Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-18
Speaking of Mr.. Thaw's benefactions Mr.,
Semple said:

Speaking of Mr.. Thaw's benefactions Mr..
Semple said:
A great many thought Mr.. Thaw gave indis
crIminately to charities. but this is a mistake
was taken i'll he showed me list of over L4O0
names, persons to whom he had given S5 or
more during the last two years, and he re-
marked at the time that he had reason to be;
upon his benevolence. Yes, there were two or
three clergymen who acted as his almoners in
the distribution OF money.
Mr.. Semple was requested to state whether
or no Mr.. Thaw had employed for several
years q confidential agent who had done
nothing but trace the records of those who
asked for aid. He replied:
AS to that 1 cannot say. But do know that
by some means Mr.. Thaw posted himself about
all who were applicants for his assistance in
any respect A great many struggling young
men and women owe their eduoatIons to his
liberality, but Mr.. Thaw's main charitable work
was systematic and not desultory. Yes, un-
derstand that the body will be brought to Pitts
burg for interment. The family all wish it.
But nothing positive will be known until Mon
day.
FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES.
It is a singular fact that man OF Mr..
Thaw's wealth should be so slimly repre-
sented in the banking circles of Pittsburg.
As a matter of fact the deceased was not a
director of any bank in the city. For many
years his private account was kept at the in
stitution which was at first Semple & Jones,
then Semple, Thompson d Co.. and latterly and
at present W. r. Thompson & Co. 1t is learned
on the best authority that fully three-ffths of
mated at from slQ000,00C to Sl20O00O0
lis invested in railroad holdings, the
bulk being in the Pennsylvania Railroad.
A large amount is alb represented in
an interest in the consolidated 1nman and In
ternational Ocean Steamship Line. Mr.. Thaw
was also astockholder in the Tehuantepec Ship
Ilos1, .0f Il
Andrews, of Pittsburg is engineer. 1t was one
of Mr.. Thaw's peculiarities to invest in mort
cages. He held at the time of his death nearly
sIOooO S having in V Sreat 1g fsits rom in siT the se
realty of his native city. As men,
Der of the Third Presbyterian Church
his creed of beneyolence knew neither sect nor
race distinction. His alma mater. the Western
University. received nearly $4,000 from him,
and the Western Theological Seminary, Han
over, Oberlin, Geneva, Carroll and Maryville
Colleges, and Wooster University, all strug-
Cling institutions, have occasion to remember
his bountiful aid. The Allegheny Observatory
was also recipient of his bounty. 1t would
be difficult to instance a public institution
in the two cities which had not at some
time in its career found willing contributor
singular aversion to life assurance. The best
writers" in America have attempted to insure
his life, only to retire baffied from the effort.
He only carried very few thousands upon his
AID TO ART AND ARTISTS.
Mr.. Thaw furnished the means to give musi-
cal and artistic education to scores of deserving
young people of promise. One of his most
successful proteges was Frederick Clark,
the gifted husband of Mime. Steiniger-
Clark, the greatest living exponent of
Beethoven. Mr.. Clark was in the store
of Mellor, Hoene & Henricks years ago and
Mr.. Thaw furnished the means for an Euro
va eiY 4 10
stated thar Mr.. Clark was able to repay his
benefactor at the time of his last visit to Pitts
burg. Another protegee, musically, was Miss
Blanche Seaman, a gifted vocalist, pupil of
Clement Tetedoux, who has since contracted
brilliant marriage in New Y Iork
Among artists there is scarcely one of Pitts
burg's colony who has not had Mr.. Thaw's
kindly and practical appreciation. His house
contains many pictures by home talent 1t is
Anna Henderson and Olive Turney was made
possible by Mr.. Thaw's generosity.
The boom" which fortunately befell the Ex-
position was undoubtedly ascribabie to Mr..
Thaw's proposition of June, 1883 offering to be
one of five to give 5000 to the Exposition.
How that subscription swelled to leviathan
proportions is easily within recollection.
Speaking of this subscription,the Exposition
authorities say that while they have marked
il down as a regular integral of the tep-year
loan fund, they have every reason to believe
that Mr.. Thaw intended the sum as gift out
right.
RECENT INSTANCES.
In both the Wiley and Johnstown disasters
Mr.. Thaw gave large sums for the alienation
of the resultant distress, his cash subscription