The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-08
AN ECCENTRIC MANS WILL.
A QunrreIsomc nnd ~urcrs-ful Merchants
Pccuiiuritics His Life secret Disclosed In
n Contest before surrogate Van Schnick.

A QunrreIsOmc and ~urcrs-fuI Merchants
Prculinritie- .Iia Life secret Disclosed In
Contest before surrogate Van Schnick.
A little more than II year ago John ID.
Lewis, a well-known merchant, was thrown
from his carriage and Killed while driving. His
wealth and business success. not less than his
eccentiicities, threw an air Of romance around
his circor. and spaculatous regarding his lineage
were rife; but even the city In which he was
born was known to only one or two Of his most
intimate friends. and the reason for his rctcchcc
In that respect was mystery even to them.
His personal intimatcs were selected from the
clerks III Puion y Co.'S retail store in Catharine
street. in which he was porter ard afterward
a CLERK thirty.nye years ago. They knew him as
a bright, active, diliecnt, rcrsevering youth,
without advantages OF education, and with
hrowner compcxio and curlier hair than was
adv ntageous, IN view Of the prejudice then
existing against talnt OF negro blood. Rather
through force Of his pleasant manners than
through his own assertions Of purity ~ race, his
REGULARITY Of complexion came to DC attributed
10 Moorish or Indian intcrmixture. aud with
those entertaining th' belief, at least, he VS.
received as a social equal.
After serving as clerk and salesman with T..
and W. Cock Il Co., and with several other dry
goods films. he formed ncopartnership with two
II. Lud.lev. Nc proved to he an eNlcting
and susii'iOus plrtn'H, aud soon aSsuri .tlJn
with him became almost intllerihle. In uer-
sonal expenditure lie we lavish. lie never mar
ficd, bat kept up an exp nsive bachelors csttb-
lishmcnt. ircqucntins Delmpnicos ana other
expressly" places ui rcaor,. where u seemed TO
he his nmhitiUn to exceed an others In wastCful-
Icss ~ money. Bui business prOspprcd With
INN. and he grew wealthy riIldiN HIS tact and
ability ds a lesulan were atNnpN lodged to be
rare but his uni dsf sH-piciUns In business = la
4 i'm. made piftnerslip with him undesirable.
40 tff .Ftal VHF Low
Ia'iland y Co. to JUnn -. Lcwis X Co.., and
wu,n the lattrrw's III solved tue senior partner
was aule to turn nj. attention Co. real e-tlte and
gei crl ejaculation. from watch he LARGELY in
creased ms wooith. ia the early history u the
trst named firm Lewis Hhscuttd himself for %
shor- une, and no one knew w'ither hc had
gone. On his return h nude one oi M part
OF MS lie respecting ri' fanny. u seemed that
/ he had COMO u visit his nothe aud the bar ner
was inf rmc tn I the "uid lady si1huered so
much over him because he hAI got ron That
he md not intend to N-it her again. His social
histoS was emphasized b. several breach Of
promise suits.
once Lewis mad a narrow escape from felon's
| cell lie had Quarrelcd VITA his partnvrs. and
was NEGOTIATING Win merchant now well
! known in the dry goods trade for admiss sion to
| his nrm. In some way Lewis became Ter. uadol
| that the gentleman wts pr lmptins hle Gu OF
| desafradoes were arrested near house IN
! which the merchant Wa Visiting they declared
/ that they had been hired ~ john T.. Lows t.
/ assas-inate tine merchant, an LOWS was ac-
] cordiuglY rre-ted on charge Of c0n-uiracy to
] murder. lie WIS lodged IN tUe ola lIulldEc
street Jail, and there mia untii he had under
gone a prolonged eXatuinauun.
After his death. pal,r drawn in hls own
/ h.ndNr.,ine nd pura rtiuE 10 Doe his ~ wa
/ uhtied f.. probate. Ills irupcr,N was valued At
/ S-jO.uD At least twcul,-Lsc vonug wniuou Ia
/ -peciei the Co. 'umcu IN he surrogate N e.,
/ and went away in sorrow. elr Il mes not icing
/ mentioned ia u. the doc Imeut gave To- Francis
| wilder form,ri, I.,NI.'s uuricr, $1,000; LewI-
| Like. a u .iuesskr, SjU1o: Lewis Cock. who was
| a.so named tor the testator. $j10y; Daniel T.
Widen. an executor Sl.cO. The Will continues
AZ ttc rc.i r,siige and roman Ter OF my es'.te -
pnt income tere3t 90 b. p,i T., t1tm e. MIS- lay .
/ rgor rata shar. TO her cDlirgn.
And then, after directing the purchase Of a
plot 80 Gre 'nwood Cemetery and the ere zion OF
J uitAHle monument AZ r.. s. rah'c cost the
! >ior Jyinl tefore she Is Lawfully married, |
/ desire her inferred In nv plot iu Greenwood
ANA then desire the rcst, 7 Il !ue, and remain
/ der u my estate - he spent in the decoration
| Of tie lot wheio We are DIri I'd"
Under the strict letter of the terms Of the will
Miss Taylor "a beneficiary oaly until she j. mar.
rod and her children are beneGcilries only e.
case she remains unmarried. THIS Is the clause
upcn Which good LAWYERS became convinced
that a cansansuineous heir might successfSi,
contest the viii. Miss Taylor Is nm inmate II
convent IN Westchcs tcr county. IL occurred e
one OF Mr.. LewIs's former legal advisers, Oh
looking into tho will, that MIR. Lewis, Will,
clos pressed under examination as witness II
one OF bis breach Of promise suits. admitted
having been bora IA or near toronto, per
sunn was Inserted in a Canadian newspaper
/ h~Nlng Information OF the next OF Rim 10 JONI
u. Lewis OF New York, and hence Il turned out
th.t Lswi- wa, tho son Of - won an who was
slave car Wheeling, Va She was more whit,
than black, but her slave husband was full
hluodcd negro. By bim She had two childr n
Henry Lewis AMI Mary Lewis. Her lave b. $
tand WAS claimed as q fugitive and returned %
| kentucky. sar.h LOWS ted with her chit
drcu to Smcoe, near ror0rtp. she there nt
came the mistress II q vealtuy Can4dtlu. an.
be was the father OF joan u. Lewis. Thu
Horny and Nary Lewis have become tNe con
te.t mt. II john ID. Lewis viii. 20 imiuc q. th
legitimate culldr - Of = ran l. wis, WAJ Is &c q