The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-08-29
Il CH4KITIBLE Old LADY.
she Bought for the Poor, but Left SO, 900
worth of Dry Goods Undistributed.


ton. The revelations made by Kate
Williams or some of the peculiarities
OF the old families of this city whose
successors have inherited fortunes, as
well as the exceedingly novel exploits
OF Tom Mann and his attempt to fly
to heaven rom a North Main Street
house with disastrous results, and the
celebrated George Washington Bowen
and hls appearance In the contest for
the Jumel estate, have all become
matters of local historic interest that
are familiar to many of the older resi-
dents OF the city. But Just now the
feminine portion of the community
are interested in discussing the pecul-
lar foibles, follies, and fancies OF an es-
teemed lady who died here within a
short time. She was resident of
Angel Street, and her husband forty
ster Street jeweler. He attained some
property, which was very advanta-
geously invested, and yielded large in
come after his somewhat tragic death.
His wife became speedily interested in
church work, and later developed a
mania riValing that OF the celebrated
Mrs. Toodes. But this peculiarity
was conducted so quietly, and was so
carefully concealed from everybody,
that not till after her death did her
own immediate family realize the ex-
tent OF her iniudicious investments.
She was woman OF quiet, undemOn-
stratlve manner, and was a conspic-
uous figure in all local charitable
work. For number of years she EN-
plOyed a superannuated clergyman on
a salary OF $1,000 year simply to
hunt up deserving cases among the
poorer classes of the city, that she
might extend to them the benefcent
hand OF charity they so much de
served. Prominent in the church
work Of the Baptists, she educated six
young men at different times for the
Baptist ministry, once of whom at least
did not take church orders. She gave
on one occasion 81 900 to the Park
Street Church to save it from fore
closure under mortgage; gave frequent
donations to the First Baptist and
Fourth Baptist Churches, and to how
many other religious institutions will
probably never be known, though she
always gave literally to all foreign
missions and took particular pride III
the progress made by the Baptist de
nomination. But with all her Chris
tian charity and noble deeds for the
benefit of humanity, she was supposed
to be very poor the last few years OF
her life. She would be seen about Wis
iting dry-goods stores and auction
rooms, both here and in Boston,
purchasing a variety of articles. She
wore shabby clothing, and on a win
ter's day she often excited sympathy,
because it was imagined she was suf-
fering from cold Those who had been
aware of her purchases believed that
she had always given away these goods
to the worthy poor. On one occasion,
Just before Christmas, she was OBJ
served going about to various shops
buying small articles of wearing ap-
parel and food, and one of her rela-
tives was impressed with the fact that
the old lady was sufferingfor the want
OF something warm to wear in cold
weather. SO they made up a small
purse and bought serViceable cash
mere dress and suitable cloak, and
sent it anonymously to their relative
III order to not offend her. Imagine
the astOnishment of these relatives on
discovering after the old lady's death
upward OF 100000 worth of silks,
satins, velvets, laces and ribbons
slowed away in her late residence, not
to mention an inexhaustible variety OF
other articles that had likewise never
been used or taken from the
original packages. Though the
dry goods alone were inven-
tOried at $4,000, it is known that
they cost nearly three times that sum,
CT about $4,000. Thus, where the
relatives expected only a few dollars,
the heirs will realize a large sum. A
singular circumstance in connection
with the affair is that it was weeks af-
ter her death that the discovery of a
dry-goods emporium in the old lady's
residence was made. A glance at the
room occupied by her disclosed TWEEN
ty-fOur trunks packed solidly full OF
every conceivable article of dry goods
that had evidently never been looked
AZ after they had been bought and
packed away. Every part OF this
sleeping apartment was occupied by
trunks, boxes, bundles, and packages,
all of the latter bearing the original
strings and paper wraplngs with which
they had left the store, while there
was small passageway around the
bed to bureau likewise packed solid
wth new underwear. Beneath the
bed, too, there were as many goods, |
chiefly choice linens and white goods,
as the space there would admit. The
closet likewise was filled, and nearly
four hundred packages containing dry
goods were taken from this place
alone, while from the floor almost to
the top OF the door stood miniature
mountain OF articles of ladies dress
wear. The first discovery was that OF
one hundred silk, satin, and velvet
dresses already made up in various
styles, sixty of which had never been
worn, while hundreds OF yards OF the
same material lay packed about every
where. These dresses were drawn for
il lots by the three feminine heirs, and
evenly divided.
But surprises were yet in store for
the relatives as the work of investiga-
tion proceeded, In the garret, where
nothing but rubbish was supposed to
bc CiOitt, NUMEROUS bpAtS NtltiOtiIitl- ]
Old newspapers and broken china and
other useless articles covered the top
but going down into the boxes a val |
liable collection of choice antique lace
superb cut OF silk, satin or velvet
would be unearthed. Some of these
boxes were sold to relatives at 50 /
apiece that were known to contain |
ple'es OF lace worth $3.50 to 5000 |
In r lumber room that had formerly
been an old pantry, similar discover
les were made of valuable goods being
stored away, the appearance OF which |
Indicated that they had not been ex-
ahmed in years. There were marvel
oui revelations made everywhere, and
on OF the most uninterestIng was the
discovery that an old dry-goods deal
er low located III Westminster Street,
had bill for s.. 900 against the es-
tale for goods sold to the old lady at
different periods But the work be-