Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1863-07-10
Rich Beggars.

There are muititudeS OF instances OF beg
gars, who, amid squa)or, rags. and dirt, ut
terly miserable, contrive to amass consider
able sums Of money. For obvious reasons,
they generally conceal their wealth during
life, and it is only when theis breath is out
of their body that the golden hypocrisy is
discovered. Usually the boarded coins are
found sewn upin rags or straw beds, or other
wise hidden IN holes and corners it is only
in few instances that a beggar ventures to
invest his money in a bank. Chambers
Book of Days" in discussing the subject,
reports few instances OF this class of peo-
pie. We quote:-
"Among the many recorded examples of
rich beggars have been Daniel Eagle, who
begged for thirty years in London, and
lived in a room which was never entered
by any one but himself, and never cleaned
during the whole period. After his death
coins to the value Of thirty pounds sterling
were found.
Margaret Coles, who died in wretehed
filth in st. Giles, at the age Of one hundred
and one, and in whose hovel was found
thirty pounds in gold and silver, and ten
pounds in copper.
Margaret Everett, an equally squalid
beggar, who left one hundred and fifty
pounds behind her.
Esther Davis, who died in London at
tie advanced age of one hundred and three,
and who, for thirty years, had the double
chances of street beggar and a parish
pauper. She left one hundred and sixty
pounds.
"Mary Wilkinson, beggar and bone grub
Der, whose rags of clothing concealed three
hundred pounds in money.
"Alice Bond, who had risen to the dig
nifty Of three hundred pounds in the funds,
besides fifty in guineas, half guineas, and
seven shilling pieces, and twenty-'hree
pounds in silver.
Francis Beet, whose bed and rickety
furniture yielded booty of no less than
eight hundred pounds.
"And Poor Joe all alone famous
character about a century ago, who wore a
long beard, ard had not lain in bed for
| fifty years; he left three thousand pounds,
and with it a will, by which he bequeathed
all the money to certain widows and or
phans.
Foreign countries are not without in
stances of like kind. Witness the case of
Dandon, of Berlin, who died in 1912. He
was competent to teach as professor of
! languages during the day, and went out
begging at night. After his death twenty
thousand crowns were found secreted under
the floor of his room. He had refused to
see brother for thirty-seven years. because
he once sent him letter without paying
the postage. This Dandon, however, was
an example rather of the miser than of the
beggar, popularity so considered. Some
beggars have been remarkable quite as
much for their eccentricity as for the amount
of money they left behind them. Such was
the case with William Stevenson, who died
at .Kimarnock on the seventeenth of July,
! 1916. Although bred a mason, the grea.
part his life he spent as beggar About
the year 1887, he and his wife separated,
making this strange aCreement-that which
ever OF them was the first to propose re-
union should forfeit one hundred pounds TO
the other. According to the statements in
the Scotch papers. there is no evidence that
they ever saw each other again. In 1915.
when about eghty-fve years old, Stevenson
was seized with an incurable disease, and
was confined to his bed. A few days before
his death, feeling his end TO be near, he sent
for baker, and ordered twelve dozen buri-
al cakes, large quantity of sugared bis
cults, and good supply of wine and spirits
He next sent for joiner, and instructed
him TO make good, sound, dry, comfort
able coffin. Next he summoned grave
digger, whom he requested to select favor
able spo. in the churchyard of Riccarton
and there dig roomy and comfortable
grave. This done, he ordered an old wo.
man who attended him to 60 20 certain
nook. and bring him out nine pounds, TO pay
all these preliminary expenses. assuring hei
that she was remembered in his will
Shortly after this he died. A neighboi
came in TO search for his wealth, which haG
been shrouded in much mystery. In one
bag was found large silver pieces, such a:
dollars, and halt. dollars, crowns and half
crowns; in heap of musty rags was found
collection of guineas and seven shilling
pieces; in box, were found bonds of va
rious amounts, including one for three hun.
dred pounds-giving altogether sum o
about nine hundred pounds. A will wa!
also found, bequeathing twenty pounds Il
the old woman, and most of the remaindel
to distant relations. setting aside sufficien
to give a feast 10 all the beegars who choose
to come and see his body lie in state The
influx was immense /; and, after the funeral
all retired to barn which had been fitted
up for the occasion ard there they indulg
ed in revelries, but little in accordance will
the solemn season of DEATH
One curious circumstance regarding /;
beggar connected with the town of DUN
fries we can mention on excellent authority
son of his passed through the class o
Human;tv Tatinl in the University n