Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-12-29

the year, without having buCCeeueu III Cou-
verting this property INTO money; but the
relatives and heirs they lett behind them in
Germany did not forget these inhertances.
Upon the occasion of visit made by Aston to
Heidelberg, in later years, most of the parties
last referred to, as inheriting the allotments of
the deceased German soldiers, and residing
in Heidelberg, united and made our friend
their legally authorized attorney, in order to
realize something, if possible, from their hith-
erto useless acres. But the hoped for increase
of the value of this property, was, on the
whole, rather slow in coming, and the heirs
wanted money, money, quick and ready mon
ey. Aston having been applied TO on this
ecore, told them that, in order to get ready
money, they must reckon up the real present.
value of the cash itself, and not any imagined
value Of the land, and that only through pref
ty considerable sacrifice could they get cash
for the same. Thereupon the parties advised
with each other, and finally Astor received
peremptory orders to sell, without further de-
lay. Unknown spectators were found; the
proceeds were small, but the heirs got what
they wanted-money. At the present day,
many of those pieces of land are among the
most valuable and most important in the city,
aud have gradually passed through Astor into
other hands; the unknown spectators, how
ever, have faded from the memory of every
body.
Astor, at the moment of the embargo, was
in the possession Of several millions, so that
he was able to give his SON, William D. Astor,
who was educated at Gottingen, the magni6-
cent hotel on Broadway, called the castor
House. which cost the sum of 100000.
The permission, procured by the parish, to
send out ships in ballast, to bring home silver,
had given Astor the idea that the same priv.
o;,~t.f he Aol 80 II
for the purpose of bringing home the amount
of debts due abroad, in goods. With this
view he went to Washington, and there, un-
der the pretence that nc had en- important
depot of teas at Canton, obtained the desired
permission to send vessel thither in ballast.
This step, however, was only the torerun-
ner of another one. Aston, lin reality, owned
no depot of teas at Canton, and hence it sim
ply came to this, that he would, according to
the usual custom, send money thither to pur-
chase the article.
The exceptional favor of sending schooners
in ballast to Vera Cruz, which Parish had, up
TO this time enjoyed, but which was now grad
ually extended to other vessels, whose desti-
nation was not to bring back gold and silver
values, but goods on American account, suf-
fciently showed, that, under these circumstan.
ces, there no indisposition to grant ee exit
now arose another point, namely, whether
empty vessels, which, however, had silver on
board, could be regarded as in ballast. The
precious metals, are. in most countries, not
looked upon as wares, although in some they
are SO classified.
1t was not exactly advisable to bring on a
discussion of the question, whether the expor-
tation of silver in otherwise unladeL vessels
should depend uponit or not The query was,
whether foreign creditor, who had come to
collect the moneys owed him by American
merchants, would be permitted to take the
funds really thus received back with him. In
Washington there appeared to be every dis
position to allow this. Now it was well
known, in the northern ports Of the United
States, that the leading native merchants of
Canton had never hesitated to accord their re-
gular correspondents, returning year out and
year in from the United States, certain credits
which amounted to considerable sums. Upon
this Astor based his plan. He hunted up,
among the Chinese sailors, or Lascars, on the
ships lately arriving from China, afellow SUIT
ed to his purpose, dressed him as a Mandarin,
and took him with him to Washington, where
he had to play the part ofthe Chinese creditor,
under the name of Hong-Qua, or Kina .Holu
No one dreamed of suspecting the Mandarin's
identity, and Astor pushed his scheme safely
through. The 100000 he sent to Canton
were expended there in tea and other Chinese
articles, and within year afterwards return.
ed in that shape to Astors hands, andl were
used by him io-excellent account. A stroke
ofskill had been achieved whose morality no
one in the United States doubted for mo-
ment.
Aston has left fortune of about $4,000
coo, chiefly to his only son. His mind was
necessarily busted with the increase of his re.
sources, and had no other direction. q He was
compelled, by a physical infrmity to repair
to Paris, where he could avail himself of the
skilful assistance of Baron Dupuytren. The
latter thoroughly restored him, and advised
him to ride out every day. He frequently
took occasion himself to accompany his pa
tent on these rides. One day-and this anec.
doie have from Baron's own mouth-when
riding he appeared byno means disposed to
converse; not word could be got out of him; :
and at length Dupuytren declared thet he
must be suffering from some secret pain or
trouble, when he would not speak. He pressed
him and worried him, until finally Astor
loosed his tongue; "Look ye Baron" he
said, q how frightful this is L have here, in
the hands of my banker, at Paris, about O..
000,000 francs, and cannot manage, without
great effort. to get more than l-2 per cent
per annum on it. Now, this very day have
received a letter from my son in New York,
informing me that there the best acceptances
are at from IL to p per cent. per month. 1t
Is not enough to enragea manv'