At that time, the young couple bought a new house in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. Like every couple, they were looking forward to filling their first home with many memories. While the house was decently structured, some parts of it needed a bit more love and care. The basement, in particular, needed a major renovation, as it was very old.
Basement Discovery
As Chris searched the basement, he immediately realized that he had a real challenge ahead of him. He might even need to hire a professional. The basement walls were covered in graffiti, and the wooden ceiling beams were completely warped. It was a huge job, but he wanted to make something beautiful out of it. After returning from the hardware store with all the materials he needed, he began working on this project with a positive attitude.
The Suitcase Discovery
He hoped to finish within 3 months, but little did he know that his basement held a great fortune. During the renovation, Chris began to remove the basement ceiling. When he took out some beams, he saw something green, and upon closer inspection, he realized it was an old suitcase completely covered in dust. It was clear that whoever placed the suitcase here had done everything to hide it there and make sure nobody would find it. Chris immediately stopped working and took the old suitcase down from the beams. He then called his wife to come down to the basement and share his discovery.
Opening the Suitcase
Before Chris started opening the suitcase, he decided it was better to do it outside. After all, he had no idea what was inside. As far as he knew, it could be chemicals or something dangerous for the house. Once outside, he opened the suitcase with sharp scissors, and what he saw he would never have believed until now.
Speculation About the Suitcase’s Contents
Although they were a bit nervous, both Chris and his wife were excited to finally open the suitcase. After all, you don’t accidentally discover an old suitcase in your new home every day. Even if it just contained bricks, at least they were having fun during this renovation! They began to guess what might be inside. Chris’s wife was sure they would find stacks of old photos. That would explain why the suitcase was so heavy! Chris hoped for rare baseball cards. Why else would the owner hide a suitcase in the ceiling?
Investigating the Bill History
After taking a few deep breaths, Chris realized that the appearance of the bills raised a series of questions. The most important thing was: where did it all come from? Looking at these bills, they all seemed to be from the 1920s and 1930s. The suitcase also looked like it was from the 1930s. Chris decided to continue his research to see if he could solve the mystery.
Finding the Clue in the Old Newspaper
Among the stacks of money, Chris found a clue that would point him in the right direction. What he saw was an old copy of The Cleveland Plain Dealer, a newspaper from Cleveland, Ohio. It seemed incredibly outdated, as did the money. The newspaper was from March 25, 1951. They quickly realized that this old suitcase had been hidden in their basement for at least 65 years! Why was this newspaper with this money? Could they be related? Chris thought it was a strange combination. But he decided to investigate further. Chris and his wife were almost overwhelmed with happiness, as they could use the money to continue renovating the house. However, they still did not know why that newspaper was involved in this case.