Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-04-16

James Lick, or, a. he is more familiarity
known and spoken of i'm San Francisco,
"old Man Lick" has astonished the town
by revoking all his acts and deeds, and
says he is sorry for what he did. Lick, as
everybody knows who reads the papers,
distributed about five millions of property
to various benevolent institutions and be-
quests TO various societies, a large amount
TO tho erection of an observatory, some
thousands for a monument to the author of
the "Star Spangled Banner" &c, aud very
little TO his relatives. TO his son he left
the interest Of $4,000, and retained of his
property sufficient to give himself an in
come of fifty thousand a year, or therea-
bouts, which at his death would 20 to his
son-quite enough for his simple wants
and the son is like the father as two peas,
if anything looking a little older, aud would
live as well as he cared 10 on a thousand a
year, both men being very simple in their
habits. They dress alike, both wearing
rusty dress coats, wide neck cloths, high
sde-board collars, and dilapidated stove
pipe hats, and shuttle along unobtrusively
aud unnOticed-bothV very good sort oil men,
never spending money, yet not nisers nor
graspng. The old gentleman takes great
pride In having his hotel, the Lick House,
well-kept.
His deed OF gifts to the various societies,
&c., named the gentlemen he wanted 10 act
AS trustees, all Of them uneXceptiOnable
persons and all of whom, six in number,
accepted. They went on to carry out the
provisions of the requests, and sold por-
ton of the estate, as directed, and were pro-
ceedng with the labor of love 10 the salts
A. 4.
OF everybody, in comes Uncle James with
a veto On further proceedings, and revokes
all his former deeds, acts, &c. He gives As
a reason, that when he laid out the pro-
grammc he expected soon to shuttle of
this mortal coil but now he thinks he is
not going so soon, and will live long
enough TO carry out all his notions and
projects himself; besides, he wants TO max
some changes, thinks he should have done
little better by his relatives-in short,
wants a new deal, and wants to shuttle the
cards himself. He SAYS he does not pro-
pose 10 make any very material changes,
but some notifications. The trustees took
legal advice Of one of our soundest lawyers,
who decides that it can't he undone; that
the trustees have no authority to reconvey,
especially as where the property has been
sold and deeds given-the parties purchas-
ing entering into possession in most in
stances-they nave not the power to cancel
lnelT dCtS duu IL opens up nice lllle
| chance for the lawyers to show how not Ia
do it, and throw the whole matter into the
| courts, where they will, according to gen
eral usage, keep il as long as there is shet
in the locker. When they get through,
| Uncle Jimmy won't he in a condition to do
much distributing himself. The law will
save him the trouble, if he is alive at that
| remote period.
The facts are Ihat Mr.. Lick has been be-
set and badgered nearly To death by inter
ested parties, who have argued with him
that he should have made more liberal pro.
vision for his relatives, that he had given
away too much, had defrauded his son o
his rightful heritage, &c. (; and being an old
man and easily Influenced, he has been led
10 reconsider his former muniticence and
| revoke his liberal donations. He undoubt.
| eddy intends TO carry out the spirit of his
former intents, but seems to feel that he ha,
not done justice to his relatives. 1t j,
| greatly to be regretted that he should re-
call his generous donations to such very
worthy objects, and he will utterly destroy
the reputation for liberality and patriotism
that has gone abroad over the land.
N. \. Times San Francisco Letter.