Good man

[danny_galaga]

Although he did have to think about it

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110520/ap_on_fe_st/us_found_money

"I could imagine him in his workshop. From time to time, he would carefully bundle up $100 with twine, climb up into his attic and put it into a box to save. And he didn't do that for me,"

[fallacy]

I can honestly say that there is no way I would give that to anyone. If he wanted his kids to have it then he would have let them know. Finders keepers losers weepers.

[Ed_McCarron]

Morally, he did the right thing.  Legally -- he bought the house -- and it's contents, IMO.  The kids wouldn't have paid to fix the sewer line if it blew out a week after the guy closed, would they?

[ChadTower]

I'm there on the "you bought the house - all surprises included".  Right there with you.  99% of the time those surprises are negative and the seller is not going to help.

Not sure I'd have given the money back.  I'd have thought long and hard about it.  That's 2-3 years of college at a state school.  Who knows, that could have been most of his mortgage.  Can't say what I would do without sitting in front of a table load of money looking at my sons.

[hypernova]

I'm there on the "you bought the house - all surprises included".  Right there with you.  99% of the time those surprises are negative and the seller is not going to help.

Not sure I'd have given the money back.  I'd have thought long and hard about it.  That's 2-3 years of college at a state school.  Who knows, that could have been most of his mortgage.  Can't say what I would do without sitting in front of a table load of money looking at my sons.

I agree 100%.  I'd like to think that I'd do what this guy did, but you never know unless your faced with the situation.  I've been in situations with very small amounts by comparison and given it back when it was possible.

Morally, he did the right thing.  Legally -- he bought the house -- and it's contents, IMO.  The kids wouldn't have paid to fix the sewer line if it blew out a week after the guy closed, would they?

True.  However, sometimes you have to look beyond the law.  It isn't quite the answer to everything, nor should it be.  Nothing in the story about them kicking a little back to the guy for finding them, but even if they don't, you can only hope he gets the good karma that's deserved.

[ChadTower]

you can only hope he gets the good karma that's deserved.

Something tells me that was his good karma and he threw it back.

[Howard_Casto]

Reading the article it seems obvious to me that while the guy might be the nicest person in the world, he really didn't do the "right thing". 

It's obvious to me that this was one of those stingy, grouchy old men that lived like a poor man just because he was too cheap to enjoy life.  (I know the type.) That wasn't an inheritance for the old man's children, that was money he hid from his children and everyone else.  It was his money and he wasn't going to let anyone have it. 

If the old man was alive, he doesn't deserve to get the money back.... that's what you get for being stingy. 

While giving the money to the man's kids was a wonderful gesture, it obviously wasn't meant to be passed down to the kids, so the home buyer essentially just did a nice thing, the kids didn't have any right to it...asfterall, if their father had wanted them to have it, don't you think he would have told them about 40 frikkin thousand dollars stored in the attic?

Also they sold the house.... that often means the family wasn't that close.  You would have to shoot me before I would give up the family homestead even if I was foreced to rent it out or something due to having another home or what not.

Legally he was in the clear... when you buy a house you get everything that comes with it.  And morally he was definatley in the clear, as I've described above. 

So I've gotta agree with Chad on this one...I think that was his good karma and he threw it back.

[danny_galaga]

Reading the article it seems obvious to me that while the guy might be the nicest person in the world, he really didn't do the "right thing". 

It's obvious to me that this was one of those stingy, grouchy old men that lived like a poor man just because he was too cheap to enjoy life.  (I know the type.) That wasn't an inheritance for the old man's children, that was money he hid from his children and everyone else.  It was his money and he wasn't going to let anyone have it. 

If the old man was alive, he doesn't deserve to get the money back.... that's what you get for being stingy. 

While giving the money to the man's kids was a wonderful gesture, it obviously wasn't meant to be passed down to the kids, so the home buyer essentially just did a nice thing, the kids didn't have any right to it...asfterall, if their father had wanted them to have it, don't you think he would have told them about 40 frikkin thousand dollars stored in the attic?

Also they sold the house.... that often means the family wasn't that close.  You would have to shoot me before I would give up the family homestead even if I was foreced to rent it out or something due to having another home or what not.

Dunno. If what you are saying is correct, and it certainly could be, that he was a stingy old grouch then it was still something that morally his kids deserved.

Myself, I probably wouldn't have thought it through that hard, thus ensuring I wouldn't get to the stage of feeling guilty about keeping it 

[Cakemeister]

Returning half the money would have been a compromise I would have accepted. Win-win.

[ChadTower]

Also they sold the house.... that often means the family wasn't that close.  You would have to shoot me before I would give up the family homestead even if I was foreced to rent it out or something due to having another home or what not.

That's a tough assumption.  My uncles just sold our grandfather's house because he's in a nursing home now and isn't coming out.  It has been vacant for 5 years now and badly needs a new roof.  It's in Nova Scotia.  I was actually the last person in it 3-4 weeks ago and the one who handed over the keys.  It broke my ---smurfing--- heart.  That property has been in our family since the 1800s or longer.  I'm actually not sure.  There was absolutely nothing I could do other than buy it.  It was not rentable without an entirely new roof, the wiring probably from 1925, and really to be suitable for modern living it would need a complete interior teardown.  Given the fact that we all live in the US now it just wasn't feasible unless someone moved back.

I am surprised nobody assumes he did keep some of the money.  The more I think about it the more I think I would have given back half at most.  Nobody knows how much cash he really found and I don't have faith that if I returned the money I would receive a reasonable share.

[Vigo]

I've known of enough sad situations where the children of the deceased are so incredibly selfish about inheritance that they seem to look forward to the parent's death.   

While I am not going to assume this of that guy's kids, you can't help but wonder why the old man stashed away almost 50 G's and didn't bother to tell the kids, or even put it in a will.

And also, how, out of 6 kids, did they not care to go through the house enough to even visit the attic when going through his possessions? The was stuff literally hanging out the attic door. It sounds like they probably just did a quick estate sale to be done with it.

[HaRuMaN]

Hmm.  I need to go take a look in my attic.

[ChadTower]

While I am not going to assume this of that guy's kids, you can't help but wonder why the old man stashed away almost 50 G's and didn't bother to tell the kids, or even put it in a will.

That is not unusual of the Great Depression generation.  They lived through such a nasty economy that it made a lot of them resolve they would never, ever, ever be caught in that situation again.  I've known people of that age that were so frugal it would qualify as a disorder.

And also, how, out of 6 kids, did they not care to go through the house enough to even visit the attic when going through his possessions? The was stuff literally hanging out the attic door. It sounds like they probably just did a quick estate sale to be done with it.

I could see that happening too.  We just cleaned out the house I mentioned above.  We found loose boards, little nooks and crannies all over that house, many of them 100 years old or more.  Of course nearly all of them were full of mice bones and stuff but a couple had hidden items.  Nothing of monetary value but the items were very well hidden and I'm convinced we didn't find them all.

[Vigo]

You could easily be right about the old man, either way though, it sounds like the money was not saved up for the children.

For the house, I know what you mean about the endless hiding spaces. To me though, the attic seems a bit too obvious of a place to check over for personal possessions. It wasn't exactly in the floorboards or behind a wall.

I guess I have grown a tad bit cynical from a couple inheritance grubbing children I have seen. 

[Mikezilla]

you can only hope he gets the good karma that's deserved.

Something tells me that was his good karma and he threw it back.

I agree with that myself. And as others have mentioned, who knows the relationship with the kids vs the parents. I lived through something like that myself. My great grandparents built a house, and had 6 kids, and lived in the house my entire life. We had christmas parties, birthdays, tons of celebrations in that house, SO many memories. When they both died, and the time came to sell it, I wanted to buy it for 500k. The kids (my aunts and uncle) didnt want to sell it to me because they thought they could get more for it. I wanted to keep it in the family, fix it up, and live in it for who knows how long...but they wanted more. They ended up selling it for 508,000. Each of em got a little over a thousand dollars than if I would have bought it from them. The people that bought it painted it, tore out the stairs and plants that my great grandpa put in himself and god knows what they did to the back yard and the interior of the house. I dont even talk to half of my family for what they did, and the sad part is that it was THEIR parents house! They built it! Its pathetic what people do for money.   

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

There was guest bedroom in my grandmothers house with a large portrait of an infant sitting in a chair. All of us used to think it was creepy, and it had been there since before my father was born.

While cleaning out the attic after she passed, we found a stash of papers in a couple of old purses with some interesting genealogical information.. and in the bottom of one we found another copy of the same portrait.

On the back was written the name of the parents and the child's name, followed by (Dead). 

[Mikezilla]

There was guest bedroom in my grandmothers house with a large portrait of an infant sitting in a chair. All of us used to think it was creepy, and it had been there since before my father was born.

While cleaning out the attic after she passed, we found a stash of papers in a couple of old purses with some interesting genealogical information.. and in the bottom of one we found another copy of the same portrait.

On the back was written the name of the parents and the child's name, followed by (Dead). 

 

[RayB]

Heck, they could have found something else that older-era people would stash, such as...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-503277/Mother-hid-body-secret-baby-suitcase-lived-remains-50-years.html

http://articles.cnn.com/2007-02-02/us/btsc.candiotti_1_storage-area-suitcase-child?_s=PM:US

[SavannahLion]

On the back was written the name of the parents and the child's name, followed by (Dead). 

That is astonishingly common. My aunt had her high school yearbook which she pulled out one year. Inside was a red pen with which she would cross out a photo and write the date of death with, sometimes, a short reminder of how they died. One was killed by her husband while he was shooting birds from the back of their pickup. Another killed in a DUI wreck. Another by insanity. Gruesome.

MikeZilla, I know the feeling. My uncle is trashing my grandparents house and my mother wants to sell al of her homes. She wants to do it to avoid any bickering between myself and the rest of the family. What family?!? I'm the last one she talks to.

[JcProAm]

That's my hometown!!!!         saw this on the local news last week.   I looked at that house when house shopping awhile ago.

[ChadTower]

What family?!? I'm the last one she talks to.

That's probably the point.  As soon as there is money to be had they'll all come flying back and you'll have to fight them for what is yours.

I looked at that house when house shopping awhile ago.

You do realize the money was there when you looked...?

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

That is astonishingly common. My aunt had her high school yearbook which she pulled out one year. Inside was a red pen with which she would cross out a photo and write the date of death with, sometimes, a short reminder of how they died. One was killed by her husband while he was shooting birds from the back of their pickup. Another killed in a DUI wreck. Another by insanity. Gruesome.

Yup, I was certainly aware of the practice. The real disquieting aspect was knowing we had all looked at this portrait for literally two generations and been unnerved by it, only to finally have our suspicions quietly confirmed while leafing through the the papers left behind.

<semi-related threadjack>Here's a short film me and a co-worker were producing about an abandoned house he found on his property. Lots of little snippits of someone's life all left abandonded.</semi-related threadjack>

Code: [Select]

http://vimeo.com/15806612

[Mikezilla]

On the back was written the name of the parents and the child's name, followed by (Dead). 

MikeZilla, I know the feeling. My uncle is trashing my grandparents house and my mother wants to sell al of her homes. She wants to do it to avoid any bickering between myself and the rest of the family. What family?!? I'm the last one she talks to.

I feel your pain Savannah. That sucks even harder because youre the only one thats left. I personally think thats a cop out too. Who knows whats going to happen to the money once they sell it. All my relatives that messed up everything blew all their money, then 2 of them died. The most annoying part is the 2 that died were the ones that were the most adamant about selling the house to someone else. 

[SavannahLion]

That's all that rest of extended family does. Whenever someone dies, they bicker over what's left. Another uncle passed away a few years ago and I was the only nephew not named in the will. Pissed the Hell out of my mom. Siphoned thousands out of the trust in attempt to get me my share. Problem was I didn't give a rats ass about the estate. She didn't seem to understand I would much rather get my grandmothers house and the house I grew up in than some share of a home that was filled to capacity with furniture and I wasn't going to get it anyways.

[Donkbaca]

He should have kept it.  Legally it was his.  The kids didn't get much between them, and they will probably fight over who gets what share, and its not like we are talking about a breadwinner leaving a widow and kids, these are adults.  While we don't know why the guy stashed the money, we DO know that the kids didn't care enough about the guys things to even bother looking in the attack.

[Howard_Casto]

That is astonishingly common. My aunt had her high school yearbook which she pulled out one year. Inside was a red pen with which she would cross out a photo and write the date of death with, sometimes, a short reminder of how they died. One was killed by her husband while he was shooting birds from the back of their pickup. Another killed in a DUI wreck. Another by insanity. Gruesome.

Yup, I was certainly aware of the practice. The real disquieting aspect was knowing we had all looked at this portrait for literally two generations and been unnerved by it, only to finally have our suspicions quietly confirmed while leafing through the the papers left behind.

<semi-related threadjack>Here's a short film me and a co-worker were producing about an abandoned house he found on his property. Lots of little snippits of someone's life all left abandonded.</semi-related threadjack>

Code: [Select]

http://vimeo.com/15806612

But it wasn't a "death portrait" was it?  The practice of posing and photographing a corpse was quite common, especially in Appalachia until the 50's and 60's.  Remember that around the time the photography was all the rage modern enbalming techniques were also coming into their own.  The family would often take a picture if they like the mortician's work.  I have quite a few of those creepy pics in the really old family albums. 

[newmanfamilyvlogs]

But it wasn't a "death portrait" was it?  The practice of posing and photographing a corpse was quite common, especially in Appalachia until the 50's and 60's.  Remember that around the time the photography was all the rage modern enbalming techniques were also coming into their own.  The family would often take a picture if they like the mortician's work.  I have quite a few of those creepy pics in the really old family albums. 

We had all always said we thought the child looked dead. I suppose we'll never know for sure.

[danny_galaga]

I see nothing inherently wrong with selling your parents house 

[ChadTower]

I see nothing inherently wrong with selling your parents house 

Really depends on the situation.  In ours it was also our grandfather's and great grandfather's house.  And the land was ours well before the house was there.  Hell that area has my family's name on it on the map.

[Xiaou2]

It's obvious to me that this was one of those stingy, grouchy old men that lived like a poor man just because he was too cheap to enjoy life.  (I know the type.) That wasn't an inheritance for the old man's children, that was money he hid from his children and everyone else.  It was his money and he wasn't going to let anyone have it. 

 Personally, I think its distasteful to judge someone with certainty that you have no clue about.

 How do you know if the man was a money grubber, or if he was creating a little 'surprise' for the kids when he passed on ?

 If the guy truly was a money grubber, he would have put his cash into the banks, and made MORE money with the interest.  From there, he might have even made investments.

 But to store it hidden?  Its lunacy.  The house could have easily caught on fire, burning up everything saved.

 Its no doubt the depression played a major factor in his behavior.  But that doesnt mean he was stingy.   Rather, he may have been very frugal because he worried 'chronically', that another depression would hit again someday... and he didnt want his children to suffer like he did in that time period.

 If you are going to judge people, at least explore all avenues... and dont immediately presume things you have no data on.  Its one thing to think something is possible... and quite another to immediately, and with all certainty, say that someone 'IS' or "Was" a certain way.

[ChadTower]

If the guy truly was a money grubber, he would have put his cash into the banks, and made MORE money with the interest.  From there, he might have even made investments.

 But to store it hidden?  Its lunacy.  The house could have easily caught on fire, burning up everything saved.

Have you ever met a Depression survivor?  Hidden in the house is exactly how they all save.  The banks collapsed during the Depression.  They remember that.  People with money in the banks lost it all.  These people who are mentally scarred from the Depression save in some form with irreplaceable value in a place that they fully control.  Having wads of cash hidden in the house, and being distrustful of banks, perfectly fits the Depression saver profile.  The only way it would be better is if he were stashing precious metals.

[HaRuMaN]

Personally, I think its distasteful to judge someone with certainty that you have no clue about.

This coming from the guy that bashes movies he's never seen, or pins he's never played...   

[Xiaou2]

To judge a person, and to judge a pinball machine are two very different things.

 For one, a pinball is pretty much an open book.  You can see all the shots, all the artwork, and by way of experience from playing other pins, can easily make a pretty accurate judgment on how good or bad it is without even touching it.  (most especially with such lame 'artwork')

 As for movies, a combination of reviews, of 10 mins of preview footage, a description of the plot, seeing whos acting in it, the director, and much more... and can pretty much tell if its something thats even worth your time.   Im not saying that this is always the case... but tell me Im wrong that I should have actually went to pay to see Sucker Punch?!  Its one thing to judge something with somewhat of a deep plot that isnt really revealed... but SP?

 Also, from a moral standpoint, its not Nice to judge people.  Especially those who have passed away that cant defend themselves... nor to the children who may read such posts.

[SavannahLion]

If the guy truly was a money grubber, he would have put his cash into the banks, and made MORE money with the interest.  From there, he might have even made investments.

 But to store it hidden?  Its lunacy.  The house could have easily caught on fire, burning up everything saved.

Have you ever met a Depression survivor?  Hidden in the house is exactly how they all save.  The banks collapsed during the Depression.  They remember that.  People with money in the banks lost it all.  These people who are mentally scarred from the Depression save in some form with irreplaceable value in a place that they fully control.  Having wads of cash hidden in the house, and being distrustful of banks, perfectly fits the Depression saver profile.  The only way it would be better is if he were stashing precious metals.

It's also not uncommon for them to be packrats. Gold or aluminum, they saved nearly everything.

[Donkbaca]

ITs obvious that it was blood money paid to him for doing things who was too ashamed to admit to his family about, so he hid the money to try and soothe his guilt, pledging one day to donate to something to make his peace and make things right, but he could never figure out the right cause.  Poor man died with the weight of a million horrible, unspeakable deeds weighing on his conscience. Having never made things right, I would worry about ghosts...

[Vigo]

It's obvious to me that this was one of those stingy, grouchy old men that lived like a poor man just because he was too cheap to enjoy life.  (I know the type.) That wasn't an inheritance for the old man's children, that was money he hid from his children and everyone else.  It was his money and he wasn't going to let anyone have it.  

Personally, I think its distasteful to judge someone with certainty that you have no clue about.

How do you know if the man was a money grubber, or if he was creating a little 'surprise' for the kids when he passed on ?

If the guy truly was a money grubber, he would have put his cash into the banks, and made MORE money with the interest.  From there, he might have even made investments.

 But to store it hidden?  Its lunacy.  The house could have easily caught on fire, burning up everything saved.

 Its no doubt the depression played a major factor in his behavior.  But that doesnt mean he was stingy.   Rather, he may have been very frugal because he worried 'chronically', that another depression would hit again someday... and he didnt want his children to suffer like he did in that time period.

 If you are going to judge people, at least explore all avenues... and dont immediately presume things you have no data on.  Its one thing to think something is possible... and quite another to immediately, and with all certainty, say that someone 'IS' or "Was" a certain way.

Quit judging this guy as frugal, chronically worried, and trying give little happy surprises for his kids. You make him sound like a Martha Stewart watching pansy-man.


I can only hope that when I am old, I am cool enough to be considered cheap, stingy and grouchy.  

[Mikezilla]

If the guy truly was a money grubber, he would have put his cash into the banks, and made MORE money with the interest.  From there, he might have even made investments.

 But to store it hidden?  Its lunacy.  The house could have easily caught on fire, burning up everything saved.

Have you ever met a Depression survivor?  Hidden in the house is exactly how they all save.  The banks collapsed during the Depression.  They remember that.  People with money in the banks lost it all.  These people who are mentally scarred from the Depression save in some form with irreplaceable value in a place that they fully control.  Having wads of cash hidden in the house, and being distrustful of banks, perfectly fits the Depression saver profile.  The only way it would be better is if he were stashing precious metals.

Beat me to it Chad, I was going to say the EXACT same thing. 

Obviously this guy wasnt a saint, as other people mentioned. The great thing would be if there was 80 grand up there, and the guy only said it was 40 and kept the other half. Thats what I would have done. Put a little coin in my pocket and the whole town thinks Im a hero. 

[ChadTower]

"I found $750 in a box in the attic... thought you guys might like to have it."

[Mikezilla]

 

[J_K_M_A_N]

"I found $75 in a box in the attic... thought you guys might like to have it."

Fixed! (I am greedy)

It would be very hard to pass that up though. It isn't a TON of money but it is more than enough to take care of a lot of bills or put a nice dent in the college fund for the kids.

J_K_M_A_N