Have you ever found money ...

[In_The_Wind]

NEW YORK -- Many people consider what they would do if they were to suddenly become rich, but what would you do if there was a moral dilemma attached to your new found riches?

As CBS 2's Don Champion reported, it has been several weeks and roommates Reese Werkhoven, Cally Guasti and Lara Russo are still shocked by what they found hidden in their couch.

"We were just really freaked out by it," said Werkhoven.

"When we were in the bedroom our neighbors thought we won the lottery or something cause we were just screaming," Guasti said.

In April, after watching a movie, the trio said they felt crinkles in two side pillows built into their couch, which they had bought from a nearby Salvation Army in New Paltz, N.Y. about two months earlier.

"It had these bubble wrap envelopes, just like two or three of them. We ripped them out and was just like freaking out, like and inch and a half of hundred dollar bills," Werkhoven said.

And it wasn't just a little bit of money. So they eagerly counted it, taking pictures along the way. In all the money totaled $41,000.

"You keep counting more and more money and you get excited, like Reese was thinking about buying a car for his mom and a boat," Russo said.

The excitement was short lived though when they found one envelope with a woman's name on it.

"The entitlement very quickly went away with finding that notice with her name on it. Because we didn't earn that money," Guasti said.

With the help of Werkhoven's mother, the group was able to find the woman the money belonged to. They called her and returned the cash.

"I'm like 'I found something that I think is yours' and she's like 'what?!'' and I'm like 'I found a couch' and then she's like 'oh my God, I left a lot of money in that couch,'" said Werkhoven.

The friends said the elderly woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told them she had stashed the money in the couch for years and that family members who didn't know had mistakenly donated the couch.

"This was her life savings and she actually said something really beautiful like 'this is my husband looking down on me and this was supposed to happen,'" Guasti said.

"I think it's just that anyone can do good if they will themselves to it," Werkhoven said.

"I think it went the way it should and to be honest I don't think about it that much," Russo said.

The trio said they don't regret doing the right thing. In fact, they hope to have dinner with the family they returned the money to.

As a reward, the elderly woman gave the roommates $1,000.

[Generic Brad]

1. $50 was my largest find ever

Just blowing down the street. I took it and felt no guilt.

[PumpkinAle]

2. I once found a purse

it had about $5.00 in it - this was about 30 years ago. I turned it into the police - the next week I received a beautiful note from a lady who was in her late 70s - she had thought the purse lost and that was all the money she had for a week.

I tell you that made me feel so good that I was able to get that money back to her - it was also sad to think that she had so little.

[Art_from_Ark]

3. I once found a $20 bill

next to a decapitated cat along the railroad tracks

[Callmecrazy]

4. I once found a video poker machine

In a cruise ship casino that had 400 unclaimed credits on it. Worth $100.00. After waiting to see if some one would claim it, I cashed it out and used the money in another machine. Before I got through the first $20, I hit a Royal Flush for $1000.00!

[newcriminal]

5. I found a penny once.

[femmocrat]

6. Did you pick it up?

I always do!

"Find a penny, pick it up, and all the day, you'll have good luck!"

[eShirl]

7. pulled up to an ATM that still had the card in it

so I ended the session, took the card and proceeded with my own transaction. then I turned the Gold Mastercard in to the police station, where they took my name, address, phone

later, I got a call on the phone from the guy who had drove away with his card in the ATM, thanking and commending profusely for turning it in right away. I told him that's just how I was raised, and he blessed my parents. I guess he would have really been screwed if someone had emptied his account.

[mulsh]

8. Early one Sunday morning at my local Safeway I found a $100 bill.

This happened around 6:30am about 25 years ago.

As I was being checked out a very run down younger couple came up to the check stand asking if any body had found any money. The checker, who is a friend of mine, rolled her eyes and said "How much money?"
the young lady said, " We lost a hundred dollar bill." I pulled it out of my pocket and said, "Did it look anything like this?, I found it in the produce section." and handed it over to the lady. They thanked me profusely. Even my checker friend was impressed with their gratitude.

[ohnoyoudidnt]

9. I found a $100 bill recently at a store.

I turned it into the location manager. He took my information in case no one came back to claim it. There is the occasional smaller denomination here and there, usually in locations where there's virtually no chance of finding the owner. I did find a nice amount of my own money that I forgot about. It was left in a jacket that I hadn't used in years.

[rudolph the red]

10. i found an old wallet with $500 in it about 30' from a trail near

Silverton, Co back in 1987. Aside from the cash, the only thing in it was a business card for someone named Bill Owens from an off-road equipment place in Plano, Tx. I was able to get Bill on the phone when I got home, but he had no idea whose wallet it may have been. My friends and I decided to keep it and have a kegger.

I actually think about it often. I should have gone to the police, what if it was evidence in a missing person case or something?

[Jenoch]

11. Reese is a lucky dude to live with two ladies.

They did the right thing. My question is why is this international news? Of course the answer is the www. If they kept the money without investigation it would have been the equivalent of theft.

[In_The_Wind]

12. Yes, indeed.

It seems like some people in Ulster County still do the right thing.

More about the lucky threesome here: http://thelittlerebellion.com/index.php/2014/05/new-paltz-students-find-40k-in-a-couch/ IMO it really is a cute story.

http://7online.com/society/kingston-homeless-man-turns-in-lost-cash-he-found/60983/

WABC By Marcus Solis
Thursday, May 15, 2014
KINGSTON (WABC) -- He's one of the most recognizable people in Kingston: Hassel Barber, but everyone knows him as junior. Yes, Junior is homeless, but he just may be one of the city's most honest citizens.

Last year the 67-year old made headlines when he found a wallet with nearly $500 in it and turned it over to police. His reasoning was simple.

"He basically said, it's not mine. Period. It's not mine to keep it's somebody's else's," said John Tremper, with the Kingston Police Department.

Now Junior has done it again. Last week he again found money, police won't say how much as they and find whoever lost it.

[panader0]

13. twice found money--once about five grand, once about four grand

Both times I knew who had lost it, the kind of guys that you wouldn't want to cheat.
I was rewarded, once with an illegal substance, and once with four tickets to a Stevie Ray Vaughn concert.

[Rambis]

14. Found a 20 last week at register

I chased the lady in front of me down, i dont think it was hers by her expression but I gave it to her anyway.

[azurnoir]

15. wasn't me exactly and it was small

but about 10 years ago my then 7 year old son and I were on our way into Target, he was begging for some toy a Bionicle I think but we were on a really tight budget and as I was telling that we could not afford it right then a $10 bill rolled across the lot and landed at his feet, what could I say-this was little kid magic

[Jenoch]

16. I was late for class once in college (well, more than once)

and it was about two minutes past the top of the hour and the halls were mostly empty and I saw a $20 bill on the floor. I stepped on it, looked around to see if anyone was looking for it, I did not see anyone, so in my pocket it went.

[hibbing]

17. I found a Benjamin

It was just on the sidewalk blowing around in my neighborhood. I kept it and spent it, I guess that makes me a bad person for not knocking on all the houses around to see if it belonged to someone.

Peace

[russspeakeasy]

19. I moved from that neighborhood, but I am sure it was mine.

I could send you my new address.
You'll feel soooooooo much better.

[bluesbassman]

18. Twice. First was a leather pouch with DM 60 when I was stationed in Germany.

Just the cash, no ID. Got to party with that money!

Second time I found an envelope on the floor walking through a department store. Had about $300 in cash and one check made out to a little coffee spot. Called and found out the owner had dropped the envelope while on her way to make a deposit. It was right before Christmas and she was very happy to have the money returned.