National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-10-25
boarded GOLD.
Famous Misers VINO Devoted Their
Lives 20 Grubbinr for Money.

Famous nTiscrs VINO Devoted Their
Lives 90 Grubbing for Money.
1t Is pretty certain that misers of both
sexes existed ages ago, as they do in our
own day, and the following notes con.
corning some notable examples of this
class of monomaniacs may not DO unin-
teresting. OF those who made IL rule
Of their lives TO gather gear by every
wife, the case of NJ. Osterwald, who died
in Paris in 1791, Is remarkable, as show.
ing that the richest man in the city NAV
also be the most miserable one He was
the son OF poor minister, and began life
in banking house at Hamburg, where
no acquired q small sum, which he aug
mented by his speculations in business
and his economical mode Of living. He
afterward camo to Paris. where he accu-
INFLATED his enormous fortune.
He was a bachelor-the expenses of q
wifea and children being incompatible
with his frugal mode Of living. He had
for servant q poor wretch, whom he
never permitted to enter his apartment.
He had always promised that at his
death he should be handsomely recon-
pensed, and accordingly he left him q
pittance of six months wages and a suit
of clothes, but as he expressly stated,
mot the most new" A few days before
his death some Of his acquaint ancos, who
saw that he was reduced to the last ex-
tremity by want of nourishment, pro-
posed to him to have some soup. "Yes,
yes" he replied, at is easy to talk Of
soup, but what Is to become of the meat?"
Thus died one who was reported to be the
richest man in Paris more from want of
care and proper nourishment than from
disease. He Is stated to have left TO rela-
tions. whom he had PROBABLY never seen,
the sum of 100000 sterling. Under his
bolster were found 100000 livres in paper
money.
A mser died In Paris in 1880 leaving
property supposed to DO worth about ego.
Some time elapsed before the heir pre-
sentcd himself, but on his doing so
search was made in the misers apart.
ment. and no less sum than el90,000
was discovered in cupboard.
The cases Of these French misers
strikingly illustrate the truth of the
lines:
To heirs unknown desccnds tho unguarded
store
Or wanders heaven-directed to the poor.
A still more extraordinary case is that
of an English lady, who died In 1866, in
a lodging house near Broadway, In Dept
ford, England, at the age of SO. Her
name was Mary Luhorne. For upward
of forty years she lived In Greenwich and
Deptford in tho mo st penurious manner,
denying herself the common necessaries
of life. She was known not to have had
any fire or candle in her apartment for
fourteen years prior to her death. She
frequently begged on the high roads when
she went on business to the city. Not
withstanding her wretched way of life,
after her death there were found securi.
ties in the bank, South Sea, East India,
and other stocks to the mount of 5000, 600
and upward, besides jewelry and other
precious stones, plate, china clothes of
every kind of the richest sort, great
quantities Of the finest silks, linen, veil
vets, &C., unmade. of very great value,
besides large sum of money. To whom
all this treasure reverted does not appear
The neighborhood were Mary Luhorne
died seems to be still famous for its misers.
In 1877 there died at Woolwich, England,
a Mr.. John Clark, aged Sc. He is de.
scribed as having been man of educa-
tion, but very singular character. AL
though reputed as immensely wealthy, he
was very misery in his habits, and lived
to the last in squalid howell IN the poor
est part of Woolwioh. The greater por-
tioh VI hls illo Whb bpcub III INC hCCuTDu-
lation of books, of which he left large
store. 1t was reported that the front
shutters Of his house had not been opened
for over thirty years. He mover took a
regular meal, nor did he know the taste
of wines or spirits. Yet, notwithstanding
that he lived in such den and suffered
such privations, he reached an octogena-
rian age and died worth 100000 or there
abouts.
An instance of misery habits In the
great and noble is to be found in the case
of that renowned captain. the Duke of
Marlborough, of whom it is chronicled
that, when in tho last stage of life and
very infirm, he would walk from the
public room in Bath to his lodgings on a
cold, dark night TO save 6 pence in chair
hire. He died worth $7,500,000.
1t is recorded of Sir James Lowther
Georges coffee house, and paying 9 pence |
for his dish of coffee, he was helped into |
his chariot (he was then very lame and |
infirm) and went home Some time after |
he returned to the same coffee house on |
purpose to acquaint the woman who kept |
1t that she had given him o bad half |
penny, and demanded another in ex-
change for it. Sir James is stated to .
have then had about 100000 per annum
coming in, and was ct loss whom to |
appoint as his heir.
Sir Thomas Colby, an official in high |
office, shortened his existence by his pas
sion for this worlds goods, az appears by |
the following anecdote: He rose in the |
middle of the night, when he was In o
very profuse perspiration, and walked |
down stairs to look for the key of his |
cellar, which he had inadvertently left
on table in the parlor; no was appre-
hensive that his servants might seize the |
key aud rob him of bottle of port wine,
instead Of which he himself was seized
with chill and died interstate, leaving
over 81, 100000 in the funds, which was
shared by five or six day laborers, who
were his next of kin. Marvellous good
luck for his poor relations
At Northfeet, England, there died in
l772 Mr.. Page, dealer in limestones and
gun fints, by which occupation, and by
4 most penurious way of living, he had
a fortune of some 100000. |
He lived alone In a large house for sew
eral years, no one coming near him but
an old woman in the village, who once q
day went to make his bed. His death
was occasioned by his running knife
into the palm Of his hand while opening
IN oyster.
Some years since chiffonnier Tor rag
and refuse gatherer) died interstate in
France, having literally ''scraped" to-
gether 400, 900 francs, tho whole Of which
went to the heir.at-law.
You Bet.