Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-10
ECCENTRICITY.
CAPTAIN "BxE" RIcHARDsoPs
WEALTH AND QUEER WAYS
His Business. Clothes, Houle, Furniture,
Ornaments. AID Carriages All
Secondhand
Nov YORK Tribunal


called, was a well-known figure in Hair
lem for years Most of the people who
attended his funeral week ago last
night went to ii from curiosity, for the
Old man was better known on account
OF his eccentricities tlan for any other
reason, not excepting his wealth, though
he was worth millions when he died, and
his fatal illness was the result of an at
tempt by him to save part Of his hard
earned fortune. He went to Washington
to defend his interest in Northwestern
railroad, the question at issue in the suit
brought against him being the validity
of some mortgage bonds. Mr.. Richard
son exposed himself recklessly, and
caught his "death Of cold this time
literally.
The estate Of the old Captain is worth
probably $1,000, 900 beyond all indebted
ness and possibly more, for 1t is difficult
to ascertain the exact value of his pos
sessions. The management Of the pro-
perty was not ideal, and it is remarka-
bic, perhaps, that the usual will contest
does not promise 10 deplete the estate.
The inheritance is scattered over six
States. The Captain owned the quarrles
in ST. Genevieye, Mo-, whence the gro
mite for the State Capitol and for one Of
the big Missouri-riyer bridges WIS
obtained. in Utah he held stock
in the Utah and Northern railroad
and real estate at Salt Lake City.
In Michigan he was one OF the principal
stockholders OF the Saginaw and North
ern Michigan railroad. In California,
his old stamping-ground,' as he called
it. real estate and dock property were
under his control On the Farralone
islands, the Ear Alones," be called
them, he held guano-helds and "eRg-
| plantations. In New Jersey he had
/ farms and town property in many places,
and he possessed similar holdings IN New
York and Brooklyn. In the latter city
his dock property alone amounted to
81, 600, 900 in value, for of the sixty lots
he held he sold one only month ego for
$4,000. His tenants numbered 4l6,
and there is not one among them who
does not regret the old mans death.
HI CALLED HIS HOME "FoET LINCOLN. y
When "Unclo Ben" died be was
seventy-seven years DID, and there were
/ few inhabitants OF Harlem who did not
! know OF him and his peculiarities. His
eccentricites first became generally
known about fifteen years ago. AT that
time he occupied a peculiar square
rooted frame house in One-hundred-
and-twenty-fft street between Fourth
and Madison avenues. The house had
dormer windows, and the captain made
portfolios out of them and mounted .
couple of "Quaker guns 10 the garret.
| The frowning wooden cannon and the
strange adornments OF the place attract
ed general attention, and doubts were
frequently expressed regarding the san
ity Of the proprietor. lie was proud OF
his home, and with patriotic Inspiration
called the house "Fort Lincoln.
About eight years ago the Captain
moved to the place where he died. re
bought a piece Of ground bounded by
One.hundred- and-sixteenth street, One
hundred-and-hfteen street, Pleasant
avenue. and the East river. At thattime,
as for wears before, he was IN the "buiid-
inC-iunk" bnsiness-that Is, he bought
condemned houses and stored tho old
material. His yards were at Pleasant
avenue and One-hundred-and-twenty-
fourth street, and an old sign bearing
the words " Benjamin Richardson, Con
tractor" still holds guard over remark
/ able collection OF old rubbish. the old
man was accustomed to look out for bar
gains, and his faculty for dicovering an
ADVANTAGE in a transaction was admlra-
bic. Everything he bought was "second-
hand.
He had secondhand clothing, horses,
and carriages. There was nothing new
about him, his place or his immediate
surroundings. yet everything was kept
in fine order ana fairly spoke OF thrift.
The Harlem school-chiIdren have often
seen old "Uncle Ben" stop his rickety
horse aud climb out of his rickety car
rage to pick up stray brick along the
road. When he bought his new property
there was nothing on it in the shape OF a
building, but that deficiency was soon
remedied. The Captain bought dig
square-roofed frame house and occupied
One hundred and fifteenth street, to
the disgust of its inhabitants, for sew
The old bnilding was set up IN position
in the centre OF the plot Shanties and
houses were moved to the place in rapid
succession, and before long the Cap
tain had village OF odds and ends OF
architecture, their roofs pitching IN all
directions One OF his achievements
was the reconstruction of the historic
"Deckers boat-house," which he bought
for Junk, and moved up from the river.
/ All these curiosties he repaired care
fully with the old building material he
had gathered, and with remnants OF
different cOlored paints he made the col
lection look unique. if not attractive.
HIS HOUSE, THE sTRANGEsT OF ALL.
His own house, however, was the
strangest of all, and the reason for some
of his freaks in adjoining his house will
forever be wrapped in mystery. Over
the entrance he put an old sign. which
bore the words "Charity House." Upon
entering the visitor was sure to be startled
by the diversity OF the furniture, some OF
which was hoary with age. Over the
sitting.room door another inexpli-
cable motto read None of these wo-
men you see here is my wife. This Was
apt to embarrass stranger until some Of
Uncle Ben's other oddities would set
him at ease. Immediately behind the
house was the garden, and facing it a
long veranda. The open spaces between
the pillars of the latter the proprietor
had Tiled in with secondhand window
frames, after the manner OF cOnserva-
tory, bat instead of the fora the glazed
apartment formed a protection for stuffed
specimens Of the fauna of the world.
A giraffe gorged with sawdust and boa
constructor filed with hay were the old
mans fayorites.
The garden itself was model, and
received the most careful attention from
the owner Frequently in the summer
months, at 1 o'clock in the morning,
Mr.. Richardson would appear, clad in a
shirt, a calico skirt belonging to one Of
his female servants, and a pair OF slip
pers without socks. His granddaughter