The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-07
The Bold Bandits Discovered To BE Moth
ing but Three-Card Monte Men and
Pickpockets-State Gieanings,
Death of Willard Carpenter, of Evansville,
After Lingering Illness.
to ba

Death of Willard Carpenter, of Evansville,
After Lingering Illness.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
EVANSVILLE, Nov. 6.-Willard Carpenter,
an old and valued citizen of this city, died
this morning at 1915. Mr.. Carpenter died
OF general debility, having been confined to
his bed in an unconscious condition for nine
days. The arrangements for the funeral
have not been completed, but the body will
probably be buried on Thursday afternoon.
willard Carpenter was born in STAFFORD,
Orange county, Vermont, March Is, 1903, and
there spent his earlier years farm. The
first money he ever earned was by digging sar-
saparila ana selling 1t to his uncle. He realized
twenty five cents from the sale, and this amount
he Immediately loaned out at six per cent. ill.,
tefest per annum. By the earnings of odd jobs
and the accumulations of interest, all securely
Invested ny his o. capital sweled until lat at
himself unincumbered and undisputed
possessor of 81. He then started out TO seek his
fortune and he walked to Albany. N. Y, where
he invested the 81 in a stock OF notions, which
he peddled over the country. With the capital
which he had accumulated IN peddiing goods he
opened wholesale dry goods house in Evans
vile in 1856, in partnership with two of his
brothers. In the financial crash of 1887, by
the shrewd MANAGEMENT of Mr.. Carpenter,
the firm realized the full value of
all its claims while other business men received
no more than 10 per cent.
When Congress was asked to devote one-half
the public lands within the boundaries of the
Evansville land district for the purpose of aid
ing the completion of the Wabash and Erie
canal Mr.. Carpenter Travelled for six months at
his own expense, circulating the petition, and
visited seventeen States urging the support of
the measure, besides spending the larger part
of his time at the sessions of Congress
in 1881 and 1S44 working for the passage
of the bill. The success of the measure, the
credit of which was largely due to Mr.. Carpen-
ter, gave the State way out of its financial en-
barrassments. But for it Reputation would
probably have resulted.
In 1850 Mr.. Carpenter took an active part in
the Evansville d Charlottesville railroad enter
prise. In 1851 he served as a member of the
Legislature.
He organized the Evansville, Indianapolis &
Cleveland Straight-line Railroad Company, and
after building tyfive miles of the first division.
and spending nearly the whole of his fortune he
was compelled to abandon the enterprise.
Mr.. Carpenter, at the time of his DEATH was
one of the wealthiest men in the State. He was
interested In the rolling-Inill at Evansville, and
was heavy railroad stakeholder. He has given
literally to the religious and educational Insti-
tutions OF Evansville. Among his gifts may be
mentioned the Christian Home for girls gone
astray, che establis bment of a poor-house svs-
TEN, the WilardCarpenter library, including
money and real estate amounting to 100000,
and many other smaller acts of munlfcence.