The Treasury Dept. Helps a Seattle Woman Recover Buried Riches

Mrs. John White, the wife of a miner at Gilman, is just $90 richer, thanks to the skill of experts in the treasury and the generosity of her nephew. She recently received a letter from this nephew, who formerly worked in the Cedar River mine but has since returned to England, informing her that about five years ago he buried $150 in greenbacks in the earth near Gilman and that if she could find it, it was hers. Mrs. White went to the place described and by diligent search found the money. It was in an old can and had been reduced simply to a mass of pulp and was partially decayed, the figures being indistinguishable. It seemed as if the young man's distrust of banks would result in the total loss of the money. But Mrs. White did not give up hope of getting the value of her find, took the mass of pulp to Abram Barker, vice president of the Merchants Bank, and asked him if she could get cash for it. He referred the matter to Ira Bronson, attorney for the bank, who proceeded to hunt up the evidence required by the treasury department. He was fortunate enough to find that Lawrence Gilman had known the man who buried the treasure and also knew Mrs. White. He then procured an affidavit from Mrs. White that the bills were absolutely destroyed excepting the part presented to the department, telling how they were destroyed and declaring that Mrs. White was the owner of them. This document and the bills, together with affidavits from Mr. Gilman and Mr. Bronson as to Mrs. White's good character and credibility, were sent to the treasury department. There, the experts brought their skill to bear in reading letters and figures which had been apparently blotted out. The result of their labors came a few days ago in the form of a draft for $90 in Mrs. White's favor, the government paying three-fifths of the value of partly destroyed or damaged bills.