New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-07
A MILLIONAIRE PAUPER.

A NON-POLITICAL SENSATION IN NEw-ORIEANs-A
QUADROON MILLIONAIRE ALLOWS HIS PROPERTY
TO BE SOLD RATHER THAN PAY HIS TAxEs-THE
HOME OF THE MIsER-HIs HIsTORY-A SCENE
AT THE AUCTION EXCHANGE.
fPRoM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE ]
NEw-ORLEANs, Sept. 3O.-Outside of politics
the sensation in NewOreaps just Is the Of the
old octoroon Francois Lacroix last week millionaire,
to-day frendess beggar, sold out for taxes which he
could but would not pay He was the owner OF proper
ties in the city and adjoining parishes stores dwellings,
and plantations. paving two months ago an aggregate
monthly rental Of more than "a Co., Yesterday saw him
sitting the steps of the auctoneers rosrum. smoking
vile cigar and wagging his vacant old head while the
last remains Of his fortune was being waited away on
the echo Of the crier's voice.
LacrOx's history is sngularly interesting quarter
Of century ago he the fashionable tailor OF New
Orleans The popular shop Of "COrdieville Lacrox
was st. Charesst two doors below the present
site Of st. Charles Hotel Both coored men, Cor
devie, was ashy snowy fellow, quite an exquisite,
prone to braws and duels but polished artist In his
line. He affected France very greatly; had chateau
near Paris, where during the greater part OF
the year, he used to maintain establish
ment Of great luxury and splendor Finally he
withdrew wOrleans to spend the remainder OF
hse favorite country Lacroix was man OF dil'
ferent tastes and habits An octoroOn like COrdieve,
he was unlike him. penurious, frugal plodding once
year he la belle France for five or six weeks and
wild stories are told Of his extravaganza and debauch-
cry on those occasions but here at home he lived In
positive meanness. His house on Dumane-st., in the
French quarter, where by the wg he still lives, Is
an Old colonial structure, built !of wood, with
high roof aud long dormer windows, rckety'
iDfrm and uninvitng. 1t is scarcely beter
than the average plantation cabin certainly not half 30
cheerful and attractive. went down and TOOK look
at Il the other day. though the survey was attended
with difficulties The interior is picture Of disorder
and discomfort with four rooms in the main building,
divided of by partitions of what seemed pasteboard-one
great ROOM so far sound smell might be concerned
The outer apartment, the only one gained access 10,
was crowded with preposterous old furniture NANCY
looking bundles boxes odds and ends, the whoe Ior
ing a collection which negroes call "plundcr" En-
throned In the midst Of all this confusion, propped IN
huge and infirm rockng-cbair was an appalling ola
woman-Lacrox's mother I had not expected tnis
Lacroix is trife over 10 himself, and never antic
pated being called confront his mother Much 10
nv surprise she spoke little broken English; much 10
my disappointment she informed me that her boy was
sick and invisible I glanced around the room
perfect chaos Of curiostes useless but ancient Wha
ANYBODY wanted with such lot Of absurd old traps
cannot imagine. In only instance did see an art
Gle that pertained to civilization the nineteenth CEN
tury That article safe-an iron safe OF ancient
pattern 1t looked though it might have been pur-
chased when Lacroix Growing infant, bought In
some exravagant outburst by his father suppose II
contained title and so o. As bowed myser out
I observed Himalayan headdress OF yellow and red
cotton surmouting Lacroix mere
Here the miser lives and has lived since the time when
the now fashionable district Of was snipe
ground suppose the annual expenses of that estab-
lishment must figure up high as $400 This, with
whatever he spent those Partisan reveres, made up
the total Of his expenditures; and all the rest for
nearly half century, has been going into new lands,
more lots and additional houses. He made money AT
rate 80 years ago. His shop was the
center of fashion. His coats were the sine
qua non OF society No dandy OF that
day could hope to shine in the foyer of the Orleans
opera until Lacroxs touch prepared him for the effort
The bloods Of Dauphine and Royasts. never dreamed
of sruttng the shadow Of Cabdo or the Pontaba
palace until Lacroix had dressed his legs Money
no object them 1t came easily these young royser
er and Lacrox had great modesty as to his charges
Making immense sums and spending nothing,
putting bis accumuatons into property that rose every
day in value he grew rich by almost magical advances.
talior's shop would scarcely seem the cradle OF
Cresus yet in 1861 Lacroix was more than wealthy
man, He had properties in every growing quarter OF
the city, mortgages Of plantations and rentals
OF princey magnitude. He was Lacroix the millionaire
How his tax troubles commenced no one seems exactly
TO understand. fancy he has always been a tax
resster." The city books show some very old delin
ouences The chronicles OF the ctys ltigaons record
thousand hard fought battles wherein its victories
like those of Porsenua barely short Of ruin. Ap
parently he never paid until the last moment. nor
without bitter conflict Three ago, however, his
case assumed prominence. AT that time
the Lacroix city tax bills had mounted up
10 some 10000 He tried usual to evade it, but War
moths free lances were rough and hungry and they
drove him hard. At last he gathered together the re-
ava IN hta IN
make the settlement with Here comes in the secret
OF the drama They say the young lost the money
or was cheated out OF it in some way, and weeks
afterward the old man was made sud
denly aware that the $4,000 was still un-
paid and his property trembling in the balance.
Then he broke down. 1t was hard enough for him to
part with money the best of times, and this disaster
filled his cup Report hath 1t that he cast the prodgal
forth with curses and from that moment fell INTO
stold obstinate inaction which nothing could arouse
Numerous attempts were made to induce him to some
measures Of self-protection. Bankers, brokers.
who liked him as relic OF the good old
time, or wished, perhaps, to make reasonable
profit on the job offered the funds necessary to release
his property It was OF avail At the beginning OF
the present year the bills State and city, reached
s6OOO and last after than three years of for
bearance the authorities moved, the hammer was up
lifted and Francois Lscr0xs colossal fortune began to
crumble.
I have dropped In once or twice at the Auctioneers
Exchange to watch the progress OF the drama, All lite
interest centers In Lacrox himself He sits the steps
of the rostrum. foolish and yet touching figure
Dressed In shabby nen with his homemade calico shirt
open at the throat, smoking - always smoking - a
wretched dissolute looking cigar grinning vacanty
whenever the hammer falls, and never by any chance
meeting the spectators eye he is picture at for
lorn and tragic. They say he is crazy that he has
deliberately furthered this sacrifice IN order to
destroy his faithless sous Inheritance his other
the darling whom he lavshed all his love and
Osity was killed In the Mechanics Institute riot or 1856
l do not know how this is. cannot quite make hin
His yellow face seems very unmeaniDR. His stfag
Cling white hairs fraught with dignity. He watches
the dissipation Of his superb fortune with apparent In