Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-08-16

THE STORY OF A CHICAGO CHARACTER.
There died a few days ago a man who
for nearly forty years had been one of the
characters Of Chicago and man of great
energy, intensely desirous of doing good,
and friend of humanity, who was the
easy recipient of every ism that came along.
Seth Paine was born in Vermont-the
birthplace of 10 Smith, Brigham Young,
Brother Noyes, and the authors of various
other religions, which were doomed to be
temporary and unsuccessful. After clerk
ing here for some time, he started wild
cat bank, but was sold out almost immedi-
ately and the sheets of notes went into the
hands of a tobacconist, who used them
to wrap up his goods. 1t was an anticipa-
ton of the fate of confederate currency and
bonds. Colonel Paine was strong aboli-
ZIONIST, friend of Lovejoy, and an active
underground railroad man. When spirit
ualism and vcgetarianism were discovered,
he became zealons believer in both, so
much so that when, in 1S4S, he again start
ed bank, a female medium was always
in the private Office, and was always con-
suited concerning deposits. Since it was
intended TO do business only with those
who were pure in flesh aud spirit, no ac-
commodations could be obtained by those
who were given TO the use of tobacco or
liquor. 1t was understood that person
given TO such practices could not be relied
on to take up his notes, even though as
rich as Cr1sus. Still this was not as luna
tic as the Celestial bank, organized a year
or two ago, where the treasurer lived in
where the notes were TO be paid when the
millennium came and earth and heaven
ono. These notes obtained no ex-
tensive circulation, however, though one
firm was paid in them for some job print
ing.
Col. Paine also started the Christian
Banker as his organ, and attacked social
and political evils in il until he was again
sold out and sent to Jail, when he concen-
trated himself upon the abuses OF his new
residence, and became more of master
there than the sheriff himself. 1t was
day of general rejoicing when this prisoner,
who set all rules at defiance, and who had
paper to back him, was liberated and
turned loose upon the city. His release
was followed by one of the most curious
suits which ever occurred here. He and II
few of his associates in spiritualism were
proceeded against under a provision in the
city charter, regulating and prohibiting
disorderly houses. His counsel claimed
that spiritualsm was as much creed as
Methodsm or Episcopancy, while the 9TH
er side wanted to prove that it had not "A
single element of religion about it. All the
ministers in the vicinity were called upon
to testify. The court was overwhelmed
with dissertations on sectarian creeds, in
this case and also in the proceedings for
commission in lunacy against another
prominent sprtualist. Finally, spiritual
ism was decided not to he disorderly-not
to be proof of madness-and its adherents
have not since then been troubled by legal
prosecution. After this matter was dis
posed of, Mr.. Paine shook off the dust of
the city, and retired TO Cook county, where
he started a cooperative store, and a ''sta-
BILE of humanity"tas he called it, where all
lovers of mankind might take refuge. He
also continued the publication of his fear
ful paper. This lasted only year, and
then, after some years spent in other fail
ures, he devoted himself to the cause Of the
"woman's home," an institution to furnish
cheap food and lodgings 10 the working
women. Grown moro practical with years
he worked for it with sober energy, sue
ceeded in establishing it on firm basis,
and W hen ne died gave it all his property.
Letter from Chicago.