Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-12-10
CnrIona ma and nonhle Fnnaral

- . /. = 49,.
from the New Orleans Picay1ne, November 9th. ]
The announcement OF the DEATH in this
city, on Wednesday last, of John Henry
Msrtinstein, recalls to mind an incident
connected with his life which many re-
spectacle citizens can vouch for. Martini
stein was most peculiir and eccentric old
gentleman, and his little hardware store
became in the course of years, perfect
old curiosity shop. filled with odds and
ends, stuck in shelves without regard to Or
der; but few of the bundles graced with
strings and none Of them marked, for so
wonderf i was the old mans memory that
he meyer forgot the amount paid for an arti-
Gle, or made an error as to the price. His
head was his day-book, journal and ledger,
and the astonishing reten6veness of his
memory was only equaled by his want of
order If his bump Of memory was large,
his bump of order must have been dimin-
utive. 4-
Bundles were thrown around loosely,
and any one else would have been abso-
lutely at sea in his store, while he, no mat
ter how much time had elapsed since he
had seen or used an article, could find it
at once, and recall instantly every oircum-
hthuCb COlIlDCLSN WIN Abo RhlShthoOs AAO
came to New Orleans more than half a
century ago, and has always lived quiet,
sober life, attending closely and strictly TO
his business, and realizing, in consequence,
"a handsome fortune. ;3it.11
Long years ago, during terrible tinan-
cial crisis which swept over the country,
running many man who had counted
himself safe from all possible contingent
cies, this singular person conceived the
idea that he was bankrupt, and insisted
npon o surrender Of his property TO his
creditors. They. protested against such q
measure, but he would listen to no argu-
ment and the result was that his stock
alone being sold was found to realize, inn
mensely more than enough to cover all his
Indebtedness. p" -'lo
Some time after this, Mr.. Martinstein
was taken quite sick and went off into o
trance which SO nearly resembled death
that his demise was announced, and all the
preparations made for the burial. a
;, On the appointed day the coffin contain
ing the body was placed in handsome
hearse, which, followed by long train Of
moumers, was proceeding toward The cem-
etery, when the horses suddenly took
fright, and ran away, the coffin being
thrown violently to the ground, and burst
open. The surprise and fright Of the spec
tators may bo imagined when from the
coffin was seen to arise Mr.. Martinstein
himself, still instinct with life, and present
ing in his burial robes sight from which
many ran headlong away. Aevery quietly
walked home, protested against being put
away in SO summary a manner, and de-
cIared his intention to live for many long
day This promise he kept religiously, as
his heightened hold upon life sufficiently
proves. ,A
h Not the least curious incident connected
with the attempted burial of Mr., Martin
stein, was the fact that the undertaken
who had been engaged had no idea Of
being cheated of what he fancied was his
just dues, and upon being refused payment
for his partially performed service, brought
suit for the amount and actually obtained
Judgment in his favor In the lower court
Mr.. Martinstein, however, took an appeal
and the Judgment was reversed : the ceurt
ruling that as he had not performed the
service for which he had contracted, he
was. not entitled, to pay for the same
There were those who followed the remains
Of the old gentleman to the grave OIL
Thursday, who were also in the c0rteg
when q fortunate accident restored him Il
his family and friends.