New-York tribune., 1886-02-21
JAMES HENRY PAINE'S MONEY
ETHAN ALLEN AT WORK FOR THE HEIRs.l
DID THE OLD MIsER sIGN WILL i-DoUBr THAY
HE LEFr MUCH PROPERTY.


HE LEFT MUCH PROPERTY.
Proper steps have been taken by the legal heirs
of James Henry Paine, the mser, whose wfetcned
death in an attic at No. III Bleecker-st. was
described III yesterdays TRIBUNE, TO find out what
became of the fortune he was known to possess at
one time. The heirs are the Cleggett family. Of
Boston. who are grandnieces and grandnePhews OF
They have communicated with Ethan Allen, OF
No. l02 Broadway who was James Henry Paine
legal adviser, and instructed him TO nvesugate the
mser's death and try to trace the missing wealth
81 will apply early next week." said Mr.. Allen
to TRIBUNE reporter yesterday. " Tor letters OF
will have every one examined who knew the ole
man or was near him just before and after his
death. For myself confess do INC not e believe s that
which he had been cuddlng in the lnlng OF ms
overc0at for several years before his death. That
roll used to him fumbling with ! should
Judge was several thousand dollars. asked HIM
once. Why do YOU carry that money about with
youi Why not put 1T in bankr HIS reply was
that all banks were scOundrels."
did you ever draw a will for Paine p asked the
reporter NJ ,uoa a1a.ot,o,, two r;uo for
him. He would either come to my 6tice or send me me
down o note saying he wanted TO See me when nc
wanted me to advise him about anything and
would meet hun at j. H. WardwelPs in East Four;
teenth-st He told me that he wanted the VIII
drawn to leave oil he had to MI Wardweli;
that he owed Mr. Wardwell more than ever he could
repay him. that be owed him more than $2o Ooo.
He made Wardwells Office his home on cold wlntry
in return for this he wished to leave HIM az ne
had. / would draw the will as he desired, with no
other bequest or any amount speclueo ana manu- IL
to him. would tell him all that was NECESSARY
was to sign his name and have ii witnessed falne
would take the document, put it in his old oyeTcoat
would be the last would hear of it, Whether he
signed one of these wills and it was among MS
effects when he died, do not know. never knew
Ibid he ever speak to you of his property |"
ale would talk to me- about the amount he had
invested IN the Chicago Land Company and Wan'ed f
me to institute suit and have the managers OF
that concern sent to prison. His interest do not
believe ever exceeded $4,000 in stock in the com
pany, but he talked necessarily of prosecuting the
company. Then after his brother. Robert Treat
Paine died in Boston it almost broke the oId man
heart that his brothers money was let 70 narvatH
the desire to break his brothers VIII. lie would
talk to by the hour of his brothers condition OF
mind and of his injustice in cutting hlm on, ms
brother and heir Yet his brother was kind TO him,
and know, sent money to MI Wardweu ior MIN
for years before he died"
Mr. Allen acknowl lodged that he was at 10 loss o TO
account for the disappearance OF the $3.50 900
paid to Mr.. Paine by Mr.. Boody. He must either
have had it stolen or lost it In speculation" said
Mr.. Allen. ii do not believe that he had it when
he died or had had it for years previous Why, Tor
years the man has been veritable beggar' street
mendicant'
The reporter was told by one who had also seen
great deal of Mr Paine in his last years in this
city that the $4,000 which was pad by Mardwen well
only the proceeds of bonds of the Chicago Land
Company. In addition to that, Paine held SlOo,OOO
in stock in the company, the latter beng worth
about 15 cents on the dollar. The reporters IN
formant said that one of the wills drawn by Mr..
Allen had been signed by Paine shortly before he
died and it should have been among his effects taat
efforts we're made to get Mr.. Wardweu 10 bid lot
the old mans papers and failing that. they were
turned over to L. Fl. Arnold, attorney Tor the fuD-
lie Administrator at No. 81 Wall-st 80
Mr. Arnold said Yesterday that the effects OF the
old miser were only notes or memoranda OF com,
paratfvely small transactions that Paine had had
with Wardwell ~ Pelton, piano men, ana Win
q Joe Seagrist the ticket speculatOr. Ihere was
no will The papers were turned over bY hin 10
the agent of the Public Administrator TO lnyesti-
gate. ,....L;
Mr. Paine for many years spent the majority OF MS
evenings and nearly every Sunday in the library OF
the Young Mems Christian Association. several
times he became repulsiye IN appearance that
the librarian was compelled TO forbid his coming
there again He took all such Tebuffs without COM
ment and In day two would return ana peg 10
be admitted Several times books that he had OBJ
tained to read were found laid away on vacant
shelves instead of being returned to the desk but
il was never thought that he stole OF the books
On SUNDAYS he would SIT there by the hour,
always remaining until after the attendant had
eaten his supper. As soon as the lunch brought
in the room, the old mi>er began 10 cast furtivc
up to the attendant. he would say: " Can you spare
a little of your support Give me bite OF bread.
Do You waat all your tea tonight sh0uIdnt
think YOU would want both bread and cake. lie
was fond of recalling incidents of his life as news
paper man and frequently remarked of one and
another singer: " He was good friend OF mine.
Nothing cOuld induce him to talk Of his financial
condition. although it was generally believed then
that he was mlseT.