, and no heir or next of kin to take possession of them. The whole fell into the hands of the Curator of Intestate Estates, who quickly realised upon the goods. The gentleman referred to attended the sale, and finding there three ordinary looking boxes of tools of a description he fancied (being an optician by trade), he bid for them ; some dealers, however ran him up, so t^at he had to pay for one box £4, another £2, and a third £1. On opening the largest and dearest box the contents were found to be so worthless that he ordered an assistant to throw them out, or make an old clothes box of it. At the same time he overturned it and threw all its contents on the floor. On readjusting the box a small secret drawer was discovered, and curiosity tempted the gentleman to examine it, when to his great surprise he found a packet of deeds and Crown grants carefully stowed away, representing the title of the deceased man to property m Carlton estimated to be worth from £1500 to £2000. Communication was opened with the CuAtor of Intestate Estates through a solicitor notifying that a valuable discovery had been made, but without revealing its nature. In a day or two the gentleman was surprised by a visit from the officer of the Crown, who demanded to know what was the discovery, but the finder was too wary to be caught like that, and referred to the solicitor. After some negociation. the purchaser remarked — " If you give me £200 provided my discovery realises to you £1000, or proportionately less if it does not bring so much I will give you the requisite information." This was agreed to, and the deeds were at once handed over to the astonished curator. The £200 was then paid, and subsequently the property was sold, realising considerably more than the estimated sum.