Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-22
Romance in Real Lifs-A Den Broken Into.

| From the San Francisco Bulletin OF tn
18th ultimo. We take the following accOun
of one of the noted men of San Francisco
By all familiar with the notabilities Of tina
place it will be recognized rs a true bill
of the individual alluded to. He often ma IL
it 4 boast, 10 intimate friends, that he carried
his most important paper securities on hl'
person, to evade the lnqulsltion ot Sheriff :
officers, il being his idea that himself anG
his sleeping room were exempt from per
sonal search by them. The narrative runs
thus -
"A grand affair took place to-day about
noon, which WAS no less than IN entry by
Deputy Sheriff Slverthorne into the castle
of A. j. King. the greasy street pawnbroker
with IN execution tnr II 1000 King is well
known a. the citizens of New Orleans, ~ well
rs to those Of San Francisco. He WAS at one
time a merchant in the former city, where
hr failed some years ago. and then came IL
California with the nrt proceeds Of the opera
tiuu, which are said Ia be very large. lie
arrived IN tins city some five or six years
ago, and went into the street brokerage bust
ness, buying stocks, aud lending money on
watches, lewrlry and any safe collaterals.- -
! lie appears Ia have worn but one suit vt
clothes from the day of his arrival here until
/ the present and Was never known IA indulge
| ia expense, except on one Or two OCCASIONS.
lie once bantered John Cook, late Assessor,
Ia throw coin into the bay, and for every
dollar Cook threw, King threw tive-and won
the bet. lie disposed Of about $50 on this
OCCASION: but afterwards boosted that the IN
cideut was worth thousands t. him in the
way OF IN advertisement. At the time ot
! the Atlantic Telegraph Cable celebration.
! King paid SI5 for the hire Of - barouche and
| four splendid white horses, with which he
"splurged' 1T the head of the procession-an-
other advertisement.
! With these and few other exceptions. Old
King, or Greasy King. rs he is familiarity
styled, was, and is, perhaps, the highest fist
| ed incOrrlgible old mscr in the State Of Cal
itorniu. no feeling exists in his breast, eI-
cept that of II love OF gain. He knew no
! friends, felt for no one and no thing, except
gold gold, and again gold. He seems 10
have no relatives III this country, and has
treated those he left in the East with rude
ness, Boosting that. in answer to III applies
ton Of IL little niece for Il token Uf renlem-
brance, he seat his toe nails, which he had
purpoScly allowed 10 grow very long.
At the time Of Kings residence in New
Orleans. in 1919. 80 and 81 he was the pro
prietor ot a large retail dry goods aud ladies
fancy store, called Kings Marble Palace"
He was IN extensive advertiser in the pa
prrs, and hired numbers of boys to carry
large placardS i'll procession through the
streets, and leased broadsdes of houses Ia
paint his notices upon. He must have done
An immense business in his liue but in '53
he suddenly failed" and left Unexpectedly
Tor California, leaving large creditors To
whistle Tor their money, aud curse their own
stupidity in trusting him. Among other
debts, he left large number of notes, which
hc has by various shifts avoided paying; but
many ot them have been sent out here for
collection. As It WAS, however, SUPPOSED
that nothing could be made out Of the mau.
none were ever prosecuted to Judgment ex-
r-pt one, on which Judgment was rendered
in one of our courts some months ago-
aud it WAS the execution in this case that
was levied by the Deputy Sheriff to-day.
King occupied Il room III the third story OF
Bolton Il Barron's building in Merchant
street, which he deemed fire proof, thiet-prooi,
and execution proof. But he was mistaken
rs Ia the execution part of the proof, IA the
event showed, for having to-day unwarily
left his door open, the officer, watching his
opportunity, suddenly rushed in. AS he did
50 King seized pistol and presented 1t at
the officer; but fearful OF his own temerity |
Immediately cried cut, Its not Loaded; it's
not loaded" He then tried to stuff watches
and .icwrlry, which We're lying prvmiscuous-
~ around, IN hls pocket. but Was prevented
by the officer and in despair he rushed down
stairs for such legal advice Us would not cost
anything. He asked the District Attorney. |
whom he happened 10 meet, whether II man
could enter his castle" with al execution.
and being told that certainly he could, the
isrnnsolate man returned t" his room and
offered the officer five dollars to leave and say
nothing about the matter.
Upon looking around, there were actually |
found, lying about, $4,000 in bags OF gold |
coin, watches. diamonds, stocks and other
property. These were discovered in the bed |
stuffed between the mattresses and under the
pillow But besides this. there Is an irun
closet in The room. and from the revelations
made. it -supposed that King is really worth
about S3W.OOO. Poor man,