The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-26
HEIRS WANTED.

STRANGE STORY OF A POOR MISSIONARY AMONG
THE MoUSTAns-THE POSSESSION OF GREAT
WEALTH LIVING IN ABJEcr PovERrY-Hs
MANNER OF LIFE AND HIS DEATH.
CATsKILL, N. Y, April u, 1878.
People in this section OF the State are awaiting
with great anxiety the solution OF a mystery which
has been for several days tho engrossing topic
throughout Greene county, and which at present
has no immediate prospect OF being unraveIed.
To obtain the cew to It a search is being made in
Nova Scotia for people who IL living may not only
clear mp the matter but Ii they prove their iden-
tity, may come In for the lions snare OF an inner
tance OF over 500 900, which has been found, with
a win directing It's disposal, In the effects of man
who has for years been an object OF charity in the
Catskill Noun tains. So lar as known the follow
ing are
THE DETAILS OF THE CASE.
six or seven years since, 10 supply q want long
felt in th,nly populated part OF the noun tans, OF
which the village OF Ashland Is the centre, the
Episcopal Board OF Home Missions detailed as q
missionary to the section minister named Clark.
He was o man OF about middle age, evidently a
gentleman ana a scholar or the old school, but
bearing outward evidence OF extreme poverty.
While not strictly misanthronlc in his nature,
there was about MIN something tpat seemed to IN
dcale disgust or oisllking for the outward world,
and nc carried himself, when not engaged IN the
his duty TO preach whenever and wherever MS
services were needed and for these services he
received 1r1m the Missionary Society salary
OF $3.50 year. his sum was somewhat In
creased by donations from his Pensioners, who
despite OF his manner were not a little attached
10 MIN. He was man OF no family, ana he was
never known 10 refer TO his past life or To any
friend or relative. IL was known that ne came
IRON HALIFAX, and that was all any one ever knew
OF the missionary's personal history. When ne
came to his field OF laoor he hired room In the
house OF n poor, beSotted shoemaker In Ashland,
and there he nved occasionally accedlng TO the
request OF a parlsnioner 10 share his hospitality
for dav or so, alone with his books. He received
no visitors, but enough was known that ne lived
IN a pinched and wrelched manner TWO weeks
ago he was taken sick with lever. The shoe
notified some OF the mlsslonary'S pensioners,
ana ne was gwen the best OF care ana medical aid.
Rev. Mr.. Weeks, OF Catsk. visited MIN frequently,
and the lone preacher lacked Tor nothing. Despite
all tins care, the latter part OF last week he died.
lie died as he had lived, without throwing
ANY LIGHT UPON HIS LIFE,
or requesting any friend from home to be sum-
monel. HIS remains were inferred In beaut'-
1rayed by the villagers. Before Mr.. Weeks, VINO
conducted the funeral services, mad lett for Cdiskl
II was suggested that II would be well TO gather
up what effects the missionary had and nave
them LAID away and given To any friend who might
apply for them. number Of persons wen WIN
Mr.. Weeks to the room that had been occupied by
CIark, ami collected together his books anu the
little else he had. In Que corner oil the room was
a wooden chest. IL was at first concluded not to
open TINS but thinking that IL might contain some
instruction or direction that woulu lead To the
1nuing of the friends of the deceased 1t was hnaly
DONE The chest contained paper parcel, a small
passbook and large envelope. The package was
opened, and to tie lndcscribable amazcnent OF the
party was found 10 contain large number OF
UNITED STATES BONDS.
n glance showing that SOME ui them, ut least,
were OF 81 900 denomination The pass book was
a bank book, ana the envelope enclosed the last
Will and tcstamen: OF toe missionary. When the
discoverers OF this wealth could recover sum-
ciently from their establishment 10 discuss tue
subject, they decided not TO make a iull examine
ton OF IL then. fhe elects were placed In charge
oil Rev. Mr.. Weeks, and he brought the bonds, bal
book and Will 10 thus city and deposited tnem In
the Tanners National Bank. There hey remained
until Wednesday, when an examination Of them
The package contained $4,000 in United States
bonds and securities, and the bank book showed a
deposit OF $4,000 IN New York city bank, the
name OF which has not been disclosed. The VIII
directed that after some $4,000 were paid 10 the
81. Luke 3 Hospital aud some small requests TO
the churches In which the missionary had
preached and to different individuals who mad
shown him kindnesses, ms brother should inherit
the rest. II the brother, whose name Is William
Clark, should he dead, then the brothers. son
should be the heir. The brother, or, II dead, the
nephew, was also appointed executor OF the WILL
When the particulars OF this singular aflair were
made know 60 the community, q great sensation
was created Nothing was found among the dead
mans effects giving any iniof nation as 10 his
family or his life, nor throwing any light upon the
manner I'm which he has accumulated his wealth
poverly with a fortune IN his wretched room.
Every effort Is being made TO md the dead mans
relatives who, II found, VIII no doubt be able 10
clear up the mystery OF tho mss0nary's life. As II
is, IL certainly has no parallel outside OF the
creation Of fiction.