The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-07-05
The Old "COmp." Who HOardedsiO, 600.


The Old "COmp.o Who HOardedSi0, 900.
John Russell, the aged compositor
who died yesterday morning in Bellevue
Hospital from Bright's disease of the
kidneys, was one of the most eccentric
men in the posing-room of the daily
press. He was especially noted for his
parsimony, and would regard with hor-
ror any attempt to make him increase
his expense by eating warm food in
stead Of his customary bread and cheese,
or in any way. Russell was regarded
by his fellow-compositors as the mean
est man in the craft, and many are the
stories of the ingenuity which he used
when anxious to avoid spending money.
He was an Englishman, and came to
this country when he was nineteen
years of age. He had been com
positor in England, and when he ar
rived in this city he obtained employ
ment in q iobbing office. He never re-
nounced his allegiance TO his native
country, and when his associates ioled
with him about his heirs he would de-
clare that the State was his only heir,
and that if when he died he was worth
any money he would leave it to New
York. Russell was employed on the
Morning Express from 1S45 to 1852, and
while there was especially noted for his
quietness Of disposition and his evident
dislike for society. When he left the
Express he went to the Sun, where he
remained for several years. He was
afterward employed on the Times and
the Independent In 1879 he became
one of the compositors of the
Ecening Mail, and as at that
time all his peculiarties had become
marked, he was the observed among his
fellow-craftsmen. In summer his cos
tune was rather remarkable in being
an overcoat and straw hat, the former,
as he explained, ''to keep his body warm
and the hat TO cool his headn He was
never known to bring his luncheon to
work or to eat his meals in an eating
house. After the other compositors had
finished their meals he would gather up
the crusts of bread and crumbs of
cheese, and after eating them seemed
pulled up with the satisfaction of a
square meal A compositor who re-
membered Russell when he worked ut
the same stand with him recalled an
incident which happened one Christmas
eve which was characteristic Of the
man. Turkeys had been provided by
the newspaper, and every married man
in its employ was presented with one.
/ Russell was not married, but kept a
bachelors hall in tumbled-down attic
in Centre street. When he saw the tur-
keys spread so temptingly along Ia
BILE, he recollected that he was not
Benedick. He nevertheless determined
to have one at all odds. He pulled one
of the fowls from the heap and hid it in
q closet, and then went to his case. The
foreman, when he was informed, told
Russell that he would have to give the
turkey up, but Russell clung to the
door, and when the turkey was found
he had elutched its neck, and held on
until the man who was pulling the legs
captured the body and left Russell in
possession of the head His failure to
keep the fowl seemed to grieve him
greatly.
He said at one time he was certain
that he should not die before he was
ninety-two, because his father lived te
that age. He was never known TO &C
into Il barber-shop, but he invariably
cut his own hair, which was very black.
and after he had performed that very
difficult operation his head looked as
though it had been shingled. He asked his
companions sometimes to cut his haiI
for him, and they always shingled il
with strange effect When Russell was
forty-eight years old he surprised his Of
flee one day by observing that some be.
nefcent power had given him new tooth.
His companions pied several forms
while specializing what use Russell had
for teeth, as his gums were quite as ef-
fective on bread and cheese. He was
never seen to leave his case unneces-
sarily during working hours. He was
afraid to lose time.
After Russell died, twelve bank books
were found about him, in which were
entries representing $4,000. In his
pockets were $50 in cash. Yet he APP
piled to the Commissioners OF Charities
and Correction to be admitted TO Bellevue
This fortune was accumulated bv priva-
tions of all kinds. When he could not
induce his fellow-compositors to leave
him the crumbs of their meals he found
his food in the ash barrels along the
streets. His fortune began, however.
"
along a street near Park Row he found
United States coupon bond for 81 600
He Immediately appropriated it, and,
after drawing the interest for several
years, bought tenement-house He
afterward sold his house at a profit,
and placed the proceeds in bank. In
appearance he was far from being pre-
possessing. OF medium height and thin
T.. III. \.
seemed always at the last stage ofstarv-
alton. It is said that Russell had
brother who is employed as a compost
tor, but at the rooms of the Typograph-
ical Union, to which he belonged at one
time, it was not believed. His name
was dropped from the roll of the union
because he owed thirty dollars in dues
and declared that he was unable to pay
fbar,a Y T.s1stss,<r Nil <.,J r.