Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-13
FRISCO'S SHYLOCK.
Death Of n Man Whom Mo-
body Mourns.
HIS WEALTH WON BY ExToRTIoN.

He Begins on q Small Capital And Dies
Worth s15. 900, 900, Leaving Nothing
for Charity-An the City Editors But
the One Who Got the Exclusive
News Curse Him for Dying So Sud-
denly-Incidents In His Career.
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. l3.-Nicholas Lun-
ing, one Of the largest real estate owners
Of San Francisco and worth over SIS, 000.-
700, died at midnight Monday night of
heart disease, but so quiet was his death
kept that only one paper secured the
aews. Just before going to press the
other city editors cursed the millionaire
Tor dying In such an unreasonable way,
Just as hundreds of his poor creditors
cursed him in life for his rapacity and
lack of bowels. Luning was nearly 20
gears old, but he had good constitution
and walked about the street briskiy on
The day that de died.
His Start In Life.
After hearty dinner he went to a the
itre, and when he returned to his rooms
in the Palace hotel he fell into chair and
lied in an hour. Luning was a native of
Hamburg, and came here In 1Si9 with q
small capital in ready cash and became n
money lender in a small way. When the
Eldorado gambling saloon and other re-
sorts of like character were in full blast
around the old plaza, Luning laid the
foundation of great fortune by advanc-
ing money to unfortunate gamblers at a
nigh rate of interest, and taking as secur-
ty watches, diamond pins, revolvers and
other valuables.
Looked Out for Number One.
He gradually enlarged his field and be-
came a banker. Early merchants had to
have ready money to make payments to
eastern firms every steamer day." when
the regular steamer left for Panama, and
Luning became chief lender on such occa-
sions, and exacted from 6 to IL per cent
per month for the use of his coin. His
tayorits Investment was mortgages on
good real estate, and by foreclosures he
became possessed of several millions of
dollars worth of property for quarter
what it was worth. He WAS stakeholder
in the Bank of California when Ralston's
speculations swamped it, but he advanced
very little money to save the bank from
failure, allowing his associates to bear the
burden.
The Surprise Didn't Materialize.
Luning never failed to foreclose mort
gage when it fell due, and he never
showed mercy to poor creditor Hence
he was universally disliked, and it is
probable none mourns his death He init.
mated two weeks ago to friend that his
will would be a surprise to the public, but
it isn't, for he left not single cent of his
millions to charity, or for any public pur-
pose. All was bequeathed to two sons
and three daughters He lived for years
at the Palace hotel, and was known to
never carry a cent of money unless for a
specific purpose. If he was Obliged to
lunch outside the hotel, he only took what
change would suffice for his simple needs
His Idea of bad Luck.
A good story is told of Luning's desire
to make his money earn something One
day personal friend met him at a restau-
rant at lunch. The millionaire was lean
ing his head on, his hands, and his face
had a drawn expression. His friend said:
why, Mr. Luning, you look really very
i'll; what is the natter" "well. l guess
you'd look sick yourself" was the reply.
'if you had $4,000 900 lying idle in the
bank and couldn't loan it at anything
over per cent
ss>saN Treatment of Poor Widow
Tuning used to stop at the fruit stand
of widow, near one of his buildings,
and as he IN, lie no mention of her tres
pass she freq Hntly offered him samples
of her choicest fruit, which the million
aire never refused to accept. He had
learned whe'i the widow first took up her
position on the corner that she owned a
small house and lot in n poor quarter of
the city, and after she had been there so
long that she had bee ONE fixture and
believed in him to the extent of once
speaking of him as the good Mr. Lun-
ing. he suddenly swooped down upon her
with writs and attachments and sold her