West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-03-29
wHIMsICALITIEs OF FORTUNE.
The Way I'm which Money Melt. from
Men who BSeonie suddenly Rich.

sportsman 10 his friend, on reading the
account in the Sun of the drawers OF the
principal prizes in the late extraordi-
nary French lottery.
"Then you don't believe" queried
the friend, "that lucky hits in lotteries
are of lasting benefit"
never knew them 10 prove so, and
have known OF many so-called lucky
strikes"
Can you mention case in point? ?"
Yes, half dozen. There was Noah
Taylor, Of Jersey City. He drew $7O,-
600 in lottery years ago. At first he
Hourished. lie built a large hotel in
Jersey City Then he laid in a heavy
stock of whisky before the war tax was
imposed, making heaps of money out Of
that. Finally, however, his fortune
dwindled away, it is said, until he has
| lost all.
Then there was George Smith, of
I Chicago. He came here about tho time
the Crystal Palace opened. Within n
/ month he won 500, 600 cash The next
summer he had to borrow a dollar to
get n dinner.
" Take John Morrissey for another ex-
ample. He made hundred lucky hits.
/ After his death his estate amounted to
/ little or nothing.
The most remarkable case. however
/ IS that of Mr. Penistan, the Philadelphia
/ liquor dealer, who five years ago drew
the largest prize ever paid in America"
I remember his case" broke in the
! friend; but have heard so many con.
| fiicting stories that | don't know which
/ one TO believe
The facts are these" continued the
! sportsman, cas- | have them from Mr..
/ Penistan's associates: Mr. Penstan was
/ doing a comfortable business i'm Philadel.
/ PIMA, but was not making money enough
/ to indulge in his love for fast horses.
One day in the spring Of 1873 he read an
! advertisement OF an extra drawing of the
Royal Havana lottery, which was to take
/ place April 23d, in which the first prize
was announced rs $500 coo. The idea
struck him that he might draw that
/ prize and show the boys what he could
do in the way Of fast horses. Acting on
the idea, he wrote t. MARTINEZ IL Co,
agents of the Spanish lottery in this city,
inclosng money for a ticket. On re.
/ ceiving the letter, clerk of the agents
took the top ticket q .077) and sent it to
Mr. Penistan. In n few days a dispatch
came fIom Havana to the effect that
ticket l,077 had drawn the capital prize
of 100000. MARTINEZ IL Co.. telc.
/ graphed Mr.. Penistan that his ticket had
drawn the great prize. Mr.. Penistan
jumped for JOY on hearing the news.
Slapping the brother of his father-in-law.
Thomas b. Whitney, on his shoulders.
he exclaimed, If this is true, old fellow,
/ I'll give you half of it, Then he in
sured his life, and in company with the
brother of his father-in-law, came on TO
draw the money They found that they
would have to wait about n week until
the Havana steamer arrived with copies
OF the official drawing before the prize
could be cashed.
The party enjoyed themselves seeing
the sights OF the metropolis until the Of
fetal drawings came. Mr.. Penstan,
who was then about forty-fve, tall, slen-
der and gentlemanly, bore his good for
tune with rare mOdesty, studiOu,ly
avoiding any display. As soon as the
drawings came MARTINEZ &; Co. paid over
S4lO,OOO In cash. the amount due after
deducting the difference between Ameri-
can dollars and Spanish money. Two
years previously ticket 9.44I drawing
5000 600 had been paid.
"The tickle goddess who had smiled
so blandly on Mr.. Penistan now began
her capricious capers The brother of
his father-in-law sued him for the al
legged promised half of his suddenly ac-
quired wealth, together with a claim for
advances. or something of that nature.
a law suit loomed up, and it is said that
Mr.. Penistan, nervous and worried, paid
over $4,000 for peace and quietness.
Then wlde-awake horsemen received
him with open arms. He was what they
term an angel-one with plenty of
money to expend on horsehesh. A few
of his horses turned out well and made
a noise at the time. One great and re-
spected horseman, who will never gam
bic penny on Il horse, paid Mr.. Pei
tan $4,000 for a splendid stallion. He
bought Fellowcraft after his great
achievements at Saratoga. In the main.
however, Mr.. Penistau's ventures turned
out poorly. The tickle jade seldom
smiled she seemed to have forgotten her
old favorite. Mr.. Penistan, however,
was hail fellow well met with lovers of
the horse. He kept extensive breeding
farms, poured out money lavshly, while
the best vlntages mOistened the lips Of
his many guests. a man fond Of and
willing to pay we'll for fast horses trots
quickly into the affections of the aristo-
cratic old breeders, especially i'm Ken
lucky. Here Mr.. Penistan expended
N%-''J"'' VII a NlNth ldiUus he nHu q
theory that by blending the best racing
with trOttng stock, the fastest trotters
in the world could be produced Glow
ing statements we're at times sent to him
of promising colts that were to be the
coming horses, but when the time came
70 try them they were found wanting.
Indeed, 1T is said that he often paid ex-
travagant sums for colts that ne had
never SEEN At a sale Of his trottinp
stock in Fayette County, Kentucky,
early last fall, seventeen head, includ.
ing stations, mares and geldings, which
had cost round sums, the highest price
realized was $400, and the lowest S85
for single horse. The others averaged
about 5000 Then came tumbles in
real estate, and the man who had become
rich with q wave of fortunes wand
found himself overwhelmed bv waves
from a sea Of troubles. He sold out.
after an experiment Of less than three
years in Kentucky, and animals that
cost him heavily were sold for a song
II only shows how soon fortune Of
half million can be got away with by
fast horses and q bad run Of luck.
90 | ann told ~ said tho 4rrrfgv,,r ID.