Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-09
HE KEPT HIS VOW.
The Romance of an Old Chi
cago Citizen.
A CRUEL CASE OF 1NGRAr1rUDE

The Danger of Marrying an Old friends
widow for Love of the Dead-A Fortune
Spent on Ingratas Who Desert Him In
His Old Age ana Leave Him to Die of .
Broken Heart, without Home.
CHICAGO, Aug Elm a small room at
4945 Dearborn street a man died yesterday
of a broken heart His life history would
make a romance such as Dickens, a
Scott or Cooper never dreamed of. He
was John Sarrell, and he had been resi-
dent of Chicago at different times for the
last forty years. He was born in Brad
ford, England, seventy-two years ago. At
the age of 90 he married the daughter of
a well-to do merchant. Twelve years
later she died. Then he emigrated to
America and went into the gold fields of
California. There he amassed fortune.
A Fatal Promise for Sarreii.
During his sojourn in the west he
edited paper in San Francisco and also
one in Denver. At his home in England
lived friend of his boyhood days. When
he left his native country this friend was
ill, and having a wife and seven children
to care for he secured Sarrell's promise
that be would look after his family after
he was dead While in the west he re-
peatedly wrote to his friend, but received
no reply. Finally he wrote to the wife
and received a letter that the husband
was dead and that she and her family
were in want.
He Nobly Keeps His Word.
He sent the widow money, and for four
trih .lfa 10 ha e. itu,a
Just after the big fire in Chicago he went
back to England. He told the wife he
would care for and educate her family and
assume all the duties of a husband and
father This relation was entered into,
and for over twenty-fi years he fulfilled
the promise made his dying friend. The
family came to this country, settling in
Chicago. Here, with the remnants of his
fortune, he assisted the children to an ed
ucation until they all grew old enough to
care for themselves.
The Reward of Fidelity.
Mr.. Sarrell took a great interest in the
laboring classes, and had been one of the
prime movers in all the Socialistic events
in Chicago during the last two years. He
was an intimate friend of Spies, Parsons,
and other Socialists. but not an advocate
of the destructive measures advocated by
by them. During the last four or five
years, his former fortune having been en-
| tirely eaten up by the family of his friend,
he had been compelled to earn a living by
| working at his trade as book binder and
printer, the children refusing to help him
| in his old age
| Conscienceless Woman.
About two months ago his wife, whose
former husband had been a soldier, learned
Int nv inc har ahar, Il
| name she could draw pension from the
English government. This she at once
did and July she drew her first INSTALL
ment. She then informed Mr. Sarrell
| that she would no longer depend on him
for support, but would go to daughter in
California and make her home.
Her HesrtIess Desertion.
Sarrell, old and feeble, pleaded with her
| not to treat him in this cruel manner, but
his entreaties were in vain. His wife left
| him five weeks ago and went to Califor-
mia. He was left without house or home
In his distress he applied to Mrs. Thomp-
| son, of 4945 Dearborn street for the privi-
lege of a room to die in. She took the
| poor old man in and has done all she cou Id
for him. For several days he had been
| lying in a semi-conscious state, and he had
| not tasted food, except a little milk. for
over two weeks.
Dead of q Broken Heart.
The doctor could discover no disease,
| but intimsted that mental troubles were
gradually killing him. THE fact is"
| said Mrs. Thompson, the poor old man
| simply died of broken heart, caused by
| the treatment he received at the hands of
his wife and her children, one of whom
| is at present resident of Chicago"