Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-12-08
Dea,h Of Ce..ci..u.a szsser.


An old Dutchman named Snumm
who lived in one of the wretched novels
that stands in the rear of Sheriff street,
and whose apparent poverty, and man
ifest sufferings from dreadful case oi
hernia, had long excited the sympaty
fof his humane neighbors, died Of asthma
and complication of other Diseases
He was well known to be of a very OBJ
stinate and eccentric disposition; and al
though he had been confined to his bed
some weeks, he not only rejected all
medical aid, but persisted to the last in
his singular habit of sleeping in the
whole of his wardrobe, which consisted
chiefly of pair of breeches that at some
remote era had been constructed of blue
velvet, and a sailors jacket, and frieze
overcoat; all ofwhich exhibited accumu-
lative proofs of the old mans attach
ment. He sent for Mr.. Van Duerson a
respectable countryman of his, residing
in the igbborhood, who had give him
charitable relief, and privately reques-
ted him to make his will. To this gen.
tleman's great surprise, he bequeathed
various sums of money, amounting alto
gether to about S5, 700, 70 children and
grandchildren residing at Newark and
Albany, and con6dentially informed
him where his property was deposited.
He then narrated to Mr.. Van Duerson
the following remarkable facts in Ills his
tory:
He stated, that about twenty-five
years ago, he was porter to mercan
tile house in Hamburg, and having been
long in its employ, was frequently in
trusted with considerable sums of mo-
ney for conveyance to other establish
ments. In an hour of evil influence he
was induced to violate his trust, and alb
scOnd to this country with large sum.
Having arriyeds he invested the greater
part of it in the purchase of two houses
which adjoined each other, and which,
before he had effected an insurance on
them, were burnt to the ground. Con-
sidering this a Judgment of heaven upon
his dishonesty, he determined to devote
the remainder of his life to a severe
course ofindustry and parsimony, with
the single object in view of making full
restitution to the persons whom he had
or to their descendants.
He adopted another name. and with
the means he had left, Commenced bu-
siness in this city as tobacconist; and
although his trade was retail one and
he had suffered heavy loss from fire,
he had succeeded FIVE years since in
acquiring sufficient property to accom-
plish his just and elevated purpose. He
then, accordingly, sold his stock in trade,
and was preparing to transmit the ne
cessary amount to Hamburg, where the
mercantile firm he had defrauded still
when he ascertained that it
had branch establishment, or agency
house, at Philadelphia. Thith-
er he went, and paid the sum of S14,-
BOO, being equivalent to the original
sum he had embezzled, with certain
rate of interest. The latter, however,
was generously returned to him by
son of one of the partners, and this, to-
yether with some surplus money he has
'equeathed as above stated. For the
asst FIVE years he has lived in utter OBJ
'curity, and in severe accordance with
lis long formed habits of parsimony.-
His executor Mr.. Van Duerson, found
he above named sums of SO, 700, prin-
ipally in doubloons, curiously concealed
n certain private department of the
enacious breeches before specified; and
was ascertained that the old mans
lreadful case of hernia was case of {
far less Objectionable. The
of his money was found un-
Ter the patches of his jacket, with the
of a small sum in shillings !
md sixpences, discovered in an old |
nuff jar, which seems to have been the I
of his current funds.
Albany paper.