Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-18
A Rem arkabIe MiEPP.

There was a sensation in the Surro-
gates Court in New York city on Wednes-
day during the trial of case in which
John ii. Wardell is trying to prove that
the late James FL. Paine, who was widely
known as a miser, made a will in his
favor. Paine died few months ago and
the newspapers contained lengthy
sketches OF his life and misery habits.
He begged his food and denied himself
decent clothes. He rented little room
for 81 month aud did his cooking him
self. He hadn't much cooking to do,
however, as he lived upon scraps OF food
that he picked up In one place and
another. For many months before his
death be did not wear shirt, and his bed
was an old straw mattress and one quilt.
At his death there were a few who be-
lieved that he had concealed large sum
OF money somewhere, and a vigorous
search was begun for it. Finally a Chi
cage, banking institution announced that
it bad some certificates of shares in land
company which belonged to Palne's es-
tate, the value OF which was about $4,000.
IL was finally concluded that this was the
extent OF the dead misers wealth, and
that if he ever had any greater sum than
that he lostit in speculations.
1t was understood that Mr.. Chickering,
the well-known manufacturer of pianos.
had a little package that Paine had left
with him, and he was appointed admins
traitor of the estate. In his testimony on
Wednesday he was asked about this pack
age, and he gave the history of it.
Eighteen years ago Paine entered his
place of business, and handing him a
small parcel asked him to put 1t in his
private safe. He did as requested. Only
once did Paine ever ask about it, and then
be merely inquired If 1t had been put in
the safe as requested. The answer satIs-
fed him. Soon after Paine's death MIR.
Chickering opened the package in the
presence OF witnesses and found that
1t contained four $4,000 certificates OF
deposit in the Metropolitan Bank; $4,000
in bills OF the same bank which are now
Of no value, nineteen 800 bills of the
BULBS Head Bank, and two 500 bills OF
the Columbia Bank, both OF which banks
are now defunct, and S342,350 10 in
national currency. In addition there
were ninety-one shares OF the Chicago
Land Company.
This was the miser's fortune. At the
time that he deposited IL with Mr.. Chick
ering its value was about $4,000 Had
it been kept properly invested it would
have amounted to nearly $l,000,000 at the
time Of Paine's death.
No one can doubt that Mr., Chickering is
a thoroughly honest man, and perhaps no
one ever did doubt it. He could have ap-
propriated the currency, and, as far as
now appears, no one would ever have
been the wiser. IL IL safe to say that
there are those who pass for honest men
who would have acted differently:
but though there are doubtless men
who would have shown the same sterling
integrity that MIR. ChiokerIng has, il
would not be an easy matter TO find a
parallel to the course pursued by the
miser Paine. A miser who not only does
not make use OF his gold, but who does
not even care to see it, is character so
unknown TO human experience to as
make IL almost safe to conclude that
Paine was the first and last OF that kind.
The Comte de Paris tells his friends and
adherents in France that the monarchy
is the government in reserve. Very true,
aud IL is likely TO stay there for some time
TO come.