Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-08-29

uou uuSUduu, UcdE3 Uuu SLllt tOTUSdC--
BE gontle with thy wife.
Death Ola California RHilIionairc:
"A dispatch from Wallcnstein, Germany,
annonnoos tho death at that place Of Miohael
Reese, the, San Francisco millionaire, who
4 is reported TO have left an estate worth $10,.
100000. Mr.. Reese was reputed to be the
T richest Jew in tho United States, and, with
tho exception Of Senator Sharon, tho largest
real estate owner in California. lIe was
also known ns great miser and o most co
centric man in many respects.
Born in Germany about 1910, he cmi-
grated to America at tho ago of twenty-five,
with q capital of some $4,000, intending
to 60 into business. After speouluting 10
merchandise in tho Southern Suites for
few years he settled in Richmond, Virginia,
and became noted slave owner He made
considerable money in this business, but
sustaining heavy losses by some unfortunate
speculations he left Virginia, and with the
remnant Of his fortune went in 1850 to
California. There he spcculated in mer-
chandiso und stocks with remarkable
SUCCESS Seeing, with almost prophetic
sight, tho future destiny of California he
invested oil his money in land, and fre-
&quently bartcrcd merchandise for real estate,
WHICH was thon of very little value. Land
soon hogan to rise in price, hut he would
( not sell except at prices considered fabulous,
and when ho got his price would immodi-
ately invest it in more land. All this time,
too, ho was carrying on sort of stook.and.
note. broking business; indeed his friends
said that his business wos money making,
pure and simple; that he would 60 into any
legitimate business to mako money and that
money ho was bound to make in any busi-
moss ho undertook. Certain it,isthat few
years, after settGngin San Francisco Michael
Reese had tho reputation of being million.
afro, and, almost up to the timo of his
death, his fortune was steadily on the in
orepse.
Mr.. Reese was one of the first men to 20
into tho Bonanza stock speoulations, and he
was one of the most successful Of t6e specu.
! lators His judgment in all matters per-
tanning to stock aud roal estate Investments
was considered iBfalliblo, but no one but
himself ever profted by it, for the reason
that ho would mover give "point." eff
have points," he.would say,"I will uso
them myself Points arc my fortune. Why
give my fortune away?"
"a Michael Roesos miserly habits wero, for
many years, to talk of San Francisco. He
would go to the most absurd lengths to avoid
having to pay for a moal Dining with
friend, he would, if his friend loft any
bread BY his plato, ask his permission to
take it, SO that he might be spared the OK
pense of ordering more, for he is an immense
eater, and he usually patronize9 ono dollar
td6Le 0'hote restaurants, where he ato throe
or four dollars worth at meal On one
ocpasion, it is related, the restaurantkceper
begged him not to patronizo him any more,
"for," said he, elf you 60 on entiug like
this either you will bust or I SHALL" MIR.
Reese's lawyer and most intimate aoauaint-
ance was MIR. FELTON,, recently dead One
day Mr. Reese astonishcd him beyond
measure, by inviting him to dinner at
/, well.known restaurant, and asked him to
bring fivo or elk friends with him. Mr..
.Folton could not believe his ears, but Mr..
Nooso repeated tho imitation, and it was
accepted. Tho samo day Mr.. FELTON,, six
friends and Mr.. Reese went to tho restau-
rant and dined sumptuously, eating tho
most expensive dishes and drinking tho
choicest wines. Mr.. Reese was not seen to
pay tho bill, however, and it afterwards
turncd out that he had obtained Judgment
against tho restaurant keeper, which the
man was unable to pay, having nothing in
tho world but his stock. So Mr.. Reeso was
constrained, rs he Expressed it, to "takc it
out ia eating" This was tho only timo
that ho was ever known to treat anybody to
anything.
AT the time of tho great excitement in
San francisco ovcr tho Limantour suits Mr..
Reese made himself somewhat conspicu-
ously unpopular. 1t will bo remembered
chat Jimantour claimed the groater part of
the city of San Francisco under an alleged
Mexican grant, and began suit to get pos
session of the property. Whom the ooso
camo up it was oharged that ,Limantour had
forged certain documents, by virtue of
which he made his claim. Criminal pro-
ceedings wore instituted against him, and
he was arrested and put under $4,000
bonds. No ono would 60 bail for him, and
Mr.. Reese oame forward, and ho was 70.
leased. There was believed to be some
mysterious reason for this action, but nobody
4 ever discovered what it was, and Limantour
afterwards withdrew hie claim.
About twenty years ago a woman Of
doubtful position sued Mr.. Rccso for $20,-
1000 damages for breach of promise of mar.
riago. 1t was universally believed that the
suit was ouly trick to oxtort money, but
tho jury, nevertheless, seeing that it was tho
Z wealthy. Rcoso who was defendant, gave hor
q verdict for $4,000 From that timo Mr..
Reosa was as much afraid of womankind
as old Mr.. Weller himself was Of "the
8yidders."