Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-15
MIsERs AND THEIR HOARDs

secouG-class rnatter.l
MIsERs AND THEIR HoARDs.
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 that, in many cases, property
thus found is taken possession ofby persons
whom the msers never intended to benefit,
namely, their heirs-at-law and next Of kin.
1t Is pretty certain that misers OF both SEX
es existed years ago, as they do i'll cur own
Guy. and the following notes concerning
| some notable examples Of this class OF mono
manlacs may not be uninteres;ing. Oi
those who made it rule Of their lives 10
saather gear by every VILE" the case Of
NJ. Osterwald, who died at Paris in 1871, is
remarkable as showing that the richest man
in a city may also be the most miserable
one. He was the son of poor minister,
and began life as clerk in a banking house
at Hamburg, where he acquired a small
sum, which ne augmented by his specula-
| tious into business and his economical mode
of living. He afterward came to Paris,
where he accumulated his enormous fortune.
He was bachelor-the expenses Of wife
and children being incompatible with
his frugal mode of living. He mad for
servant poor wretch whom he never per
mtted to enter his apartment. Ho had
always promised that at his death be should
be handsomely lecompensed, and accord.
inply be left him pittance of six months
wages and suit Of clothes, but, as he ex-
presslv stated, mot the most new" i. few
| davs before his death some Of his acquaint-
| auces, who saw that he was reduced to the
| last extremity by want of nourishment, pro-
posed to him to have some soup. "1es,
yes" he replied, sit is easy totalk OF soup
| but what is to become Of the meat?" Thus
| died one who was reported TO be the richest
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 Eo,-
! 900 600. Under his pillow was found 900
| livres in paper money.
The neighborhood where Mary Luhornc
died seems 10 he still famous for its misers
In 1877 there died st Woowich, England,
n Mr.. Johr Clark, aged cighty-six. He is
described as having been . man of educa-
ton, but a very Singular character. AL
though reputed to be immensely wealthy,
he was very miserly in his habits, and lived
to the last in squalid hovel in the poorest
| part OF Woolwch; the greater portion OF
| his life was spent in the accumulation OF
| hoois, Of which he left large store. II was
reported that the front shutters o! his
| house had not been opened fer over thirty
wears: he never took q regular meal, nor
| did he know the taste of wines o: spirits.
Yet, Notwithstanding that nc llVed ID such
den and suffered shch privations, ne
reached an octogenarian age, aud dled
worth 100000 or thereahouls.
An instance of misery habits in the great
apd noble is 10 be found in the case Of that
renowned Captain, the Duke of Marlbor
ough, cf whom it is chronicled that, when
in The last stage Of life and very nlirm, he
| would walk from the public room in Bath
to his lodgings on II cold, dark night TO save
sixpence in chair hire. He died worth
| 81 100000.
II is recorded of Sir James Lowther that,
| after changing piece Of silver in Georges
coffee house, and paying twopence for mis-
| dish of coffee, be was helred into his char.
OF The was then very lame and inGrml and
| went home. Some time after he returned
to the same coffee house on purpose to ac-
| quaint the woman who kept it that she had
eiveu him a bad half penny, and demanded
another in exchange for it. Sir James ls
stated to have then had about $1,000 per
annum coming in, and was at loss whom
to appoint his heir.
Sir Thomas Colby, an official high in Of
fee, shortened his existence by his passion
for this worlds goods, as appears by the
following anecdote: He rose in the mid
pie Of the night, when he was in very pro.
| fuse perspiratiou, and walked down stairs
to look for the key of the cellar, which lie
had inadvertently left on \ table in IL pnrlor;
he was apprehensive that his servants
might seize the key and rob him OF . bottle
of port wine, instead of which he bimseli
was seized with chill and died intestate
leaving over 81 600 600 in the funds, which
was shared by five or six day laborers, who
we're his next of kin. Marvellous good
luck for his poor relations!
at Northheet, England, there died IN
1872 Mr.. Page, dealer in limestone ard
gun fints, by which occupation, and by Q
most penurious way of living, be had ac'
cumuiated fortune of some 100000. lie
lived alone in large house for seVera
wears, no one coming near him but an Ole
woman of the village, who once day Wen
to make his bed His death was occasioneo
by his running u knife into the palm OF hl:
hand while opening an oyster
Some wears since 81 chitfonnler Tor rag ant
refuse gatherer) died intestate III France
having literally 'scraped" together AGO.
francs, the whole OF which went to the hel
at law. .-New York Star