Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-11-25
VOL. LXXIV.
A CAPITALISTS SECLUSION.

One of the marvels Of metropolitan life is a
case DOW on trial in the Surrogate Court iu New
York. 1t is the history of an importer who dur
iug twenty-five years earned two millions
and an honorable reputation, and moved,
day by day among his business acquaintauceS as
wealthy bachelor, and yet night after night
went to his home in an obscure quarter OF the
city to meet lady who claimed and was ac-
kuowlcdged to be his wife, and few neigbbo
who knew him under an assumed name aud
never dreamed that The was millionaire. Geo.
Hardin was born IN the early part Of this cen
tury near Belfast, ireland, aud came to this
country in his twenty first year. He established
himseflu business in this city as az importer Of
Irish linens, and subsequently became the agent
of Belfasl house. Doing business alternate
lyin William, Pine, Broad and Liberty streets,
he prospered and grew rich. Those who had
business dealings with him knew nothing of his
private life; his chosen comrades in social life
had no knowledge of his business relations. He
was reticent, retiring, frugal, almost penurious;
his business acQuaintances supposed that he was
arich old bachelor, and few of them knew where
he lived. He finally retired from the importing
business and increased his fortune by buying
commercial paper and making investments IN
safe securities His circle Of acquaintauces was
very large and he was well known by leading
IRISH residents, and yet for nearly twenty-five
years he lived as a married man, under an as
sumed name in an obscure street IN the Ninth
ward.
ln lS4S gentleman 80 years old, and lady
20 years younger, leased plain two-story house
in Cornelia street. His landlord and his neigh
bors knew them as Mr.. and Mrs. Walker. A
young man named Searles, with his wife and
two boys, occupied the second floor of the house
for year, and atterward kept up the acquaint.
auce. Mrs. Dunn, living across the street, and
few others, occasionally visited them, but
they seldom made or received calls. In the di-
rectory his name was recorded as George
Walker" lie purchased the house, and lived
there with his companion until his death. 90
the morning Of March 7, 1872, Geo. Walker 5
few acquaintance saw with amazement the an
nouncement that George Hardin had died at
No. % Cornelia street, and soon after the fune-
raj they heard with increased wonderment that
their old friend, Mrs Walker, who had lived
so simply and plainly among them for so many
years, had applied for letters of administration
on the estate Of George Hardin, which consist
ed mainly Of personal property worth $2,OOO,-
600. The administrators In such cases are forced
to give bonds for double the value of the per-
sonal estate but as this was out OF the question,
the Surrogate placed the securities in the hands
of the United States Trust Company, and then
granted the letters Of administration. At this
juncture six nephews of Mr.. Hardin, residing
10 Belfast, interposed claim that the lady was
Mrs Walker, aud not Mrs Hardin-his mis-
tress, and DOT his wife. AS Mr.. Hardin had
left no will, one half of his estate belonged to
this lady, if she was his wife. There have
been several sessions of the Surrogate Court
in this case, and additional testimony will be
offered to-day. The contestants, through Bur-
rill, Davis l. Burri are attempting to show
that it was not legal marriage; the lady,
through Robert H. Corbett and the Hon. ohm
X. Porter, maintains that it was.