Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-06-29
The Missiles of RslseFs.

Perhaps the most famous naiser
that ever lived vas John Elves. an
Englishman, Who died from NEGLECT
because he refused TO incur the sx-
pense Ofphysiciansa and nurses, though
worth not less than $4,000. 600. In
the case Of John Elves, his sordid
character was not the result Of 1gno-
rance, Tor he was a graduate Of q
swiss university and later IN life was
q member OF Parliament. His greed Of
gold vas an hereditary sin. he was
q son ora London brewer, who died
when the boy was only four years
old His mother survived. but to
such an extent did her passion for
money gain a hold upon her that,
though she had $500, 900 In her own
right, she actually starved to death.
An uncle. Sir Harvey Elves. was also
q mlser, ana the example Of these Two
blood relatives exercised such an in
huence upon John Elves that he be-
came the most famous miser OF three
centuries. After his return tn England
from Geneva Elves moved In fashion
able London society, where his pro
spective wealth entitled him to recOg-
milton.
When he visited his uncle In Suffolk,
where the latter lived in the most alb
Ject penury, his hopeful nephew would
play a double part. H6 would wear
his fashionable garments as tar as a
little inn In Chelmsford, where he ex-
changed them for a pair of patched
trousers, a worn out coat, darhed
stockings, and clOdhOpDer shoes with
iron buckles. In this attire he would
call upon his uncle. The latter would
not permit a fire on cold March days
on the score of its beign extravaganza,
and the two would sit with a crust of
bread and one glass of wine between
them until 1t was too dark to see each
Others faces, and then they would re-
tire to save the expense of candles.
When this uncle died ne lett his nephew
q fortune Of 81. 100000
As he grew older. John Elves devel-
oped the terrible avarice that marked
his lie by q passion for cards. He
would sit In his threadbare clothes
with the Duke of Northumberland
and play with feverIsh eye and tremb-
ling hand with thousands at stake,
and then after having lost or won as
the case might be, he would walk to
his miserable lodgings three miles dis.
tant, IN q pei6ering rain rather than
pay Tor q cab.
Elves owned a magnificent country
seat in Berkshire. When he would
leave London to visit it he would put
three hard boiled eggs and some crusts
OF bread IN his pockets, then mounting
q horse would ride over fields and
through lanes, going miles out Of his
way to avoid roads where he would
have to pay a lew pennies toll. A
more than faithful bIOgrapher says Of
him:
''He would eat his provisions in the
In the last stage Of putrefactiOn rather
than have fresh joint from the
butcher, and at one time he wore a
wig about a fortnight which he picked
out OF a rut in a lane and which had
apparently been thrown away by q
beggar."
At his country seat he allowed of
no repair save a little brown paper or
a bit OF broken glass. During the
harvest he would amuse himself with
going into the fields to CLEAN the corn
on the ground of his own tenants,
and they used to leave a little more
than common TO please the old gentle
man, who was as eager alter it as any
paaper in the parish. To save bed
coverings before his death, he would
go to sleep completely dressed with
boots and hat on. Hedied miserably,
his mind weakened by worry and
privatiOn. The value Of his fortune,
which went to two sons, was not less
than s., 600, 900.
Another celebrated miser was Eph.
rain LapeS Pereira, Baron d'Agui-
lar, formerly cashier to the Empress
Maria Theresa of Austria. Strange
to say. the early years Of his life at
the Austrian Court were years OF
splendOr. Then he moved to England.
married a wealthy lady and settled
down he lived IN sumptuOus style;
kept several carriages and twenty
servants. He was married twice, and
after the second marriage be left his
family and friends and withdrew him
self from the fashionable world. He
turned farmer. At this time he was
worth 81, 900, 900. After a year in
the country his place began to be
known as starvation FarmYard."
his cattle and poultry were a, mass of
skid and bones, and peasants began
to boot at the Baron whenever he
appeared Tor the mean treatment OF
his animals. He always insisted on
being present when the stock was
being fed so that he might see that
there was nothing stolen or wasted.
IL "SLS ADOuC MS -o5Li4A CIesu III mean
and dirty clothes, and refused TO
spend money to buy new ones. After
q life Of selhshness and meanness he
died IN March, 1902, leaving property
estimated at 81, 100000. His dia-
mOnds alone were worth $I50,O 900,
while his solid silver plate weighed
over 700 pounds.
But exceeding by far the example Of
John Elves is that of Daniel Dancer.
whose life is the most striking exam
pie perhaps in all history OF the insa.-
table thjTst for gold. His father died