Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-11-25
WEALTH In RAGS.
A Chicago Miser Sent to the
9ridewell.
BEGGING WHILE WORTH A MILLION

Story of "a Peculiar Development OF HUI
man Nssure--Peter Miller. Who Owns .
NJ iliion Dollars Worth Of Land, Pre-
fsrs to beg His Tread, ard Goes to
Prison Rather Than Pay Fine--Soms
Facts About His Existcncr.
CHICAGO, Nov 25 Old Peter Miller,
the hermit of Cicero, was yesterday sent
charge OF vagrauey. The old man is
repnted To he worth upward of 81. 900 900
He owns $40 acres of land in the town of
Cicero, sections 81 and 70 The Illinois
and Michigan canal skirts the south line
OF the old mans property, aud the rick
city. weatherbeaten hut in which he lives
Is almost on the brink of the muddy
stream. For over twenty years he has
lived alongside the canal. making weekly
trips to the city on begging expeditions.
About a year ago his wife committed sui
eide by hanging Since then he has lived
alone and has only left the house on rare
occasions.
The Old Mans Leather Bag.
His bed is pile Of rags. and when he
lies down he puts under his head a leath-
or bag which tradition says contains rolls
of greenbacks and shining yellow boys.
School children taunt him with cries of
"AIiller, the old miser,n and about the
first thing Cicero baby learns from its
mothers lips is: IF you don't stop cry
ing I'll give you to old Miller" During
the next sixty days the old mans totter-
Ing form will not be seen along the Black
road Sunday afternoon he was caught
begging in front of ST. Francis German
Catholic church on West Twelfth street.
He was locked up at the Maxwell street
station, aud yesterday morning, in de-
FAULT of $50 fine, he was taken out to the
bridewell
Pen Picture of the Hermit.
When arrested he was covered with
filth and vermin. His gray hair hung in
long, matted locks over his shoulders.
and his shaggy beard looked as though it
had been divorced from a comb for many
years He wore pair of trousers made
out of tarpauiin, such as fishermen wear,
and black SLOUGH hat covered with
grease an eighth of an inch thick A
long grayish overcoat. worn aud thread
| bare, an old ragged flannel shirt and
pair of moccasins completed his outfit.
| in either hand, and 1t takes him from early
| morning till dark to walk from his
shanty TO the city and back
Attacked Once by Thieves.
| Eight or ten years ago some thieves,
who had heard of Miiler's fabulous
wealth. broke into the shauty and tried
| to make the old man and wife divulge the
place where their money was kept. The
old couple were bound and gagged aud
when discovered in the morning were
nearly dead. Neither would tell where
| the money was secreted and the robbers
left without a dollar A little over a year
| ago the old man WAS arrested at his own
| threshold. He was dragged to the police
station and treated shamefully, SO he
| claims.
His First Bath for Years
Miller WAS seen at the bridewell after
| ne had been shorn of his tangled hair and
been given bath. The metamorphosis is
90 great that his neighbors will not know
him when he returns upon the expiration
| Of his sentence Miller was deeply af-
tected at his incarceration, and big scald-
ing tears coursed down his checks. He
speaks broken English, and one of the
| prisoners acted interpreter. The old
man was brought into Superintendent
| iJraWIord's oflice, where he stood leaning
on his cane while recounting his story.
| Bargain in Real Estate.
IL am &c years old. he said, rs the tears
yelled TO his eyes. and its too bad to see
an old man like me in place like this, "
There was a pathetic tremor in the old
mans voice and his frame shivered con-
vulsively. When the property was re-
terred 10 he frightened up "The land"
lie said, us mine-52O acres sections 81
and 30. | worked hard for that property,
and lived away out there on the prairie
before Chicago was much of a city
will sell il for Sl0o. 600 and then go back
TO Germany" Some of the land Is worth
several Thousand dollars an acre
Never Pays Any Taxes.
No taxes have been paid by Miller in
years When a For Sale sign is put up
it is torn down the same night The old
man claims to be penniless aside from his
property, and he positively denies the
wild stories aaoat in Cicero about his I'M
told wealth. Since the death of his wife
lie has lived on bread and water Miller
was born in Holstein, Germany, in 1924
lie came to America about the breaking
| cut of the rebellion