Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-19
STRANGE GOOD FORTUNE.
j Resdiss Lawyer ssa<esiy Rsaiizes Fer.
ssssen Issessaens.
lPhiladeiphis PressI


LAWYER wiIIIsm II. Livingood, Of Read
ing, came to this city yesterday TO attend
the annual dinner Of the Htoernlan 20.
clety. He was walking along Chestnut
street, when friend tapped him on the
shoulder and said. al cnngratuiate you.'
"whst for,v inquired the ssfonssned
Mr.. LiviBgood, wondering what possible
stroke Of good fortune could have fallen
upon hrm uuawares.
"Don't you remember that share OF the
Hanbest estate that you bought long time
ago ?v Queried the friend.
A sudden recollection Of The purchase
swept over Mr.. Liyingood's mind. and be
said so. "Weli," continued the friend,
"one OF the annuiiants has died, and the
estate Is 10 be divided This was ex.
tremeIy pleasant news 10 Mr.. Ltviuxood,
and for time he forgot all about the Hiber-
nian banquet. The romantic story inter-
woven with the estate, and the manner In
which be bad become interested In II, was
running across his memory, and Il WAS not
until be bad seen Lawyer Isaac Norris. the
executor OF the estate, that be felt quite
satisfied that what his friend had 80 abrupt
" told him was correct. The circumstances
under which he bought portion OF the
pIOVtItl WtTt .outWuut uuusuNts
Thomas Passmore Hanhest died in 1919.
He was member OF the Philadelphia bar.
lie was the lifelong slave OF an inordinate
greed for gold. To feel real money was bis
only pleasure. to count 1t and turn Il over
In bis thin hands. The "miser million
aire,o as be was called. was more generally
known by that name than his own. The
profits from his practice were invested In
bonds and real estate. He clothed himself
poorly and ate as little as possible. lie was
bachelor, and kept as far away from his
relatives as he could.
" hen at last disease seized upon his
frame be retired to his penurious quarters
and concentrated bis thoughts upon reli.
eion. Not many days before his death he
made will. in which he devised his pro-
perty 10 a charitable institution In West
Philadelphia for the care OF aged aod
crippled persons. He was buried in the
swedish cemetery, on the old Darby road,
near Blue-Bell Tavern. When the search
for his effects was instituted the will was
found. Great was the surprise when II
was discovered that the old man had &C.
tually accumulated an estate worth on its
face over s3O0,0 900. Nobody had supposed
that II would inventory over 100000 at
the outside.
The dead miser's relatives contested the
will. The Court overturned IL, because, In
the law, q will devising property TO any
charitable or public institution Is void, un-
less made more than thirty days prior TO
the decedents death. The case excited q
great deal OF interest at the time. Lawyer
Isaac Norris was made the executor OF the
estate. which was by the ruling OF the Cour,
put in subiection to annuities. and divided
in this shape among several near relatives.
AN ECCENTRIC HEIR.
One OF the heirs OF the estate was Thomas
Passmore Hanbest, Jr., nephew OF the
miser. One fifteenth OF the est ite, worth
then $4,000. was apportioned to him, but,
on account OF the way in which the pro-
perty was settled, It could not be divided
or sold except IN the event Of the death OF
one OF The annuitants. and none OF the
heirs could derive revenues from their
shares because all OF the productive por-
tions Of the estate were taxed TO their ut.
most capacity to pay the annuities. In this
somewhat eXasperating position young
Hanbest found himself, and being In need
OF money. and not seeing any immediate
prospect for the death Of any Of the annui.
tants, he cast about for an opportunity to
sell his share.
Hefound purchaser In LAWYER Livln-
good. The latter paid him $4,000 in cash,
and received in return an assignment OF the
one.fitCenth interest in the estate. Ii
looked like burying that amount OF money
under a stump and taking the chances OF
finding ii when the stump rotted. but the
lawyer had confidence. lie reasoned that
be was young man and had as good a
chance to survive the annuitants as the an
nuitants had OF OUTLYING him. lie also
took into consideration the fact TIA. the
property was yearly increlsiug in value and
that the longer he waited the grealer would
be his reward. so he prepared 70 bide hl.
time.
He found abundant recreation in the
mean time in observing the manner In which
Thomas Passmore Hanbest, Jr , expended
the $4,000 that had lately belonged TO him.
II the young man bad dropped IL into q
well ii could not have disappeared much
more quickly. IL was dissipated in a nu n.
ber Of eccentric fashions. one OF his first
acts after obtaining possession OF the money
was to buy 4 handsome tombstone, which
be had placed over his uncle's grave.
He caustd the most scrupulous atten-
ton to be constantly layisbed upon
the cemetery in which were inferred the
remains. He hired the WeccacOe Brass
Band, and one day marched them down to
the cemetery and stationed them in Il hol-
low square around the miscr's tomb. Un-
der his directions the band performed q
series Of funera-dirges, there being no one
else present at the time. la a short time
the money was gone, aud young lIanbest,
having sold his inheritance for a mess OF
pottage. was again left pennless. -Four
years ago he died.
Lawyer Liyingood was yesterday con.
graduated upon his good fortune. II Is
expected that the executor, Mr.. Norris
will in few days move in court for the
division OF the estate, which includes much
valuable property In various parts OF the
.;tx nd I'm DrfIooh hnrer