The Kleskun Lake News in the June 10th, 1924 paper reports that a local resident was one of the 400 beneficiaries in a $500,000,000 estate. But there was nothing in later papers about a new local millionaire. What happened? Interesting to note that just the week before this item was printed, there was an ad entitles “Heirs Wanted”, where by sending $1.00 you could receive a book of missing heirs. This was a more complex scheme, but scheme it was. It was the “Springer Hoax” which had started in the mid 19th century and was around off and on until at least the 1940’s.
