, 1873-07-10
HOW a HOTEL WAS STOLEN.
Singular Facts In tho History Of tho
Old Metropolitan.
How Isaac speer's Clerk Built It
With $4,000 Stolen from
His Employer.
MIR. Srcer's Subsequent Efforts to
Reclaim His Property.

Ill
| Reclaim His Property.
Evon the eoomiugly intarlninab1o suit Of Jarn.
dyco against Jarntyce eventually camo to IN end.
Honco It Is not altogether miraculous TINT tho
suit Of charles ". speor against Benjamin z.
Hadduck bids fair to roach d termination. It is
understood TINT in day or two tho Mastor in
ohaneory will render 4 decroo In tho caso
awarding to Charles ". Speor tho sum of $3.50.
ooo, Fonta and profits Of the metropolitan Hotol
for tho past fifteen years. Tho spoor family
have ilnd enough Of law, alld tho other giao will
probably not carry tho caso up to tho Supreme
Court. Benjamin T. Hadduck boing dead. tho
administrator Of his cBtnto has boon fighting the
case for airs. Hadduck, and tho decroe will loaye
nor IN worry mitch crippled financial condition,
Tho history Of this extraordinary case iB more
or less vol known among the old residonts Of
tho city who hnyo watched tho various stopB by
Which 1t Inns gradually roachod itH prosont cond-
ton with considerable interest. But in the rush
Of businoas, and tho clustering Of population
many OF tho pioneers of Chicago layo
boon forgotten, or evon, 1t remembered at
oil, only caslod to mind In somi-logondary
sort OF way. Among those who once
occupied very prominent position, not only in
Chicago, but in tho whole Northwest, was Isaac
spoer. lie has not rison with tho rise of ronl
ostato, aB many OF tho older roBilonts hayo
risen, nor has lo sunk beneath the weight of
Hpeoulations which havo operated to crush 60
many. Ho sank from position Of command
ing commercial influence to inBiguiicauce
through tho acoundrolism of other mar
tios This involved him in many difficult
ties, and tinnliy proved his financial ruin.
Its career has becn full of pathetic in
forest, mono the less 80 TINT now. when
Justice has at lust been done, Isaac speer re-
ceives. no benefit from it. His claims haye |
ceased to be his they aro his sons, and though |
ne nas oeen groaBly injured, tho only roparation
enjoying that which should have 'beon his. Ali |
tle partios to tho original suit are dcad Tic |
t tEiavlah salesman who robbed his EMPLOYER Of
;9o'gou 1a n four years. died in Cuba, m outlaw;
has beon called to his account; !; and Donianin,
I. Hadduck, who livod long enough to be-
among tho most influential men in tho city. bns
nesn @ gathered to Lily fathers: It is long story,
sketch of tho suit which wo shall give as It ca,no
rom one who knew tho old gentleman. yeatnr-
lay, aufdces to give IN insight into hia affairs
loSSeasary to an Intelligent Wow of tho docrco.
,.ro1nt nehIs ,, aEo, when ghlcngo vas miserable
lake street as tho best it could do
n the way Of street improvement, IT.
!, sano speer commenced business as jowelor in
ne Iroo4 ntst ,n ,tnnfeoatory frame house that Lako
~ otu at poast Sltaated between Dearborn
vas III laa9 that this magnificent addition to
l9 70 =; architecture Of tho city was mado. Tho
~ fremont House, q frowsy-loolting wooden
eluet1E!9, occupied tho spot covered by tho elo-
aas 49,. eulice when now bears that name. The
HILL ninSeIs ol h1s store were 10, q, and 70, from
,nst vn msy 20 htoffou that tho ownor was
10 consfolioa 1t the Western trade, and WAS
,aael ~. u poIlc8 az well rs IN businoaH for.
!llty years ago, Isaac speor waa young and I
.gof9na .e' % man. n1s elegant structure poriBled
4 :oln hnnlan elo" On July 70, 1910, when tho
III JG hSna niGek was t consumed n By fire. and now
III continued i to increase. He was quite sold
ann an IN tnoae Gays. and hold Office, and was
Y s.eryoouy aa an honest man, very pos
're ~ III h's looas, but e1nlnently trustworthy.
III fetys1ing iatn vent smoothly Tor long time,
loup cao wren an @ idea that be was losing
Gs arr;son va'tS aqtoss nlm' hla head clerk. Mr..
aa111 asrtsoh l; Heacock, becnmc unaccountably r.
eaisay' aha began investing in real eBtate in :
amer quite surprising. 1le began to build t.
~ me cornor OF Wells and Randolph strcotH,
~ aao 9a.lding he %as erecting was the Metro
'A;nn ~ noesl, Wnen long adorned that cornor,- n
rrora .Soussfpctea I nF!ck building, with narrow
:. them them lsaao spoer began to investigate II
Ialfs' y Aow, it does not matter II
~ A9 dlscoVorod that Mr., Har- ;r
stomn;cs1, , saeoe1 fns Sn,l. had robbed him d
o III " 7onr 1s stoangs amounted to $4,000. re
,nid ha m ~ to9n WAS far greater sum than it 10
~ ~ s arrested oy Capt Bradley, aud compro- II
re "as oHecteQ between him and his too con. ~