A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY OF BANK NOTES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7743, 14 May 1887, Page 5

A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY OF BANK NOTES.

A misleading and inaccurate story of I the fiuding of a number of bank notes i in Darlington having appeared, the ' TSbrtJiern JSc:hu publishes uu authentic ; account of tho affair. Mr J. Barrass, of Darlington, bought a cabinet at ' Mr R. A. Meacock's sale rooms, about 1 two years ago, for ss. " Just about iho > time I bought it,"hosays, "I was thrown from a trap, and suffered from concuasion of the brain, and have been ill ; Miice. Tho cabinet, after I bought it, was put on one side uuoxamiued, and, owing to my illnoss aud other causes, remained until January of this year. In January ot this year a gentleman 1 c»me to me and was anxious to buy a cabinet of the kind. I agreed to sell it to him for 10s, and afterwards look it out of the corner where it had been standing iv order to dust it. I pullod out a drawer :md discovered that it was shorter thnn the hole into whioh it fitted, and there was a handle of what I at rirat took to be £5 notea inside. On taking them out 1 found there were two buudleß, one containing 14 £100 notes, aud tho other 20 £100 notes, all on the National Provincial Bank. I did not know what to do with them for the best, and at last 1 thought I would take one, to the National Provincial Bank, where I had not an account, and where, in fact, I hnd never been before. They itsked me if I wished to change the note, and I said "No ; 1 wished to Wye it for a few days." That was on Tuesday lust, and it remainod there uutil 'lhurdday night, when Mr II enderaon, of Stockton, camo to my house aud asked ma if I had banked a note on Tuesday, and if I had any more. He then produced a diary belonging to a Me Bouson, of London, which contained the numbers of fourteen notes lost tWk.ity yeara ago. We compared them willi tho amalKT roll of notes I had, aud iiHiud th'iy were th'j same. Of the oilier iwerui-six he said he knew nothing. Mr itenderson then asked him to keep them all next day. Ou the Friday morning the bank sent for Die, aud told me the note waa stopped. I told thorn I expected as much, and on my way home I met Mr Ilenderaou. We weut to Mr Watson's office, and 1 handed over the fourteen £100 notes and also the twenty-six £100 notea. Mr Hendeison then gave nu a cheque for £10. I did not ask him for anything, but he asked me what I would havo. I told him that wa9 for him to decide. We struck no bargain, as stated. I handed him tho notes unconditionally."