The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-22
MISERS' MISERIES.
Love of Yellow GOld-Habits of the Stingy-
Life in Filth and HoveIs.


Life in Filth and HOVeIs.
New York Sun.
There is every reason to believe that the
boards of money and other valuables one so
often reads of as having been discovered by
workmen while engaged in pulling down old
houses have been secreted by misers; the result
is thatin many cases the property thus found is
taken possession of by persons whom the misers
never intended to benefit, namely their heirs at
law and next of kin.
1t is pretty certain that msers of both sexes
existed years ago, as they do in our own day,
and the following notes concerning some notable
examples of this class of monomaniacs may not
be uninteresting. OF those who make it rule of
their lives to gather gear by every vile, the
case of M. Osterwald. who died at Paris in 1871,
is remarkable as showing that the richest
man in city may also be the most miserable
one. he was the son of poor minister, and
began life as clerk in banking house at Ham
burg, where he acquired small sum, which he
augmented by his speculations in business ard
his economical mode of living. He afterward
came to Paris where he accumulated fortune.
He was bachelor-the expenses of wife and
children being incompatible with his frugal
mode of living. He had for servant a poor
wretch whom he never permitted to come into
his apartment. He had always promised that at
his death he should be handsomely recompenSed,
and accordingly he left him pittance of six
months wages and suit of clothes, but as he
expressly stated mot the most new"
A few days before his death some
was reduced to the last extremity by want of
nourlshment proposed to him to have some
soup. YES, yes" he replied sit is easy to talk
of soup, but what is to become of the meal!"
Thus died one who was reported to be the rich
est man in Paris, more from want of care and
proper nourishment than from disease. He is
stated to have left to relations, whom he had
probably never seen,- the sum of 93, 1000, coo.
Under his pillow was found 900 livres il pa
per money.
The neighborhood where Mary Luhorne died
seems to be still famous for its misers In 1877
there died at Woolwieh England a John Clark,
aged eighty-six. He is described as having been
man of education but very singular charac-
ter: although reputed to be immensely wealthy,
he was very misery in his habits, and lived to
the last in squalid howell in the poorest part of
Woolwich. The greater portion of his life was
spent in the accumulation of books of which he
left large store. 1t reported that the front
shutters of his house had not been opened for
over thirty years; he never took 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 octo-
genarian age and died worth 5000, 900 or there
abouts.
An instance of misery habits in the great aud
noble is to be found in the case of thatrenowned
captain, the Duke of Marlborough, of whom it is
chroncled that when in the last stage of life and
very intirm. he would walk from the public room
in Bath 20 his lodgings on a cold dark night to
save sixpence in chair hire. He died worth
81, SOC, 900.
1t is recorded of Sir James Lowther that after
changing a piece of silver in Georges coffee
house and paying two-pe for his dish of cof-
fee, he was helped into his chariot (he was then
very lame and infirm) and went home. Some
time after he returned to the same cofee-house
on purpose to acquaint the woman who kept it
that she had given him bad half penny and de-
manded another in exchange for it. Sir James
is stated to have then had about 5000, 600 per an
coming in and was at loss whom to ap-
point his heir
Sir Thomas Colby, an official high in Office,
shortened his existence by his passion for this
worlds goods, as appears by the following anec-
dote: He rose in the middle of the night, when
he was in a very profuse perspiration, and
walked down stairs to look for the key
of the cellar, which he had inadvert-
emily left on a table in parlor;
he was apprehensive that his servants
might seize the key and rob him of a bottle of
port wine, instead of which he himself was
seized with chill and died intestate, leaving
over 81, 000, 900 in funds, which was shared by
FIVE or six day-laborers who were his next of
kim" Marvellous good luck for his poor rela-
tives.
At Mortified, Eng, there died, in 1872, Mr..
Page dealer in limestone and gunfints, by
which occupation, and by most penurious way
Of living, he had accumulated fortune of $50,
900. He lived alone in large house for several
years, no one coming near him but an old woman
of the village, who once a day went to make his
bed. His death was oceasioned by his running a
knife into the palm of his hand while opening an
oyster.
Some years since a chiffonier Tor rag and re-
fuse gatherer) died interstate in France having
literally 'scraped" together 100000 francs the
whole of which went to the heiroflaw.