The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-09-22
Special to the CARBON ADVOCATE.
BROADBRIM'S N. Y. LETTER.


Ter years ago in all of this great city no
two names were better known than those
of George Law and Jesse Hoyt. Both had
been identified with the city's business un-
dertakings and specuations for many years,
and both had succeeded in accumulating
several millions of dollars; both of them
had succeeded also in earning the detesta-
tion of their fellow men by lives of mean
ness and oppression, so that when death
overlook them there were no mourners-
nothing but expectant heirs, who were
mostly disappointed in their taking off. In
many respects there was wonderful re-
semblance between the two men; the ma
lures of both we're grasping and pitiless;
debtors were pursued with ferocity till the
uttermost fartAing was paid; forgiveness of
an obligation was unknown TO them; pen
urious in their style of living, it seemed to
be the business of their lives to pinch and
screw and add to the golden pile, which
they expected would be their monuments.
Jesse HoYt was general speculator in pro-
duce, and George Law was mixed up in
many great undertakings with steamboats,
and railroads, and at the time of his death
was the owner of the lease of one of the
principal ferries between New York and
Brooklyn. While George Law lived the
ferry-houses were the most wretched wrecks,
and the ferry-boats were disreputable old
hulks, that daily and hourly threatened
the lives of the passengers. Prayers and
entreates were alike in vain. While the
passengers suffered George Law piled up
the dollars that he meyer could enjoy, and
he kept on piling them up till one day death
came knocking at the door. His family
was small, consisting only of his wife and
one soma young man whose recent per-
formance at Saratoga has set all New York
agog.
When old George Law, after accumulat-
ing several millions. was called to his final
account, this hopeful young gentleman was
the only heir to his enormous wealth. He
had hardly laid his father in the grave, and
got possession of his bank book, when he
started out to see the world, which up to
that moment was as much of blank to
him as the Mountains of the Moon. He
made the acquaintance of a pack of gam
blers, prize-fghters and fast men, and the
fact that some of bis choice associates had
served time in States Prison, seemed rath-
er recommendation than detriment.
One can easily understand, that with un-
limited means and with such company,
there was not much ON the shady side of
life that this modern Caligula did not see.
The prize ring, the race-course and the
gambling-hell knew him well, and in their
crowning act of shame and folly took place
last week at Saratoga, when he inyited a
party of gamblers and toughs into saloon
and sent for prominent jeweler of the
diamond studs and rings, the aggregate
value of which was nine thousand dollars.
George Law left colossal fortune, but if
his heir is not restrained by the courts and
his property put in the hands Of trustees,
he may yet share the fate of ''coal-oil John
NY" and become a saloon hummer, living
on the memory of his former wealth.
The heir of Jesse Hoyt is not more fortu
natelYlthan the heir of George Law. Her
unfortunate habits led to her Incarceration
in lunatic asylum just before her father
died, and her conduct just previous TO his
decease was worse to him than the bitter
ness of death. Desiring as far as possible
TO securse her against the chances of power
ty, he left the income of a million and a
half of dollars for her in trust. She has
made desperate and determined fight to
get possession of the principal, but so far
without success, and just now she is keep
ing out of the road of the New York courts
for fear of being adjudged lunatic. The
man who had wrestled with his fellows in
the battle of life, who cornered the market
on wheat and corn, who gloated oyer his
success while ruin was all around him, died
miserably, regarding his only child as his
bitterest enemy-fearing the sight of her at
his dying bed. These two heirs are all that
remain of two Of the richest men in New
York twenty years ago.
A genuine sensation was the arrival in
the city of the Democratic candidate for
Vice-President, the Hon. Allen G. Thur
man. Whatever may be our difference in
regard to parties, there can be no question
about the hold that the grand Old Roman
has on the mass of the Democracy, and
New York turned out to give him right
royal welcome. But about that welcome
there were some very singular features,
which to an outsider seemed anything but
know we have tough pop
ulation, and it is necessary that good order
should be maintained; but the manner in
which that order was carried out merits
the severest condemnation. It is safe to
say that there is not man or woman in
New York who would haYe offered the
slightest offence to Allen G. Thurman
but the police acted as if his life was in
danger, and drove the crowd back as If he
was in fear of assassination. After his ar
rival al the Fifth Avenue Hotel, eordons of
police guarded every avenue of approach,
making the hotel look as If 1t was in
state of siege. When General jackson
visited New York sixty years ago, ne rode
on horseback the entire length of the city
without body-guard, except such as the
hospitable citizens gave him. The same
may be said of General Grant, General
sherman, General Sheridan, and hosts of
other great men; and aside from every
other view, II was entirely undemocratic,
and was a bitter disappointment to many of
MIR. Thurman's admirers and friends. His
reception at the Madison Square Garden