The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-03-18
know that the miser who just died
was Tom Marston, her brother

was Tom Marston, her brother?
Good heaven! mol!
| 1T Is the fact-he was. Here is hal
dollar for moving the cask. l will
call upon you to night.
Warren went home with some pro
visions bought with the half dollar.
To his astonished wife he told hi.
story.
Not long after, the old merchant, Mr.
Barmont came.
He made few inquiries of Mrs
Warren which fully satisfied him o.
her identity-that she was really Mary
Marston.
He unlocked a small satchel he haG
brought with him and exhibited the
contents - fifty thousand dollars ir
crisp bank notes.
what means this!' cried the be.
wildered Warren and wife, simulta.
neously.
sit means,' said Mr.. Barmont, stha'
your brother, Thomas Marston, who
was a miser, looked upon me as his
only friend. Every penny which he
boarded, except just enough to sup
ply his few wants, he placed in my
keeping, for he was afraid of being
robbed. l kept all of his money lock
ed up in my safe for him.
with him he always had keg full
of counterfeit half dollars so that in
case robbers should steal from him,
they would obtain only the worthless
coins. He has been away for many
years, and must have just returned.
Before he went, he informed me that,
in case of his death he would send me
the keg of counterieits, as he would
rather they should not be found about
his premises. He was afraid that it
would make people think he had been
a counterfeiter. After his death l was
to advertise for his sister. He did not
know whether she was living or not,
but if l found her, was to give her
his money which l had in charge.
This was the request he made of me,
and which promised to comply with.
1t was also arranged, that. if l did not
hear from him, or hear OF his death
within twenty years after his depar-
ture, was to keep his money for my
own use, and not make any inquiries
about his sister. l expostulated with
him on this point, but he had always
been eccentric and would have his
own way. Had l not heard of his
death to-day, by tomorrow the twcn-
ty years would have expired, and l
should have kept my agreement by
retaining the money. l hope You will
believe me when I say that ] am really
glad of the chance which has been Of
forded me of giving it TO the rightful
heir.
When he was gone Warren said to
his wife:
How fortunate 1 did not yield to
temptation to retain that keg of coins.
Had I done so would probably soon
have been arrested for passing coun-
terfeit money, besides which you
would never have heard of your for
tune or have received penny of it!
True said Mary, 'And ohI hus-
band = she added, embracing him. L
would sooner have starved than have
known that you kept those coinsl l
am sure you would never haye
thought of dong it had your mind not
been weakened by care and hunger
combined.
Il believe my brain was nearly
turned at the time he answered.
A week after Warren went into
business with some of his wife's mon
ey.
He is now one of the most thriving
wholesale merchants in San Francisco.
THE SHERMAN FAMILY DIA-
MONDS.
"By the way; do you know what
has become of the famous diamond
necklace which was presented to Gen.
Sh@man's eldest daughter by the
Khedive of Egypt on the occasion of
her marriage to Lieut.. Fitch 2" said
the reporter to Mr.. Patton, the dia-
mond merchant.
Il do was the reply. A sister of
Gen. Sherman called at my Office one
day this week and l asked her the
question. She repeated to me the
history of the famous necklace, from
the time of Its reception at the New
York custom house until it's final dis
position. 1t is generally known that
the duties which the custom house Of
ficers demanded of Lieut.. Fitch, be-
fore they could deliver tho magnifi-
cent present would be something over
$4,000, the lowest estimate placed on
it's value by experts being 100000.
was unable TO pay this sum. An en-
abling act Of Congress, authorizing the
custom house officers to deliver the
diamonds to Mrs. Fitch free of duty
After this the necklace was sent to
Washington, and, with Gen. Sherman
sword, deposited in the United States
Treasury fol safe keeping. Upon fur
ther inquiry Lieut.. Fitch found thai
the yearly taxes on the diamonds in
st. Louis county, where he then re-
sided, would be much more than his
l.
an elephant OH his hands. His father
in-law, Gen. Sherman, took pity Oh
the boy, and returned the necklace
with thanks, to the donor in Egypt
Upon receiving them the Khediy'
wrote to the General saying that i
was not his desire that that the dia
monds should be given to any Que
member Of his family, and, having
fhof bo hoH fOur 6an0hfora i