The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-08-29
A Miser's Career.

A millionaire miser, John Passmore
Hanbest, who died in Philadelphia recent
ly, at the age of fifty-seven, was one of
those rare men who, I'm real life, lived
squarely up TO the conventional type OF
his class. A huckster of oysters and
farm produce in his boyhood, he early
began TO practice self-denial and to mani
fest an absorbing desire to be rich. He
studied lawi in leisure moments, and had
long and hard struggle for admission TO
the bar, which he is said 10 have gained
AT last by a stratagem, In spite of the law
examiners and all the objections which
they and the bench had urged against his
moral character. He then became a petit
logger of the lowest class, his clients be-
ing chiefly poor people whom he handled
for his own profit, regardless of their in
teresls. He took no case without prepay
ment OF fees, and would sometimes exact
as guarantee for compensation Tor sell
vices and expenses, a judgment bond
which he would enter against their prop
erty without rendering service. Money.
made in all sorts of mysterious and cruel
ways, he invested in real estate. never
parting with dime that was not abso-
lutely necessary TO keep life in his body
and clothes on his back. In one of the
large buildings which he let to tenants,
he reserved small ill-furnished apart
ment which served him tor office, bed
room, and kitchen. In this dismal and
noisone place, respectable members of
the bar who sought him on business
would find him at table where his
papers were mingled with the bones
and crusts he had gnawed. He lost
the use of his limbs about three years
ago from paralysis, Jut continued to
transact business until he was removed NJ
terly helpless TO another bare, but more
wholesome, chamber. Here for three
months he fingered with but few friends
to see him and with none of the comforts
and consultations which should soothe the
last days of an old hard-worked man.
But his ruling passion had triumphed;
the object Of his whole life had been at
tanned; his soul seemed to be satisfied,
and it would be bold assumption to say
that nature could have afforded him
happier death. The Sunday before he
died he said: ~ started out with the
idea of becoming the richest man at the
bar who had made his own money. | be-
lieve have. and that idea is realized"
No cOmpunctions as IN hO1 he had made
it! No regrets that he had amasse3 it but
to leave il behind with no good deeds TO
live after him as witnesses of the power
it bad conferred upon him And yet,
though he could not part with it in the
way of charity while he lived. h. did I'M
dertake to divide the bulk OF mis- estate by
will among various charitable institutions.
His ruling passion, however, cheated him
at last. A law in Pennsylvania renders
null and void the public requests of will
executed within one calendar month OF
the testator's decease. His reluctance to
all the forms of giving, made him put off
the making of will too long. and now
his estate, valued at near 81 .OO0,0 900, will
be divided contrary to his wish, among
the children of two deceased brothers,
whom he had cut off with a shilling, and
living brother and two sisters. to whom
he had begueathed only life estates in por'
tons Of his property .-Erchange.