The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-02-28
A Miser's HeartIess viii.

Thomas y. Chapman, who died a few
days ago at his residence on Orange
street, Rlseville, a suburb of Newark,
New j Jersey, was always looked upon as
a mIser and believed to be possessed of
large fortune, but 1t was not until his
death that either the extent of his means
or the full measures OF his niggardly in
stincts became known.
Chapman came there from Seneca
Falls, y. y, some twenty years ago.
He brought with him a wife and baby
and claimed to have 500, 900 in cash.
But little has been known of his lie
beyond the fact that he was keenly alert
whenever an opportunity presented
itself to make q dollar and that he was
of an unsociable disposition. Rumors
got abroad that he treated his wife and
daughter badly providing them With
food Of the poorest quality and in insult
fcient quantity. It was also said that
he treated his young daughter with
great cruelty at times and allowed her
no pleasure whatever that would neces-
q
coal was kept in a vault in the cellar
and was dealt out sparingly by him, the
key being constantly in his possession.
AT Center Market he was we'll known
TO the hucksters because OF his close
dealings. Tie always bought the cheap
est and meanest vegetables and scraps
of meat he could dnd, and invariably
haggled over the price. No one else in
his family was allowed 10 buy anything,
and the three are known to have lived
on almost nothing whatever, and he has
long been considered one of the myster-
les of Newark.
When he died his will was opened by
Real Estate Broker b. l.. Crane, who
WIS Eamed as executor. 1t was dated
August. 1889, and showed that Chap
man was worth at least $3.50, 900, and
was 72 years of age. The document ab-
solutely disinherits his wife and daught-
er and gives all of the estate to Mrs.
Clark, niece OF Chapman who lives
somewhere in New York city. 1t also
contained a decree prohibiting the at
tendance at his funeral of his wife or
daughter, and requesting that his body
be sent to Seneca Falls for burial.
1t was found that he left money in
three different sayings backs, the ag>
gregate of which is S125.OOO \ letter.
which was found by his bedside after
his death, contained statement that
he had money in a can in the cellar
vault, and requested Mr.. Crane to Sc
cure it and send it to Mrs Clark. Mr..
Crane Mrs. Chapman and a neighbor
made diligent search in the cellar,
but found nothing until they com>
menced to dig up the floor. Then
much to their surprise they unearthed a
battered tin can.
In it they found S12, 900 in bank notes
each of the denomination of $500. They
also discovered An old chest which, upon
being broken open, was found to con-
tain $4,000 in bills, Slj6 in gold and $50
In silver, besides a first mortgage for
$4,000 on the East Orange Presbyterian
Church. As the old man always slept
with a certain old vest on his person
Mrs. Chapman thought that it must
have held what securities her husband
did not have in bank, consequently the
finding of the Yaluables were CON.
plete surprise to her. The vest was
found to contain nothing of value.
An effort will be made by Mrs. Chap
man and her daughter TO break the will
and the courts will soon be asked to de-
eide upon the merits of their claim.