American Heirs to English Fortunes.
By Editor
It is a common thing to hear of an immense estate in England, which is waiting to be distributed among the heirs, many of whom are in this country, and which will be divided as soon as one missing heir is found, when each heir will receive half a million or so. In many cases, families in this country who supposed that they were heirs to whole cities in the old country, have gone to the expense of hiring a lawyer to go to England to look after their interests. We have even known Seventh-day Adventists to become infected by the craze, and to lay great plans of how much they were going to help the cause of God when they should receive their portion of some vast estate. Up to the present, no one has ever made anything out of these claims except the lawyers, and no one else is ever likely to. In view of these things, we think the following, which we take from the N. Y. Observer, is timely. We hope it will prove effectual in stopping a few persons from throwing away their money on an idle fancy:— "The American Minister in London has been so much annoyed by American claimants to English estates that the Legation has been obliged to have the following circular printed, which is sent to all who apply for information and assistance in prosecuting their imaginary claims:— "LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
LONDON, ———, 188 } "In reply to yours of —————— touching a supposed estate or property of large amount in England, belonging to the ————— family, I have to say that so many similar letters are received at this Legation that I am compelled to answer them by printed circular. "The pretended prosecution of these pretended American claims to English property is carried on with such persistence and ingenuity by the men engaged in it that I despair of being able to make their credulous victims understand what an utter imposture and delusion the whole business is. "I cannot too strongly advise you, since you have addressed me on this subject, to have nothing to do with such schemes, and especially to remit no money to their agents. But, if disinclined (as you probably will be) to accept this advice, I can only say it is all the service in my power to render you in the matter, or which, if rendered, would do you any good. "I should add further, that under the instructions of the State Department of the United States, the Legation would not be allowed to take part in the investigation of such claims, even were they supposed to be well founded in point of fact, except in pursuance of specific authority from that Department. "I am your obedient servant,
"U. S. MINISTER."