Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-16

Nv aec;dent your paper fell into my
bsrds among other exchanges which
were s.n, no me while away with a severe
Illness and nv eve fell upon the short
hn, nertinent article in YOUR editorial
columns. headed "The Late Artemus
WARD Ia which Il IL stated that much
5;ssntisfaction still prevails in England
ahon, the manner In which Artemus
Wards will has been administered, aud
auoting from an English paper TO the
eject that Ward had made very largely
by his lectures and writings in England |;
that he had lived frugally, aud that there
il no reason for believing that after his
funeral exnepses were paid there were
asse,s left 10 his estate. II calls for an
reclamation Of the whole matter from his
sxscutors- and there are many at this
s;ds Of The Atlantic who are interested
in having the explanation as full aud
ss,;sfsctorv ns possible."
As / was born nnd raised with poor
lrtemu,. and was his bosom friend in
I;fa and in death. l NAV be able 10 en-.
tighten YOU somewhat. When -Artemus
Ward left New York he calculated him
self worth about SIS 900, aside from his
estate at Yonkers, on the Hudson, for
which he maid $4,000. He went TO Lon
don. but II was some time before he got
fairy TO work, and bis agent, Kingston,
informed me whenf was there last sum
mer Ia vearl that aft cost f700 for Ward
60 Gel started on paying basis In great
CITY like London, Notwithstanding he was
known herer Gold at that time was
ranging at about 1856, which would make
the amount in greenbacks about s6500
This amount, with other contingent
expenses. probably consumed more than
half his available means before he
opened at Egyptian Hail. That he
made very largely by his writings and
lectures in England" is true; that he
had lived frugally" is not so true; it
was simply impossible for q genial,
wbole.souled, generous fellow like Ward,
with such hosts of friends and such sur
rouudings as be had, 10 "live frugally;"
lint that he did make money rapidly, and
that there is no reason for believing
that after his funeral expenses we're paid
there we're no assets left to his estate" is
correct in toto.
Artemus Wards will was no Joke"
hut deliberately.drnwn document, in
the presence Of witnesses. Ward refused
10 make a will when first requested by
his agent aud friend, Mr.. Kingston and
the American consul Il think it was)
went 10 Wards room and told him that
he could not live, and that il was his
duty to make a will, adding: 81 know
YOUR business is Joking. Ward; but this
il no Joke, and no time for joking" and
Ward was finally prevailed upon to make
his will. That be knew what be was
about at that time is evidenced by the
language he used and the disbursements
he ordered.
"Giye nv library to the best boy in
the village school in nv native town"
"Send George This boy1 to q printing
office to learn the trade, that he may
there learn how little he knows" And
then his foudness for little children, whom
he had loved 10 net, developed itself in
beoeathiug 1880 to each Of the two
children Of nv agent, Hingston;" land
$1,000 10 be given to each Of the children
of INV old friends. -. -, of my
native town There being four or five Of
them). There were some other minor
gifts. and then the balance Thought to be
some $40. 0OO) was put at interest for the
benefit of his mother, and, after her de-
mise. the whole was to 20 to Horace
Greeley. TO be invested in Home for
AGED and INDECENT Printers" "Now,
what has been done with all this prop
ertv p Won naturally ask, and / have
heep asked the question q thousand times
aince Wards death. and never oftener
than have in this city, whore lectured
onlv last Monday evening. the 10th, for
ths nnrnose of raising finds to build a
monument over his grave, which ia at
Watsrford Oxford county. Maine. where
HE mother now lives. "Where has the
,ronev oona2 p ;nnuire the people whom
7 solicit 10 patronize an entertainment
for the nurpose mentioned. Ia the first
nlace Wards sickness was attended with
treat ernen.e AZ he changed physicians
a. Atom a. freak or fancy dictated. and
tLsv of conrse, charged accordingly.
Thsn h;s bur;ai ernenses in London were
haavv. b;s ;nterment in Kensal Green
10 y,ovad anS his d;sintermant and re.
,n ~ aornss Tho water 10 NewYork was
nsns;wa
Tban ,ba,a ware some aoconnts IN set.
,,a 60 IL Jes,h wh;cb took more
~ an Ali his in ;nst;ce IN Arte.
,a w. a. a1.acant and ar.cutor and
nv f,;end M Hings,on. But more.
af,ar a s,,;ct obseryaiion of affairs on
,b;s side of the Atlantic and in ENGLAND.
sr,sr couverss,;ons ;pnnmerahla witb
W W.. f,;ends in both conntries not ex.
aant;ng liz eyacntors ana liz own
ma,ber can but saw tba. Artemua
Wsrd's nronar,v has not onlv not heen
,ao or1 g,Uph hi that Il bs. basn srtrav-
1917 d.avn mon This ia the on;n-
Ii. 80, in,;usta fr;ends aIpost
ion VI NC hio0e