Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-31
CLOSE OF A REMARKABLE CA
RtER
Incidents In the Life OF j. 5. Lighthall,
the "DiamOnd King"
FromtG4 N1as York Timsk.

From the Nelo York Timex
ELMIRA, n. V, Jan. 27.-rhe death OF
j. S. LighthalI, the Diamond King and
medicine fakir, at San Antonio, Tex, and
who left $50, 900, closes very remarkable
career. six years ago Lighthall, then
only "a years old, took TIE role Of ''cure
all" and sold what be called Indian oil on
the street corners. he made money and
soon employed a brass band of eight
picked up pieces to attract croad. He
added to his stock cure for consump-
ton, tooth powder and blood purifier. He
had a slight knowledge of dentistry and
pulled teeth free, the work being done
very RAPIDLY. The band played during
the operation to drown the yelling OF
the patient. Two years ago the party
''worked'' Nashville, Tenn, there being
eight men and two women IN the band,
among whom was George Roberts. Of
Elmira. grear faVorlte vita the doctor.
From Nashville the party dritted souLh
ward. when Lightball discovered that
other parties were selling Indian oil. He
| then changed the name to Spanish oil and
increased his company to 81 persons by
taking in several SpanIards, Indians, and
Mexicans, and thereafter showed in 100
foot round tent. Concerts were given,
while Li9hthall was kept busy passing
| out medicine, and hts assistant fakirs sold
1t among the audience. Big crowds were
| attracted everywhere, aud money rolled
in very faat. The company occupied
tents, and ''lived on the fat of the land, -
as Roberts expressed it. The medicine,
except the consumption cure. was manu-
featured at Peoria, ILL.,, by LiRhUhsll' 8
| mother and her third husband, Isaac
Wright, formerly q resident of Millport,
this county. From Peoria the stuff was
| shipped in barrels to the camp, where it
was put in bottles and labeled.
LIghthalPs father was a chief of the
TOnawanda Indians, quarter blood, and
several years ago he lett his wife. She
afterward married a maH named John
son. The latter also left home suddenly,
but subsequently turned up, when he
found Wright in bis place as husband.
johnson Travelled as a detective Tor Light
| hall and kept order in the camp. "Dr."
| Charles Lockwood, a member of the
! Llgbthall party, became enamored OF
| LightnaPs wife, and, his love having
been recIprocated, the pair fed from the
| camp, taking with them a splendid pair
| Of horses and medicine wagon, and made
| good their escape, finally taking up their
/ abode in BnghamtOn, n. 7. johnson
worked up the case and two years ago
| Lighthall, Wright, Roberts and johnson
came 10 Elmira. and, after maturing
| plans, BinghamtOu was reached In dis
guise, and by a clever ruse Lockwood was
| taken out OF town, and Lighthall then
went tn the Lockwood residence, sur
| prised his wife Kit" and ascertaining
| where the horses and wagon we're, took
| possession of them and speedily drove
across the Pennsylvania line. continuing
until he Joined the camp at Richmond,
| Ind. When lockwood eloped he left a
| wife and one child in Illinois, and Light
| nall. taking compassion on the woman,
made her superintendent Of cooking in
the camp at good salary. When the
whereabouts of Lockwood and his Illegal
wIie became known they lett suddenly
for Canada and their whereabouts are
unknown.
DR.. Lightnall was known as the SDia-
mOnd KING on account of his great love
for diamonds. He wore ring In which
were l73 stones and pin that was simply
enormous. He had a watch made tor him
similar to that worn by Alvin Joslyn, p
stones encircling the case. Lighthall
was a great favorite with his assistants.
and nothing was wanted by any OF them
that was not supplied by him. He was
charitable, and on many occasions when
pooc people applied for medicine the bot
tie was handed to them wrapped in a $40
or $40 bill.
Nj. Rorerts believes that LiRhthall took
in over 100000 a year while he was with
hin, aud must have been worth a great
deal more than reported at the time of his
death.