The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-04-29
CARPENTERS CHARITIES.

LICk-LIKE HE GIVETH AND HE TAkETH
AWAY, ONLY HE HAS BETTER SUCCESS IN
GETTING IT BACK.
Evansville elevates her horn semi-occa-
sioually over the charitable donations of
her pet philsnthropist, whose whims are
thus touched up by special correspondent
of the Chicago Times: The most noted man
in this community is Willard Carpenter
an old citizen, whose years number three
score and twelve, and whose purse is about
million ducats long. he has lately an
nounced his intention of founding
q college tor the poor of this section.
Old Carpenter commenced his career by
peddling from Vermont, Of which state he
Is a native, to Indiana. During a 40 years
residence In Evansville, the old man has ac-
cumulated large fortune by speculation in
real estate, and is now the possessor OF more
Of the valued sod than any other man IL
southern Indiana. In this article lies his
principal wealth. He is a frugal old fellow,
rather penurious, and goes about wearing
boots down at the heel, breeches several
inches too short, and other clothing equally
unbecoming man with purse as long SIS
his. He proposes to establish a college to be
in charge of fifteen trustees 1--WE from Evans.
vile, five from the neighboring Kentucky
counties, and five from the counties within
the first congressional district. Tine college
will be built on a tract of land about mile
from the city, at cost of about $500, coo,
which will be endowed with something like
100000. Here. poor students only, regard
less OF sex, color, or denomination, will be
educated, clothed and boarded during the
term OF their residence in the college. This
is the outline OF Mr.. Carpenters plan, which
have very strong reasons to believe will
never be carried out. He is evidently ieal-
Gus OF the glory which haloes about the
name of San Francisco philanthropist,
Lick, and l believe. is anxious to
CROWN HIS CLOSING CAREER
with good opinions without performing
good deeds. For about ten years, Carpen
ter had been fussing with his children and
his relatives by marriage, involving him 10
lawsuit after lawsuit, about property he
hsd given like the Lord did unto Job
THE Lord hath given, and the Lord hath
taken away. Blessed be his name forever"
only the relatives did not utter the closing
ejaculation. In 1869, Hammond, the stock
broking reviYalist, came along, and among
his converts was Willard Carpenter, who
united with the Vine Street Presby-
terrain Church. he Immediately re
solved to reform his ways, and there
fore compromised mis- lawsuits with bis
sons and sons-in.law, his daughter and
brother-in-law, by disposing of about halt
a million among them. This done, he
opened his heart again, and had plans ma
tured for endowing a Presbyterian female |
seminary. At the close of the war he had
purchased "6rst-class marine hospital"
admirably situated III this city for $4,000, |
on long time, and this he proposed to adapt
for the college. He would donate this and |
a large fund also, on condition that a certain |
aid should be extended by the Presbyte- |
rlans. The deluded pastors made great |
efforts to secure the aid demanded, but when |
Willard saw it was about to succeed, he |
altered his plans and put such conditions |
on the acceptance OF them that were i'm
possible to fill. So that charity fell through. |
His next philanthropic enterprise was the |
OF house of reform for fallen |
TO be in the hands of a company of
ladies of the city. He donated, or rather |
offered to donate, tract of land valued at |
$3.50 900, as site for house of that charac- |
ter. but when he was asked TO come TO time, |
his conditions were that the city should |
erect house on it to cost about $3.50 600. AS |
old Carpenter owned all the adjoining prop |
srty, such an improvement would have |
so benefited him that he could well afford to
make the proposed donation. OF course the
city saw this, and again
PHILANTHROPY FELL THROUGH.
Another occasion for him to display his
goodness of heart presented itself in the
shape of hospital. At the time he pur-
chased the marine hospital referred to,
among the bidders for it was a company of
Catholic gentlemen. In 1872 they purchased
it from Willard Carpenter for the use of the
Sisters of Charity, paying tor it S25 GOO, just
SIS. 900 more than Carpenter had. Last sum
rner the last payment of about s., 600 fell
due, and could not be met by the Sisters,
but, notwithstanding earnest appeals to the
old mans charity, he boughc the place again |
at sherff's sale. 1t was redeemed by some
charitable citlzsns, but Carpenter has not
yet been induced to donate the paltry debt |
Of a few thousand dollars on this institu- |
ton Whenever you talk to an Evansville |
man about Willard Carpenter donating
million dollars to found a college, instantly |
ne will remark about its evident trapspa- !
'ency.