Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-08-22

Michael Reese's miserly habits were, tor
many years, the talk of San Francisco. He
would 20 to the most absurd lengths to avoid
having to pay for meal. Dining with
friend, he would, if his friend left any bread
by his plate, ask his permission to take it, so
that he might be spared the expense of order.
ing more, for he was an immense eater, and
be usually patronized one dollar table d'hote
restaurants, where he ate three or four dollars
worth at meal. On one occasion, it is re.
lated, the restaurant-keeper begged him not
to patronize him any more, "for," said he, "if
you 20 on eating like this either you will bust
or shall" Mr.. Reese's lawyer and most in
innate acquaintance was Mr.. FELTON,, recently
dead. One day Mr.. Reese astonished him be-
yond measure, by inviting him to dinner at
well.known restaurant, and asked him to
bring FIVE or six friends with him. Mr.. Eel
ton could not believe his ears, but Mr.. Reese
repeated the invitation, and it was accepted.
The same day Mr.. FELTON,, six friends and Mr..
Reese went to the restaurant and dined sump-
tuously, eating the most expensive dishes and
drinking the choicest wines. Mr. Reese was
not seen to pay the bill, however, and it after
wards turned out that he had obtained judg-
ment against the restaurant keeper, which the
man was unable to pay, having nothing in
the world but his stock. So Mr.. Reese was
constrained, as he expressed it, to "take it out
in eating" This was the only time that he
was ever known to treat anybody to any
thing.
At the time of the great excitement in San
Francisco over the Limantour suits Mr. Reese
made himself somewhat conspicuouly un-
popular. It will be remembered that Liman-
tour claimed the greater part of the city of
San Francisco under an alleged Mexican
grant, and began suit to get possession OF the
property. When the case came up it was
charged that Limantour had forged certain
documents, by virtue Of which he made his
claim. Criminal proceedings were Instituted
against him, and he was arrested and put
under 100000 bonds. No one would 60
bail for him, and Mr.. Reese came forward,
signed his bond, and he was released. There
was believed to be some mysterious reason
for this action, but nobody ever discovered
what it was, and Limantour afterwards with.
drew his claim.
About twenty years ago woman OF doubt
full position sued Mr.. Reese for $4,000 dam
ages for breach of promise of marriage 1t
was universally believed that the suit was
only trick to extort money, but the jury,
nevertheless, seeing that it was the wealthy
Reese who was defendant, gave her a verdict
for $5000 From that time Mr.. Reese was
as much afraid of womankind as old Mr.. We'll
Ter himself was of"the vidders."
Mr.. Reese was never known to keep horse
unless he got it accidentally in trade. He
would wait ten minutes at a street corner be-
fore getting into street car, in the hope OF
meeting an acquaintance who would pay his
fare. When taunted by friend in regard to
his miserly habits he said: swell, / can't
help it; know it's foolish, but it's disease
I've got" In all matters not connected with
money he was man of great intelligence and
liberal views. In appearance he was very
distinguished, being about six feet two inches
tall of fine figure and broad forehead.
It's believed that Mr.. Reese has left all or
the greater part ofhis fortune to the Jewish
charitable institutions. It is known that
when he was in New York recently he prom
ised Mr.. Jessie SeligmaD to leave $l00, 900 to
the Hebrew Orphan Asylum of New York
and other bequests to the amount of $4,000
are reported. His only known relatives in
this country are his sisters, Mrs Rosenfeld
and Mrs. Rosenberg, of Chicago, the wives of
the senior members of the wealthy firm of
Rosenfeld, Rosenberg & Co., of thatcity, and
Mr.. Frank, wealthy merchant of St. Louis,
the son of dead sister.