Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-06-03


There died recently in San francisco
q curious character Who n some res
peels resembled The late Court JOanses,
Of New York. His name was Joshua
A, Norso8, and be was known - En-
pefor Nurson l., ruler Of California
and Mexico. A San Francisco cores
vondent Of the Chicago Tri6sss thus
describes some Of bis pecuIiarities -
"Ese was in the habit Of issuing psa-
c.amaticns on al sorts Of subjects. sign
ing them Norton l.. and procuring their
publication in some paper. The boys
THE telegraph Office in this city were
apparently instructed 10 humor the en-
peror; for, whenever be handed in .
dispatch Tor transinission The answer
would come 10 about ten minutes. In
his pocket at the time Of his death was
one tslegTsm puFpOrsing TO come from
Governor Perkins. inviting him 10 The
inauguration at Sacramento IN terms
hardly consonsnt with gubernatOrisl
dignity; and another from the Hon. G.
s. PaSneII, New York, couched a. fol-
lows: accept nv thanks for your in-
interest IN behalf Of my distressed coun-
frymen. The land question VIII be
avoided. but grant me your authority to
call on the American people TO relieve
IreIabd's wants. You can call for SUBJ
seriptions on the generous pubic OF
your coast. and remit to me at your con-
venience.'
"lIe would call on downtown mer-
chants from three to Eve times year,
and would receive from each the sum
Of -four bits. in exchange Tor which he
handed over the following bond: The
Imperial government Of Norton |. prom
Uses TO pay 10 the holder hereOfthe sum
Of fly cents in The year 1890. with in
teresi at fourper centum per annum from
date; principal and interest to be CONVEX
tible. at holders option at maturity, into
twenty-year four per centum bonds, or
payable in gold coin. Given under our
Imperial hand and seal. Norton I emPe-
Ior.' These bonds, like all the poor
fellows manuscripts, were written in
an excellent hand, and we're faultless
in regard both to punctuation and or
biography. II was rare indeed that he
called on any business man who did not
honor this periodical assessment; but
when a refusal did come, the emperor
turned with as polite bow and cordial
q Success to you as though he had re-
ceived the money. HIS reputation Tor
honesty was such that merchants new
er serupled to hand him Q go gold
piece, which he would 60 and get
changed outside, and religiously return
the $3.50 with bis imperial bond,
which he considered permit TO trade
within the limits of his realm. In this
way Norton made more than enough to
defray his slender expenses. He had
occupied for the past seventeen years
the same room IN lodging house, and
had paid his room rent, Fifty cents
day. regularly every evening. The
walls Of the room were adorned with
portraits oil Queen Victoria, the Empress
Eugene, and others Of the crowned
heads OF Europe. He believed himself
their equal.
"liis death has revived the old story
that be was natural son Of King VIII
liam Nv. Certain IL Is that, born in
London in 1917, he early left home for
&he Cape OF Good Hope. From there
be emigrated to Valparaiso, remaining
there gil the gold fever Of 1s4S attracted
thousands TO California. Almost i'm
mediately after his arrival there he
seems 10 have been recognized as q
shrewd, honest, enterprising business
man, and to have been entrusted with
important purchasing commissions on
behalf of several firms already estab-
lished in Frisco. His gains, which
were considerable, he invested in real
estate; and in time Joshua A. Norton
became quite noted land Speculation,
one Of the large buildings owned BY
him being in what up TO few years ago
was in the very center of the business
portion Of the city. Unfortunately for
Norton, he became impressed with the
then prevailing mania for getting up q
'cosner' in some article Of daily con-
sumption, and in 1852 be bought up all
the rice warehoused in the city. beside
NJ the floating cargoes Of that staple
Expecting rs he did to obtain control Of
the market, he did not hesitate to salts
~ The holders demands, and one firm
received from Norton the round price
Of fifteen cents pound for cargo TO
arrive. AS frequently happens in such
cases, afaer Norton had spent the whole
Of his ready cash in buying all the car
goes expected, alarge cargo reached
San Francisco from an unlocked for
source. The Speculation. who had cal
eulated on coming out OF the operation