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  • Chest of Fortune (1914)
  • Short | 22 min | Drama, Short
Chest of Fortune (1914)
Short | 22 min | Drama, Short

Hard pressed by the Federal troops, Morgan and his men flee across the bridge. Just before the pursuers come in sight one of Morgan's telegraphers taps the telegraph wires suspended underneath the bridge and learns that a quantity of ...See moreHard pressed by the Federal troops, Morgan and his men flee across the bridge. Just before the pursuers come in sight one of Morgan's telegraphers taps the telegraph wires suspended underneath the bridge and learns that a quantity of supplies is being sent to Captain Wellington, of the Union forces. The Confederate leader places powder along the length of the bridge. The Federals come into view. Just as they are about to cross, the structure is blown skyward. Baffled, the Union soldiers are compelled to withdraw. Wellington receives the supplies and orders them stored in the cellar of his home. He and his wife are in the drawing room admiring a daguerreotype showing them seated with their four-year-old son, Jack, when a servant announces the approach of the raiders. The Captain hastily gathers together his silverware, which he places in a chest. Obeying an impulse, he throws the daguerreotype into the chest. Turning to two faithful old negro servants, he orders them to conduct Mrs. Wellington, Jack and the chest to safety. Shortly afterward the Captain is slain. A bullet strikes his wife and she shares his fate. Lugging the chest, the two servants hurry down to the river, with Jack tagging behind. The three tumble into a rowboat and head for midstream. Their flight is discovered by the raiders. A bullet kills the old mammy. To lighten the craft, the other servant throws the chest overboard. The next moment he is struck by a bullet and topples into the water. The rowboat drifts downstream, finally grounding near the landing of Stokes, a fisherman. Ward, a banker, is talking to Stokes at the time. They discover the boat and in it Jack, weeping bitterly over the body of his old mammy, Kate, the three-year-old daughter of the banker, places her little arms about the sobbing boy. Years pass. Jack, grown to manhood, becomes a civil engineer and is in charge of the dredging operations on the very river down which he drifted to safety. Although adopted by Stokes and his wife, Jack and Kate have practically grown up together. Their childhood affection has turned into love. Harry Memling, in Ward's employ, is also in love with Kate, but the girl turns a deaf ear to his avowals. Later, Jack asks Ward for his daughter's hand, but the banker gravely tells him that the marriage cannot take place because he fears that the mulatto woman found dead in the rowboat may have been Jack's mother. The following day the dredge brings up an old chest from the river bottom. An examination of its contents brings to light the old daguerreotype. In the picture of the child Jack recognizes himself. Hastening to Ward, he tells of his find. Faced by the prospect of losing Kate, Memling is filled with murderous rage. That same afternoon he knocks Jack unconscious while aboard the dredge and places him in the bucket, which he then lowers into the river. The dastardly act is witnessed, however, and Jack is rescued. Kate and her father learn of the terrible deed and hasten to the vessel. While Jack is revived by his sweetheart, Memling is led away under arrest. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Mar 2, 1914

Release date
Mar 2, 1914 (United States)

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Cast

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10 cast members
Name Known for
Jere Austin
John Hunter Morgan (part one) John Hunter Morgan (part one)   See fewer
John Mackin
Captain Wellington (part one) Captain Wellington (part one)   See fewer
George Hollister Jr.
Jack Wellington - as a Boy (part one) Jack Wellington - as a Boy (part one)   See fewer
James B. Ross
Stokes (parts one and two) Stokes (parts one and two)   See fewer
Helen Lindroth
Mrs. Stokes (parts one and two) Mrs. Stokes (parts one and two)   See fewer
Henry Hallam
Ward - a Banker (parts one and two) Ward - a Banker (parts one and two)   See fewer
Doris Hollister
Kate Ward - as a Child (part one) Kate Ward - as a Child (part one)   See fewer
Guy Coombs
Jack Wellington - as an Adult (part two) Jack Wellington - as an Adult (part two)   See fewer
Marguerite Courtot
Kate Ward - Jack's Sweetheart (part two) Kate Ward - Jack's Sweetheart (part two)   See fewer
Harry F. Millarde
Harry Manning - Jack's Rival (part two) (as Harry Millarde) Harry Manning - Jack's Rival (part two) (as Harry Millarde)   See fewer
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