The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-09-08

he government paper, Hundreds ofthous-
.nds of dollars of this counterfeit were
catered abroad before the authorities
we're made aware of It. In the meantime
had got up nodding acquaintance with
nv neighbor. He recognized me as the
back window, and recognized him as the
nan that sometimes saw on his back
,toop playing with little poodle dog.
When we next met on the cars, as we
did, he nodded and said "Gosd
day." which salutation 1 always returned.
One day he asked me to take drink; 1t is
not necessary for the truth of history to
say whether did or not, but certainly
thought It very civil of him, and he hoped
we might get better acquainted, and
said, Eyes"
Some weeks after that there was the Wild
est excitement in police circles. The forg-
er of the $10Treasury note had been caught
and better than that, the plate itself had
been secured. 1t was fine piece OF detec-
tive work and the result of many months
of severe labor. On the day Of the trial /
though would go over and report the case.
After entering the court l took my seat
near the reporters table. The clerk called,
"Oh, yes; oh, yes; oh, yes come into court,
when who should march in between
couple Of officers but my respectable neigh
Dor, who turned out to be Brockway, one
of the cleayerest forgers in the world. He
was convicted and sentenced TO long term
in States Prison, which owing to good con-
duct was shortened several years. He is
new out of prison, but 1t is unnecessary to
say that we have not yet renewed our ac-
quaintance.
Almost every week some one dies here
who in life seemed poor enough but after
death 1t is discovered that sometimes they
possessed millions, and frequently hun
dreds of thousand. 1t is hardly necessary
to speak of Payne, who led life of misery,
filth, starvation and rags, and who died in
wretched room, six by eight, upon a pile
of rags, and yet for twenty years friend
of his had three hundred and fifty thousand
dollars in bank bills tied up in an old hand
l.
not even the holder of the handkerchief
till after Paync's death.
Another case was that of an outcast
printer who for years was so filthy and dis
gusting that no office in the city would give
him work, although he was skilled print
er. He got his food out of the ash-barrels
and swill cans, and at last died in the gut
ter; when they cut his shirt away from his
foul body they found eight bank books
with deposits aggregating forty-two thous-
and dollarsl
Another case was that of two old maid
sisters who lived in an old-fashioned house
down town. They lived most penuriously,
keeping girl, whom they nearly starved
to death. At last they both became so weak
that it became necessary to get further as
sistance. A stout young Irisbman was en-
gagged, and he acted as a sort of major
domo. Then the elder sister died; after
that the younger, who was about seventy,
seemed to grow stingier than eyer. Pat
rick had a pretty hard time to live, and
harder still to get his wages. This old wo-
man had only one faded calico dress which
she wore continually, and she spent most
of her time in dark gloomy room, lying
on an old ragged lounge. A clerical-look-
ing man used to come on the first OF the
month and give her package of bank bills
and without any unnecessary words, depart
One day the old lady was found on the
ragged lounge in the kitchen, and shortly
afterwards will was presented for probate
the estate footing up one million and sil
hundred thousand dollars. The clerica
gentleman named therein for trifiing be
quest of FIVE hundred thousand dollars, ant
was virtually given charge of the othel
eleven hundred thousand dollars to dispense
to certain charities and churches as he saw
fit.
This brings me to the bequest of an oil
fool by the name of Wood, who, by one o
these freaks of nature, no fellow know
exactly how, accumulated property amount
ing to oyer million OF dollars. He was
fussy, arrogant, pompous old tool, wh'
looked at everything from financia
standpoint. He had made money, ant
consequently he was a great man; hi
neighbor had not made money, and as
consequence he was of no account. Ii
lived fool and he died fool, his onl
desire being to perpetuate his name. III,
might have had an immense bust of him
self made in wood as big as the Statue o
Liberty, and on top of the head he nigh
haye placed block of wood, and then lef
1t to posterity to guess the enigma, but h
did not. One time he was going to built
the biggest steamboat in the world, ant
again he thought of a twentY-story house
Some one suggested the founding of
hospital; he thought that was grand ide
and so made his will. Two weeks after,
couple of clever knaves got hold of him ant
induced him to stop the hospital idea an,
found the Wood College of Music. Bette
still. Here was chance to have his praise
sung forever. The trustee told him If h
, would have it inserted in the charter tina
every year for thousand years granC
chorus of five thousand voices should sing
pecan of praise to his memory. And h
forthwith composed the following verse.
"Hurrah for woodl Hurrah for woodl
He did us all considable good
He did us all the good he could!
Hurrah for Wood Hurrah for Woodv'
That settled 1t. He destroyed the othe
will and made one founding the Woo
College of Music, and then turned up hi
/; toes. Ten years have almost passed since
and the trustees have taken care of the oil
mans property. No college of music ha
> yet materalized, and the estate has rapid
[ dwindled away while the pockets of tn
90. -. s..,a,,,, f.A D,,s IA 4. - -,