The New York herald., 1876-12-23
A MERCHANTS MYSTERY.
Hunting Up a Life Story by the Light
Of a Quarter Million.
ROMANCE OF A COLORED RICH MAN.
The Son Of a Runaway Slave Becomes a
New York Society Pet

his carriage while driving in Central Park and
stantly killed Tho suddenness OF his taking on his
large wealth aud high business connections and his
long and persistent rctccnce as TO his carly c threw
around his air Of romance and mystery OF
unusual character. Excepting to ono two OF his
intimate friends his lic in act profound puzzle
His swarthy complexion, long, straight black hair
piercing black eyes, the taste displayed in his DRESS
combined with aprcpossessing face and unusual suavy
OF manner induced nearly oil who with
him 10 suppose him OF aristocrn,ic Castan
descent. Few supposed that that bronzed complexion
was Of negro origin. He left valued somo
$3.50 00oa fact which, coupled with the peculiar viii
found among his effects induced careful scrutiny
into his anteccdcnt history In his large business
transactions no was compelled OF necessity to appear
In the courts but lawyer, however kccn his
strategy in cross-examination, could elicit from
him any details OF his birth or ancestry. Ho always
persisted III such examinations that he had no rcla-
,vcs living. On his death becoming known persons
ciaiming to bo allied 10 him by blood, as IS generally
the where tho disposition Of large estate Is
yolved presented themselves claimants TO his prop.
crty. primal necessity to set aside his will, and
Tor this purpose the case has been brought into tho
and was yesterday the subject OF judicial in
quiry before Judge Barrett holding Special Term OF
tho Supreme Court.
A
The proceedings in have finally lifted The veil
OF mystery through which this strangely eccentric
man SO scduously sought In his lifetime TO keep hid
IRON tho pubic tho incidents OF his early career.
About forty years ago he was porter in tho retail
store of Poillon Il Co., in Catharino street Bright
active and digent, ho was soon promoted TO clerk.
ship His ambition, however, did not stop here.
Seeking n higher sphere OF duty and one with moro
brilliant prospects hc became salesman in the whole
sale house OF Il. & W. Cock Co. position he filed
o
city st unsatsed, he concluded TO into business
for himself taking as partners two OF his fellow clerks
| and John e. Haviland and William H. LIndsley tho
firm being known as Lewis, Haviiand Co. This
proved successful venture, and from this partnership
he amasscd large fortune. Alter u time this nrni
was dissolved and new firm WIS formed OF John ID.
Lewis Co. HIS business prospered and from hs
accumulated guins lie spccuated largely IN real esalc
thereby increasing his already rapidly growing
wealth. He never married. but kept up expensive
bachelor establishment. Ho frcquented Delmonico's
aud other expensive places OF resort where hc cvinccd
ambition to excel all others in lavish expenditure
of money. AS already stated he was never married.
but his social history was emphasized by frequent
breach OF promise suits His wealth, in fact gavo him
the entrtc into good society. ana many managing
mothers strove earnestly to lead captive his heart IN
tho interest OF thor manageable daughters He
obduratc, however, and to tho seeming OF tho outer
world continued his gay bachelor life up TO the dato
Of tho casualty that terminated lis earthly career.
EELlc or SLAVERY TIMES.
But the above does not reveal tho whole story OF
this strange mans lifc He some sixteen years Of
age when he TO this city. Until long years after
lie communicate ed to no ono tho place whence ne came
the Of his birth parentago The rigid in
quison IN tho courts at length devcd this mystery.
The act been discovered that he born in Sim
coo, Canada His mother was originally slave In Vir
gina, but escaped from slavery Canada, taking
tho Underground railroad, and with her her two chi
dren, Henry Lewis and Mary Lewis. Both mother and
children possessed tho unmistakable ebony hues OF
Ethiopian descent Shortly alter their arrival in
Canada the mother became The mistress OF wealthy
Canadian, and tho fruit OF this John ID.
Lewis He kept this fact carefully hid, and. doubtless,
hoped to bury with him IN the secret keeping grave
Having distrust OF lawyers, no wrote his own will
Tho following Is copy Of the wilL with the a,testing
clause
l. John D. Lewis, ofshe city Of New York, knowing the
uncertainty o. ie do make publish this LASS win
and direct my JUS, paid give demise and &c.
Ss e R.s ns 'yT sT ] M Lew.
Lake 5000; Lewis Cock. sOOo; Mary NJ Clarke 5000;
tie res. a
Ss them LIZZIE IA syor
until she lawfully married. and shouid have children
;s.ss sh'S.s@ az %sSs; sSpo,ss
last @ and .ssa@s"
q q. no, before my death, plot IN Greenwood for ,ao
monument " reasonable expense drcct said
ior. kept arrives full age In tho
G Taylor dying rs
in Greonwood desire residue re%snacr
% 81 s
20 s % s:.s qf ns r nr p",f %
hereby revoke ali i"rmes and other Wills NY "'
day. t have 81 iS' sEa n. Ssh
w.snr,r. wssnY :. SEE srx
The above named John D. Levi. n and in
s Ss & s I"s and S *. ea
other, having signed our names witnesse. thereto.
MzSfH wASpELi. Il shE; ). SEE.
Both residing al Abingdon square,
FINDING ms RELATIVES
The above will duly admitted probate and let
ters testamcntary issued to tho executors named.
Francis Wilder, named as tho principal cgaiec, was
formerly porter In Lewis employ. The property no
lei. comprises somo forty lots in various parts OF tho
city, mainly in Greenwich and Hudson streets and In
the upper part OF tho island. Quito number OF the
lots the east side of the city, and nearly all
erected buildings Tor private residences, tenement
houses or manufacturing PURPOSES and tho whole
facts OF tho being presented thcm gavo
thcr opinion that IN case relative OF the deceased
merchant could be found 10 attack IL In court the VIII
would bc found worthless lawyer remembering
that one occasion, on being closely pressed at
crcss-examnation IN court, Lewis mad stated that no
came from Canada, near Toronto, caused Personal
to DO Inherited In one OF tue Toronto papers, inquir
ing Tor yor tho rh,s next nn., KIN % o. John LOWS
John Flnay. an old man living IN Smcoe, Canada ho
recalled the fact that young man named Lewis went
from Simcoe 10 Nc~ York and became very rich. Tho
insertion Of this 'persona" led to the discovery of
Henry and Mary Lewis half brother and sister OF tho
deceased merchant, and the development OF the other
facts connected with his birth and parentagc. as
already gwen.
On tho case coming up yesterday before Judge Bar
rett the object being TO obtain Judicial construction
OF the WILL there appeared formal retinuc OF counsel
Messrs David Tisdalc, Queens counsel, OF Canada;
Judge A. J. Dntenboefer, q. A. Runklo and j. Albert
Engehart appearing for The Plaintiff /. T. Nash and
ton Taylor; Aessrs. Dunnine, Edsall and Hart Tor
Cock Lake; W. j. Sterling for Walden and Wilder,
the executors, and exJudge Jones and Bushnell AL.
bright for William and George Powers and Others
THE COURT PROCEEDINGS.
Most Of the day occupied In reading dispositions,
including that OF Duncan McPnersop, Canada. who
stated that several years ago Lewis 10 Slmcoc,
Canada to put up tombsione over tho grave Of his
mother He identified the photograph Of the deceased,
which exhibited TO him in Court, that OF the
man who came to Canada HIS testimony was corrob-
Grated by other witnesses. There was also put in
testimony evidence from tho Post Once Depart
men, showing that the deceased had box at tho Post
0nicc
Theopholis Hunt, Of Michigan, testified that he know
Lewis In Canada, and also In this city.
Tho various counsel followed with addresses 10 the
Court, those for the plaintiff contendiDg that tho will
and devises particularly that as to the grave
tion are uncertain, indcnntc, vague and ambiguous