The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-05-04
A MILLIONAIRE'S WlIIMS.
PlNcHING THE coPPERs THAT HE
MIGHT GIVE AWAY MILLIONS.

Save He Denied Himself Nlany Comforts.
In 1887 or 1855 Mr.. Williamson, who was
satisfied with the fortune ho had accumulated,
retired Ile was then worth 100000 and
was So years old, and the richest young mer-
chant in Philadelphia who had made his
money by his own exertions In those DAYS
he was social lion. He had a wide circle of
acquaintance and had tho cntrcc into tho
select society of tho town. He attended the
assemblies, fashionable balls and theatres,
and was quito beau. He spent money libcr-
ally upon his dress and was not inclined 60 I've
charitable at that time. He took notion
that he would like to SEQ the world and took
passage on packet ship for England. He
remained abroad for two years, and visited
the principal countries of Europe including
Russia. He returned to Philadelphia, in
tending to remain about six months and then
go abroad again, but hc got Interested i'll
some investments. He began to speculate in
coal lands in Pennsylvania and in other solid
securities and was very successful.
cELIDACY AND SOLITUDE.
In less than ten years after his return from
Europe, the then farmers boy of Bucks
county was ono of the four mllionaircs in
Philadelphia. He became cnyrosscd in money
making entirely, and Withdrew gradually
from the social pleasures which had formerly
been his delight. The dead millionaire, whose
fortune is estimated Mt from Sl2,0OO,OOO to
Sl5,OO0,00O, never married. For many years
lie seldom visited his relatives. After lie had
made million his life began to change and
he had no time for anything except money
making. Tho days and nights were not long
enough for him Mr. Williamson began To
be careless of his dress, and his head became
whito with ago and care, and he developed
into character and became very pcnros.
Whether there was ever u lovo affair in his
life is not known. Until ho was 40 years of
ago he sought tho society of women in So
clal way In his younger years dancing was
u great hobby with him He was ono of the
best dancers that ever appeared at Saratoga,
where he went every summer for several
years llo frequently led the grand march
at tho hops Mt tho fashionable hotels IIo
learned dancing from the best masters of
Philadelphia. Before tho change came in his
life he was never known to lose his temper.
fio was always atlable, obliSing and polite,
fond of good story, II good laugh and
good dinner Ilo never kept house, although
he was one of tho most extensive owners of
city dwellings in tho tax list. He passed his
lifr i'll boarding houses aud hotels until hc
was assailcd with (eeAlcness, when he went
to board with his niece, Mrs. Dcnckla.
For many years ho walked wherever he
went to save car faro and hack hir While
he was giving largely to charity he was prac-
tlcing an economy that in most men would
have been said to havo approached mcnness
1t is related of him that few years ago he
had room i'll an upper story of house on
Chestnut street, above Nineteenth IIo dis
covered that others were paying less money
for similar privileges He said nothing, but
he packed his trunk and, like Longfcllow's
Arab, stolc silently away IIo aftcrward in
dulscd in the luxury Of summer boarding n,
Bryn Mawr. a coach piled between the
railroad station and the hotel Mr. William
son used it for Il week Then Il bill was pre-
scntel to him for coach faro at the ratio of
ten cents Il ride. The old man glanced at the
bill Ill mild surprise He paid it without u
word of cNpostlllation. Tho next day the
driver of tho coach bowed obseuliously and
flung open his door as soon as tho bent form
OF hls millionaire customer aliShted from the
train. 1t was raining at tho time Mr.
Williamson raised his blue cotton umbrella
from which lo was never separated. and
without even a glance of recognition at the
nstonlsled coachman, trudged on up the
muddy road to the hotel
HIS coESs AND HIS BARBER
In the memory of tho oldest inhabitant Mr.
Williamson never appeared in a new suit of
clothes. Generations of bankers on Third
street were accustomed to see IL little, thin
bent, shabbily dressed figure making its way
painfully along the financial thoroughfare
with eyes seeking tho ground and hands be
hind tho back clutchng the blue cotton um
brclla
a second class tailor, who had shop on
one of the alleys bisccting Third street, re.
paired and cleaned Mr. Williamson's suit of
clothes With him tho director of dozen
powerful institutions and tho posscssor Of mil
lions of securities would hagglo for quarter
of an hourover tho charge of repairing coat
lining
In his later years Mr. Williamson suffered
so much from corns that he found himself
compelled either to give up pedal locomotion
or to submit to an operation Mt the hands OF
n chiropodist. On tho recommendation of
the officers of the Girard bank he called Oh
Chiropolist Goldberg, who had an ollico Oh
Chestnut street, and submitted to tho cxcis
ion When Goldberg presented his bill Mr.
Williamson paid it willingly and remarked
You are the only man who ever gave inc
the worth of my money"
Mr. Williamson never missed day at his
Office. which was for many years located at
30 Bank street He went there rain or shine,
III summer and winter Early in last year.
when his lnfirmltlcs began to tell upon him.
he was reluctantly compelled toprovide him
self with horse and carriage and Il coach
man He bought a PLAN one horse carriage
and very tame horse, and surprised his ac
qualntances by placing upon the p;lnelsof tho
carriage, II Williamson, private"
For years and years he was shaved in
Blanks barber shop, on Elbow lane Barber
Blank, i'll speaking of his millionaire Gus
TONER said:
'llo was generally tho last customer Of the
day to come H. and no matter how hot the
day might he he would insist upon having all
the doors and windows shut tight. believe
ho would have even stopped up tho key hole
so great was his dislike and fear OF adraught
While beng shaved Mr. Williamson never
talked, nor did he encourage it in his barber
He was never guilty during tho eight years
that he patronizcd my shop of hair cut.
HIS niece, he told me, always cut lis hair. !
was always sure Of my ten cents for my
shave, but no moro And ho never rcmcy
bcrcd mo at Christmas, but suppose he ny
thought Of it. Ono evening about o'G
he came into tho shop and was more fcebh
than usual. had to hang his coat and vest
up for him AS placed tho vest on the peg
1 saw fiat wad Of grccnbacks sticking out Of
lhe upper pocket, and there staring me in the
iaco was a thousand dollar bill. He must
have had a very large sum Of money on him
Tia. day, When he left and went into Elbow
i.nc it was pitch dark, and thought how
easy it would have been for even boy to
Eavo robbed hlm then. ."-Philadelphia Times
1t is moral right which really elegant
people have both at home and abroad to OBJ
icct - admitting to their social circles unpol-
isacc ignorant and vulgar persons.