Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-03-22
New York Core, ,pondsncs R,,hsiter Dem )crat.
Horace Greeley
HIs UNFORTUNATE HABIT OFFENDING MONEY I
PEOPLE WHO NEVER PAID THEIR DEBTS.

HIs UNFORTUNATE HABIT OF FLENDING MONEY TO
PEOPLE WHO NEVER PAID THEIR DEBTS.
lis said that Miss Gabrielle Greeley,
youngest daughter Of the great editor, has
histrionic talent, but it IL to be hoped that
she will not be obliged to 60 on the stage.
The limited amount Of patrimony, however,
which Greeley's children will receive might
be an excuse for such course. 1t is, in
deed, lsmentable to see so laborious life as
that of Horace Greeley yielding so little pecuni-
ary benefit to bis children. 1t is estimated,
indeed, that the latter may get $40, 900, but
what Of that for the greatest New York editor
of his day Raymond left $500, 900, and
Bennett ten times that sum, and yet neither
Of them worked as hard as Greeley. 1t is
probably i'm possible for any man not acquain-
ted with the fact to imagine the amount Of
writing which Greeley turned of every day,
most OF which was done by gas light. How
sad to think that all this !.inr. vhich in
cludes 40 years, only brings his children
SIC, 900 each. Such was re. ::lic ezDectation
of his friends, and, indeed. Tom Rocker him
self told me, short time before Greeley's
unfortunate presidential canvass, that he
(Greeley) was worth 100000. The great
editor, as it is now discovered, wasted more
than $l08, 900 by loans to unworthy persons,
This shows that in his weak points Greeley
was one of the weakest of men. When one
considers how hard was the toll with which
his money was earned. is it not passing
strange that so gifted q man should only
afford another illustration OF the old maxim
concerning the fool and his money!"
In one Of bis photographed chapters,
Greeley delivered a sad recital Of the evils of
lending money, and yet he was the most
ridiculous lender this city ever contained.
He never stopped to question the use to
which borrower Tor rather beggar) might
put the desired funds all that he Gid being
merely to grant the request. Men have come
to Greeley with q sad tale of distress, when
the bounty they received was wasted in
q debauch. He might even feel satisfied
had no power of refusal. His reputation not
only became established. but the habit
increased with each act of concession until
at last he almost ceased to be his own master.
1t is doubtful If another such instance ever
occurred in this country. Greeleys char,
tiles, therefore, instead of really benefting
society, we're frequently spent in the hells
and other vicious resorts OF our basest pop
ulation. To make the contrast still more
striking, he was frequently harping on the
evils Of borrowing, and it would almost seem
that be sought to thus satisfy bis conscience
for what he knew to be wrong
Here is Sypher, the advertising agent, down,
for $1,000, and here. too, is DIR. Bayard
the noted homoopath. who bleeds the estate
to the amount OF $1,000. This Bayard is
son-in-law to Judge Cady. formerly OF Johns
town. Heonce lived in Seneca Falls Sam
Sinclair, who fooled away large fortune
in ridiculous speculation, owes the estate
1900. One of the most surprising features,
however, in this mania, is the power which
Young, Cornelious Vanderbilt obtained over
bis victim. This miserable spendthriit had
outraged the feelings of his father until the
latter had publicly denie1 him credit. lie
was an inyeterate gambler, and also hard
drinker as Greeley must have noticed by his
breath. Notwithstanding this, his facilities
for ra sing money in the editorial sanctum
seem to have been only limited by the extent
of Greeley's bank account. Loans, to the
amount Of thousands at a time, went, as it
said, in straight line from the Tribune Office
over to Mat Danser's faro bank in Barclay
street, q distance Of $50 PAGES, where they
served to swell Mats fortune. This drink
ing, gambling, half-luDatic. halfepileptic con
idence man actually obtained more than $50
600 from the great philosopher Of Printing
House square. Greeley was called the
modern Franklin, but it was one of the max
inns of the latter that = he who goes bor-
rowing goes sorrowing. Such, however,
was not the case with the borrowers at the
Tribune Office, who generally went off in
Joyous condition, and with the expectation
Of returning soon for more. This strange
mania is the principal reason why Greeley's
two daughters can only have $4,000 each
as the fruit Of his long and laborious career
OF usefulness.
Another feature in this affair is found in
Greeley's dead books. Hear is his {" Politi-
cal Economy" in stereotype plates. which is
only worth the cost of the metal. The same
may be said OF his e Great Conflict, which
is the most mastery Of all the histories Of
the rebellion. 1t had an enormous sale. and
the publishers not only made money, but
Greeley himself cleared $4,000 by the work
Its sale, however. is now done, and such is
the public Indifference to the recent strug
gle, that hundred copies could hardly be
worked of through all this state. At one
time the executors supposed the stereotype
plates and copyright to be worth $1,000,
whereas they are of no greater value than
old metal. To this inventory is to be added