Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-22

and the latter was conveyed to bank in
wheelbarrow. ..+
BELLEFoNTE, june 21.-Just after the
close of the late war there came to Belle
fonte from the South an old colored man,
and after few months spent in performing
odd jobs for residents in this place he con-
cluded to remain permanently here. He
purchased small plot of ground in the
vicinity of Bellefonte known as Halfmoon
Hill. inclosed the lot with high stone
fence, and thereon erected himself a small
hut. In this isolated and lonely old place
the old man "Frazier'-for such was his
name-has lived ever since, shut up from
everyone. He courted the presence of no
body, and very few there are who have been
even inside of Frazier's stockade, let alone
across the threshold of his humble domicile.
A more familiar figure than this bent, de-
crepid old man could not be seen on the
streets of Bellefonte. Every person knew
him, for once having seen him, in clothes
that were but a mass of patch upon patch,
no one could forget him. He would per-
form jobs of labor for any one, but always
demanded the highest prices for such.
His chief aim in life, it seemed. was to
raise hogs, the feed for which was the swill
he could gather from various places in town,
and a very common sight was old man Fra
zier with his old wheelbarrow, keg and
bucket trudging the streets and emitting the
perfume of an old "still."
AN ECCENTRIC CENTENARIAN.
It has always been suspected that he was
miser with plenty of money boarded up,
but if sucn was the case he had it safely Sc
cured near him, as no bank in town had
anything to his credit.
Many there were who tried to get at the
secret of his existence, but few there were
who ever got so far as inside his high stone
fence. A few who were more fortunate
than others interviewed the hermit, but
about all they could discover was a brief
history of the old mans life. and that was
neither golden nor yet lined with silver. But
the one source of comfort for those was that
they gained positive information that Fra
Zier was a very eccentric as we'll as very
old man, he now being about 104 years old.
He knew and can remember Washington,
was slave the greater part of his life, and
as soon as free travelled North and located
in BelIefonte. That is his story in brief.
Lately the old man has been seen less on
the streets of Bellefonte, and the authorities
deemed it advisable to look after his well
fare. A few days ago trip was made to
his abode, and the old man was found in
starving condition, blind and somewhat de-
mented. He was fixed up and man putt
charge, after the authorities were satisfied,
upon a thorough investigation of the prem
ises, that there was no hidden treasure.
GREAT BAGS OF MONEY.
The old man demurred against anyone be-
ing left there, and loudly declared that he
was robbing him. This again aroused sus-
picion, and accordingly yesterday three re-
sponsible men visited the old cabin, and,
after many arguments and much persuasion,
succeeded in inducing Frazier" to divulge
the hiding-place of his treasure, which was.
under the rough floor of his hut.
Search was at once made but no one was
prepared for the surprise that was occasioned
when the miser's boarded wealth was dis
closed. Bags of coin were what met the
gaze of the onlookers, and to convey them to
a bank wheelbarrow had to be used. One
bag was so large it took the united efforts Of
two men to carry it in the bank. The con-
tents of one bag only were counted, and it
contained little more than 81 900, all in
pennies, 2-cent pieces and nickels, but was
mostly filed with the old-fashioned large
penny.
The other bags were filled with gold and
silver coin and were more valuable. There
were also some greenbacks and bank notes
as well as some valuable securities. No one
has the least idea of the exact amount OF the
old mans pile, as it was not counted, but
only deposited in the bank vault for safe
keeping, but it is safe to venture the opinion
that it runs well up in the thousands. It is
evidently the accumulation of the most
miserly saving of score of years.