The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-07-28
The Old "COmp." Who HOarded$4O, OOO'

The Old EECOmp." Who HOarded$4O, 600.
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 composing-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 jobbing office. He never re-
nounced his allegiance to his native
country, and when his associates loked
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 1915 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
Evening Mail, and as at that
time oil his peculiarities 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 head" 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
puffed up with the satisfaction of a
square meal. A compositor who re-
membered Russell when he worked at
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 n tumbled-down attic
: in Centre street. When he saw the tur-
keys spread so temptingly along Ia
BILE, he recollected that he was not a
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
y foreman, when he was informed, told
II Russell that he would have to give the
;. turkey up, but Russell clung to the
) door, and when the turkey was found
% he had clutched its neck, and held on
e until the man who was pulling the legs
!, captured the body and left Russell in
u possession of the head. His failure tC
% keep the fowl seemed to grieve hin
/ greatly.
n He said at one time he was certain
that he should not die before he wa
9. ninety-two, because his father lived t.
? that age. He was never known to O
d into barber-shop, but he invariabl,
h cut his own hair, which was very black
! and after he had performed that yer,
i difficult operation his head looked u
r though it had been shingled. He asked hi
companions sometimes to cut his hal
o for him, and they always shingled
e with strange effect When Russell wa
70 forty-eight years old he surprised his OF
IS flee one day by observing that some be
neficentp power had given him new tooth
in His companions pied several form
m while specializing what use Russell ha
h for teeth, as his gums were quite as ei
ID fective on bread and cheese. He wa
never seen to leave his case unneces
>, sarily during working hours. He wa
es afraid to lose time.
ty After Russell died, twelve bank book
ut were found about him, in which wer
i'll entries representing $4,000. In hi
he pockets were $50 in cash. Yet he az
so piled to the Commissioners of Charlie
and Correction to be admitted to Bellevu
n This fortune was accumulated by privs
he tions of all kinds. When he could NJ
in induce his fellow-compositors to leay
IN him the crumbs of their meals he foun
he his food in the ash barrels along tn
m. streets. His fortune began, howeve
a in a singular manner. While walkin
oh along a street near Park Row he foun
tn United States coupon bond for 81 ,00
for He Immediately appropriated it, AM
he after drawing the interest for sever
I'm years, bought tenement-house. i
ne afterward sold his house at a prof
me and placed the proceeds in bank.
ed appearance he was far from being pr
es, possessing. OF medium height and tn
raj features, he dressed very poorly, al
for seemed always at the last stage of star
alton. 1t is said that Russell had
a brother who is employed as compo
nv tor, but at the rooms of the Typograp
led ical Union, to which he belonged at O.
ks. time, it was not believed. His mar
lies was dropped from the roll OF the uni
nd because he owed thirty dollars in du
rec and declared that he was unable 10 p
the them.--M Y. Evening Mail and I
dos s,r5oa