The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-08-27
An Eccentric Mans VIII.

correspondent writing rom vienna,
Austria, says: We all know that mil
lionaires are continually being re-
minded that there is no chance of their
millions following them beyond the
grave, but / had never before heard OF
an instance In which his millions should
rob poor mans bones of their justly
earned repose in the tomb. And yet
this Is the case with Martin OFT, mil
lionaire, who died year ago, and who
Is to be exhumed shortly. Martin
OFT arrived in Vienna some thirty years
ago, without SO much capital as to be-
gin small business with. One of the
partners in great firm here, Mr.. Syre,
took pity upon him and helped him In
more than one instance. After some
time OFT began specializing, and all his
speculations were crowned with success.
But he was 30 eccentric q man that he
possessed millions before people cred
tied him with being able to support
himself decently. He lived like the
miser of romance, and scarcely any one
here knew him to be q rich man.
Among the few who were In his conf
denoe was old Syre, his benefactor and
friend, to whom Martin Ot had confided
the secret of his will, by which he made
him his sole heir. thus proving that
nCAt W hNAllC0 kIAtAbuuC W - nl3 Ckllcl
characteristic. Syre's business did not
improve and the man who was once
wealthy was not in a position to settle
his son In business when the time came
for him to seek q livelihood. But. of
course. being the heirs of a millionaire
the 6yre family had no oapprehensions for
the future, and old Michael OFT lent his
old friends son &, 900 forms when they
applied to him for . sum of money.
Young Syre gave OFT receipt for this
sum and told his relations that the queer
old miser laughed while he pockcted 1t,
and st emed to say: mo danger of my
keeping thisr' He did keep 1t, however,
and when LIE died it was found among his
papers, 30 that young Syre is the debtor
for &C, 900 forms to the heir or heirs OF
old OFT. and not TO his own father, as
he had supposed. for old Syre died Just
one month before OFT, the millionaire,
and the will provided for old 6yre alone
and never mentioned his heirs. All
persons related to the deceased million
aire were therefore at liberty to prove
their claims. and the rich legacy, which
Is at present still In the hands OF the
authorities, will be devided among
them. The Syres are cut of question,
and the eldest son. with that claim OF
&C. 900 iorins upon him. has gone mad.
The number of persons that have AZ
ready applied for the heritage is Inn
mense, and each branch Of the family-
not very illustrious one, you may be
sure-would naturally prefer being sole
heir. Old OFT had one time made will
in which were contained legacies for all
his friends, small or great, but OF course
this was annulled when he named Syre
his sole heir. Then number of unim-
portant dispositions were found on
small slips of paper, and among other
things was a prayer for quiet funeral
and desire tor certain dress-coat he
wished to wear In his grave. Now
some Of his relations In Bavaria have
asked If at the time OF his funeral that
coat was searched thoroughly and when
the answer was in the negative, they
demanded that the grave should be re-
opened and his coat examined closely
for u possible will. 1t certainly Is prob
able that he made one, since he fully
knew that by old Syre's death his win,
was OF no value whatever, and he CAM
not have been in ignorance that Syre's
heirs would not inherit when he hadl
not mentioned them in his will. Wei
are OF course all very eager to hear the
last of this story, which has become
quite thrilling since It has been decided
that the repose of the dead Is TO be dis
lurbed for the benefit OF the living. ~.