St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-20
A MILLIoNAIRE's ROMANCE.
4 Former Sweetheart Ola MicAiJan Cae-
sus Sizes his Estate for $4,000.

sus Sizes his Estate for $sO,OOO.
Rochester Express
That Horace j. Perrin, who died at Mar
shall Mich, January II, 1880, aged 81 years
and worth nearly 81, 100000 was an ex-
traordinary man, has doubtless been made
evident to the readers of the Post-Express by
the accounts of the numerous lawsuits over
his estate which have been given in these
columns from time to time. This man whose
eccentricity in his old age caused him to
muddle his gigantic business affairs to such
an extent as to Keep the lawyers busy for
years past and to come, had a career which
was not without its little romance. He has
been represented as the stern man of bust
ness, for whom the gentler sex had no attrac
ton. He died as he lived, a bachelor. 1t
appears, however, that NJ Perrin, like most
men, was after all not above falling in love.
That such was the fact will be developed in
still another litigation, to which no aliusion
has hitherto been made and which is to be
tried in the United States circuit court at De-
troit October. The testimony of Rochester
witnesses to the used upon the trial, is short
ly to be taken here by commission. Mr.
tive of this tate. When poor country lad
he cameto Rochester, and, it is claimed, was
assisted by his second cousin, Darius Perrin.
He was naturally shrewd and soon acquired
considerable money, as well as valuable
business experience, so that when he left
Rochester for Michigan about the year 1916,
he was well qualified to enter upon his sin
gularly successful business career. At one
time he controlled half dozen mills, car
red on the business of banking, was farm
er on large scale, specialized in grain, and
bought and sold real estate and bonds and
mortgages.
About the year 1870, when Horace j. Per-
rim was already far past the MONDAY of his
life, he was seeking relaxation from the cares
of business at Saratoga. While there he sue
ceeded in forgetting his stocks and bonds
long enough to become deeply interested in
Miss Annie Meredith, a charming Canada n,
aged about %, whose parents resided at Port
Hope. Although he was old enough to be
her father, it was,,the old old .storyaged infat-
uation for beauty andlyouthful susceptibility
to dollars--in short an engagement was the re-
suit of the meeting at the gay summer resort.
That the impression made by Miss Meredith
was eep one may be judged from the fact
that the engagement lasted six years, and
that during that time Mr.. Perrin contided in
his intended wife to such a degree as to
place in her name large amount of proper
ty and securities, among the latter $40, 900
worth Of fat mortgages-their corpulency be-
ing due to the 10 per cent interest which
they drew. 1t is spoken of as highly prob
able that the old capitalist would have led
Miss Meredith TO the altar as his bride had
not symptoms which at last ended in his in
insanity and death begun to make their APP
pearancc. His health was shattered. His
grasp of his business affairs was becoming
uncertain He asked her whom he had in
tended to marry to release him from his en-
gagement. This was not to the liking of
Miss Meredith, and for a time the vision of a
breach-of promise suit is said to have been
added to the troubles of the old man. This
was about 1875 or 1876. A year later how
ever, Miss Meredith changed her mind in re-
gard to the match all because the man who
was destined to become her fate came across
her pathway. She met and returned the af-
fections of Mr. Percy, a young Canadian.
She told her aged lover all, aud in her turn
asked that their engagement be annulled.
He consented, and she surrendered all the
property which he had placed in her name
all, she alleges, except tue SO, 600 worth of
mortgages which she further claims, she was
to retain as token of his respect and esteem
and in memory of old times. Mr.. and Mrs.
Percy, after their marriage, settled down at
Port Huron, where they continue to reside
After Horace J. Perrin was no more his
brothers and sisters were beginning their
great legal wrangle over the estate with Da-
RUS Perrin and his children with the heirs
of Mr.. Sibley, the also deceased partner OF
Horace J. Perrin, and with others, Mrs Per
cy put in her claim to the mortgages. About
year ago the claim was quietly referred to
certain commissioners. who decided that the
claimant was entitled to $4,000. The Per
rim heirs were exceedingly wroth that even
this amount should be awarded to one whom
they choose to regard rs an adventures, and
they promptly appealed to the United States
court. The trial was to have come off this
month, but has hee;I adjourned until next
fall. In the meantime, however, the testi-
mony of Rochester witnesses will be taken
as already stated. These witnesses it is said
had similar claim against the estate OF
Horace J. Perrin. They allege that he
made over to them $4,000 worth of mort
cages, and say they intend to prosecute their
claim Brown and Patterson are the attor-
news, and William d. Adams is counsel for
Mrs. Percy. Joseph ~ Stull, OF Rochester,