Morning journal and courier., 1885-03-09
Monday, March 9, 1855.
A WEsTVILLE MANS LUCK.
Unexpected Offer of a Golden Futur
From a Rich Relative.


Unexpected Offer of a Golden Future
From a Rich Relative.
A gentleman about fifty years old named
David Woodruff arrived in New Haven few
days ago attended by a New Mexican servant.
Mr. Woodruff is tall and well formed with
blue eyes and luxuriant beard The two reg
istered in the Tontine Hotel from Oakland,
Cal Mr.. Woodruff left New Haven as a
private in the regular army about thirty
years ago with only the clothes he had on
his back; now he owns stock in California
has fine estate in Oakland, is president of
a bank and leading mine prospector in the
West His wealth is reckoned at about two
millions of dollars.
Since he left New Haven his relatives and
friends have heard nothing from him before
now and their stock of happiness was com
plete a few days ago when he appeared
among them and offered to show them the
sweets of golden future. The wife of Mr..
Charles A. Gulliver, jr., the proprietor OF the
College bookstore on Chapel street, opposite
the campus, is the daughter of David Wood
ruff's brother For that reason Mr.. Wood
ruff has made them rare offers. Mr.. GULL
yer gives no information to inquirers regard
ing his uncle's career and says that he will
tell nothing about it.
Three Woodruff brothers made clocks in
Terryville about thirty years ago. From
there they moved to New Haven. One now
lives at the upper end of State street. An
other, Elias G. Woodruff, a cabinet
maker and afterwards a flute maker in Flute
vile. He left the flute business and was en-
ployed in the match factory of A. Beechef &
Son il Westville and worked in the spring
factory until he left as private. He joined
the volunteer forces on the Pacific coast and
there he formed friendships which were the
cause of the change in his life. Rumors re-
garding his success are as follows: He began
to speculate and formed an intimacy with
jim Keene On California street. San Francis
CO. 1t was there he began to rise. His
gains and losses correspondent with those of
Keene's, and both were almost always sue
cessful. He married and brought up two
daughters. His wife died and he now has
come back to the East, having left his
sons -in-law in charge of his interests. His
experiences nave DSoA niANA LIS CSSoPCS
remarkable He received wound in
border fight which now has to be dressed
daily. His mother, feeble lady of 81, and
his brother had long ago given him up for
dead.
Mr.. Woodruff was pleased with the great
care Mr.. CULVER has taken of his mother
and brother and proposed to take them to
Oakland place. He offered Mr.. Gulliver and
his wife $25, 900 each and their two children
So, 900 each if they would accompany them.
Mr.. CULVER will sell out his bookstore and
go West with his family and the Woodruffs
The rich man has talked of gold, silver and
greenbacks ill such a cool way as to make
California seem so full of money that all one
anyone to invest money there,
but he does advise his friends to go there
and offers to pay expenses and to guarantee
success. Mr.. Allen, of the firm of Allen,
Hitchcock & Co. on George street, is friend
of the millionaire and is interested in west
ern mines; he received magnificent offer
from Mr. Woodruff, but has not yet accepted
it. The rich man is pestered with daily
letters for aid, and the story of his great
wealth has made numerous friends flock
around him. Some have looked for his rat
ings in Bradstreet's and Dun's lists, but do
not find his name there, though, of course,
this does not count for much. Mr.. CULVER
was born in New Haven, and was
in his youth a clerk in Judd's book
store He kept the Westville pestofice
and library until he opened the store where
he is now about ten years ago. Both he and
his wife elated at their bright prospects.
The store will be closed Immediately. His
wifes father is clerk in Mr.. Gullivers store
and told his brother when he first met him
that his brother David had been dead twenty
years. He was very glad to learn of his
mistake.