Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-07-18
DR. TROTTERtB MONEY.
Death Of Paralytic Supposed to be Very
wealthy


Death Of Psralytic Supposed to be Very
wealthy
The figure OF an old man vita long
white curly hair, generally dressed in
seedy broad-cloth and iimping about
on gold headed cane, is well remem-
bsred by the people of GAINESVILLE.
His name was Doctor ]. NJ. Trotter.
He lectured on phrenology and
claimed to be the agent OF the Trot-
ter family In securing large inheri-
lance coming to them from England.
He once held a large meeting of the
Trotter heirs in this city. The fol-
lowing dispatch concerning his death
was in Mondays American:
ERIN, TENN, July 12-It will, no
| doubt, be of interest to a large num-
Der of the readers of The American,
| If not to the public in general, to learn
of the death of DIR. j. MI. Trotter, and
the strange state of facts brought TO
! light by that occurrence. Your read
ers viii readily call to mind the .acts,
as given in an American of last year,
in regard to the finding of DIR. TrOt-
ter by member of your city police
| in paralyzed condition in Sulphur
| Spring Bottom about a year ago. He
was taken up and cared for until a
gentleman by the name OF ]. K. Trot-
ter, resident of this place, learning
os the circumstances, went to Nash
vile, claiming to be related to the old
doctor, and they left for this place. 1t
will be remembered that $1,O45 was
taken from the person of DIR. Trotter
by the authorities when first found
and restored when he was claimed by
his relative. Since that time DIR.
Trotter has been confined to his bed
in helpless condition at the home of
Mr. ]. K. Trotter. At 1880 on the
morning of the 10th inst DIR. Trotter
departed this life, and now comes the
strangest part of the whole story.
1t was known that for a number of
years, DIR. Trotter had interested him.
self no little in an effort TO secure for
the Trotter family certain legacy,
which, he claimed, was due them and
was somewhere in England, which, for
the purpose of securing, he had en-
ployed counsel at no small cost, and
had in person taken several trips to
Europe to look after the interest. II
seems that he was not the only one oil
the family who was interested in the
matter, for at one time your CORE
| spondent informed the whole family
which met in Clar ksville, Tenn, num-
bering nearly 800 persons, to discuss
the matter. After a number Of years
however, the matter finally dropped
and was scarcely mentioned until now
the old gentleman being laid away, il
has suddenly been brought to light
again.
Upon examining one of his trunks
IA large zlnc-it was found to con
tain, among other valuables, $17 900 in
Louisiana State bonds also a very
heavy iron box, about two feet square
the contents of which is unknown.
1t is supposed to contain coin, how
ever, or other valuables. All attempts
| to ascertain its contents have been
futile, as il is extremely heavy and
locked so as to defy entrance. 1t j,
supposed to contain portion OF the
legacy for which the old gentleman
had toiled so hard and which he haC
expended SO much money to obtain
| IL has been known that DIR. Trottel
had grown wealthy rs the result o
his labor as lecturer, and that he wa,
the owner of an orange grove in Flor
ida and large plantation in Georgia
and being of very saving disposition
it is not at all unlikely that the iron
box really contains something of val
| ne Much interest is felt in the mat
ter here, and our citizens are anxious
| ly awaiting the arrival of some one o.
his many kinsmen who will admins
ter ON his estate and relieve their curl
osity as to the contents OF the iror
box. DIR. Trotter's life Was INSURED
! for 5000