The sun., 1889-11-10

But re Was Foolish Even 20 Send Them
to Mr.. Corn elIup YAnderhIIt.


Cornelius Vanderbilt has probably been
the recipient of more begging letters than any
other man In this country. Every European
mail alone brings dozen, written In almost as
many languages. The writer's usually have
tales OF woe to toll, and invariably wind up with
request for a respectable amount OF cash.
There arc some who only ask It as q loan,
while others, evidently with socialistio tenden-
cies, demand cool thousand as gift. Exag-
gerated accounts OF Mr.. Vanderbilt's wealth
find their way from time to time into the
European papers, and the impecunious indl-
viduals who read them think OF him as
nothing else than second Midas. A
curious fact about these letters is that
q large number OF them contain docu-
ments WHICH are OF priceless value to their
owners. They are recklessy sent over the
SSr and are s often By solemn nitestsr
tions before notary that the man is what he
represents himself 70 be. Others contain
vices which the owners are anxious to cell.
Three-fqnrths OF all these letters are never
@ arc packed away until iii they % arc heavily coated ted
with dust. 30 FREQUENT have these lettere be-
come that MIR. Vanderbilts secretary declinsss
around by the carriers which, comes from a
European source when the sender is not known
avalanche of letters to any great extent,
One Of the most curious instances of these
last wesk o'ffS fnr 'a W ASKED obtain tho
Snsns 9hieG Rs fSad ssnt On K Sr SsndsrSlt
tsrestins, one: He says he resiened from
with Sthe rank Of commissoned oficer
$ssss roSSs1 $sisS os%ss sS$
with d96ts and preyonted him marrying the
pany for twelve years. She was an orphan.
and he was anxious, as soon as his means per.
SSS Now 70 It fnG happened per ~s hs continues in his
an 0 that read X or G The
Of NeW York and Il occurred 1 to ms
to apply to him for assistance, stating IN my
letter our harrassing circumstances and en-
portance to me; my certificate Of commission
ed officer, decree Of appointment to the rail-
titling me % to ride del free S on all the roads Of our
system: also several receipts showing that
sa1ts to on ar
odsed as eandoa hem ID RSS a
course NO answer came to him, and. after wait
ing until Aug. 10. he wrote again. this time
heed @ Of which he was beginning to feel sorely
received No. Then he began to think
pists he had thought. He happened 70 read
in another Hungarian paper Of DR.. Webb's
pleasure trip in luXuriously appointed cars
across the country. 80 in despair he wrote to
the doctor to have him use his good services
too. When. his letter came to THE SUN
office. telling this story. one Of the
sst xgPD to es 9 tbd
story OF the Austrian. He turned The SUNS |
young man over to Mr.. Vanderbilt's private Sec |
spread the letters which 1t contained on the |
table. Half way DOWN the pile the missing |
received On the back Of the free pass spoken |
Of was the photograph OF O handsome. soldier |
~ appearing young man. who was the Austrian |
himself. His letter was written in an exquisite |
hand. and his face showed him to be evidently |
Il man OF refinement His documents were |
weighty with the seals and stamps OF the |
Austrian government. His address Was taken
down and Mr.. Depew ordered that the papers
be promptly sent back to him by registered LETT
ter to Vienna.