Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1886 — Mythical Fortunes. [ARTICLE]

Mythical Fortunes.

(New York special.; A dispatch from Wabash, Ind., published iu a morning paper, says that the heirs of the Mercer estate, of this city, will hold a meeting at Paris, Ohio, in January; also, that the Rev. E. L. Greene, of Manchester, Ind., has received intelligence that he is one of the heirs, and will obtain, as his share, $500,000. At the Surrogate’s office, Clerk Samuel A. Madge, who has charge of the records, said to-day: “About two months ago a lady called here, making inquiries about it. She claimed to be one of the heirs. Her story was this: That a Mr. Mercer, who originally owned an immense amount of real estate in this city, leased it all to various individuals for a term of ninetynine years. She said that in another year these leases would ran out. She desired to find something for a starting point. Then, she said, she could easily prove herself to be one of the heirs. We did not obtain from her her own name or any particulars about the original Mercer. We have been so often Balled upon tohnnt up matters pertaining to large estates of that kind that we paid no attention to this one. We think the Mercer estate is a myth. It is one of those peculiar sort whose heirs need only a link to make a perfect chain of evidence. Bnt that one missing link is rarely found. I presume it is so in this case.”