The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-05-20
From. The Louisville C".Eicr-lo"r:'"!.
Sudden Wealth--Twn Philadelphia
Young Men La Louisville Find Them
selves Heirs so IL E,nr9" EortHHe--!4

EIJC. The !-Otlistlllr t'l!l'!-'o"":'s!
Sudden Wealth--Twn Philadelphia
Young Men La Louisville Find Them
selves Heirs SO IL E.nr9" Eortune--:A
Strange stery.
In the wear 1888 l'r. |. VI, Evans. we'll
known physician of Louisville. moved from
philadelphia 10 Cincinnati. and there COM
mcnccd the practice of his profession. Mrs..
Evans. his amiahc wife. had died Il few years
previous. leaving two orphan boy*-lohn {.
and George NJ then only six and four years
old. These children were left i'll Phlladcl-
pbia in the charge and under the guardian
ship of their maiden great aunt. Miss Mary
Richards, a Quakcress. This lady, modei
of virtue and excellence, trained the little
one. during several years III the paths OF v'r'
III" and honesty and usefulness. She was to
them mother. II guardian. and counsellor,
fulfilling each position with fidelity and ni
lection. The poor little boys were fortunate
in being thrown into such hands.
Miss Richards exercised and enforced her
authority in way peculiar to the Genlcr
sex. if not peculiar TO her religion. In her
pocket was small paper box, wrapped and
concealed beneath several layers of rags. tied
and scwcd together with great care. The
box, ALWAYS about her person. contained a
large cluster of costly and most beautiful
diamonds. The lads sometimes became dis.
ohcdient and ohStcpcrOu>. and in order tn
quiet them and insure their good behavior
Miss Richards would open TO their view
these magnificent jewels, saying ut the same
time. in Quaker style:
"Thi> is for thee. johnny, and that is for
thee, George, if thee both will be good, low
ing. and ohcdicnt children"
The sight of these "prettieS,' together
with the promise that they should some day
be their property, would always insure their
good behavior. They little dreamed, when
engaged in their Juvenile sports, and thus
restrained from boys-terors conduct. that
this promise, seemingly made in sport.
would some day bring to them splendid
fortune.
Dr.. I. NJ. Evans, the father, was during
these pleasant years in the i;lr-otf West, hlv-
ing moved from place to place. but ever re-
membering with affection the dear little ones
whom he had left in his native city. An ac-
cdcnt soon happened which second time
bereavcd the little boys of their best and
dearest friend. Johnny became sick one
day, and Miss Richards started 10 the drug
store to procure some medicine for him. In
going down the stairway she slipped, and i'll
The fall dlslocated her spine. No one WAS
near her, and she lay helpless on the floor
till relieved several hours later by the timely
and unexpected arrival of her sister. \ tyw
days utter she died, and the little orphans
were sent out West to their father. This oc-
Cured in 1860. The older boy was scarcely
eleven years of age.
DR.. Evans continued his psiambuIations
IL the West moving first to New ALBANY.
then TO Georgetown, Ky. afterwards to
Memphis, Tenn, and finally to this place in
1853. His address and whereabouts, and
thar Of his two boys, were entirely unknown
TO any member of his family in Phladcl-
phia. 4 decade Of long, eventful years, in
which were enacted the scenes of war and
bloodshed and political strife, rolled by, and
brought for the family nothing but their ac-
custoined poverty, yet responsibility and
high social standing The boys grew up to
be young men, were appointed to places OF
trust and emolument by prominent mer-
chants, both here and elsewhere, and con
Quoted themselves in such way rs to make
friends and supporters among their en-
ployers.
Miss Mary Richards, their great aunt. was
reputed to be poor, or rather Der wealth was
not In lands and houses and heaps of gold,
but in jewels Of enormous value, and these
being concealed from the eyes of friends and
relatives and strangers, were known to be
her property by only one person-her
nephew, Thomas l.. Evans. Sometime pre-
Nous TO her deuth she made viii, and be-
queatl!cd hTgo fortune to Thomas L. Evans
i'll trit3: FOR Johnnie and George. A proyiso
was understood between tic parties That lie
eIgatees should mol he informed Vt the legacy