The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-30
HE SAVED ALL HIS LIFE.
DEATH OF ALEXANDER VALENTINE,
WHOM SOME CALLED A MISER.

Stories that lTe Used TO 60 About with
Wads OF Money Stussa IN HIS waist.
band-nis Brother's DEFENCE or hin.
Tho original Valentine settled in what is
now the village OF West Chester something
like 200 years ago. 30 say those residents
who are supposed to know the history OF the
country. Valentines are not scarce up there
now. The old family homestead. typical
ante.Revolution structure. with long santing
roof and very low ceilings. was pulled down a
few weeks ago. What Is known as the home
stead now has been standing about eighty
years. Alexander Valentine. whose death ON
Thursday set the town talking. lived there very
nearly all Of his seventy mine years. It was
owing to his eccentricities that the once
substantial building has taken on an air Of
decay. Until Alexander's time the Valentines.
although conspicuous In the village had boon
looked upon as sober. sedate, fanatical citi-
zens. who differed In no marked way from
other persons In the snme circumstances AL
though they owned considerable land they
were money poor. and Alexander and his
brothers. like their father and grand
father before them. had been com.
PEELED to leave home and hustle for q
livelihood at an early age. Alexander
started in life as q journeyman black
smith. For nearly thirty years prior to his
death he lived a retired life. and stories have
been circulated In the village that he was the
possessor OF vast wealth. According to those
who place the highest estimates on his for
tune. his property in West Chester was the
smallest part Of his possessions. and It Is al
legged that he had lent considerable money on
bond and mortgage in this city
Some persons say tho property he left is
worth q million dollars Others. including
those who ought to know. laugh at this and
soy It won't amount to much more than
100000 But all admit that he died rich and
that no enjoyed very little comfort. As to
whether he was miser opinions differ. Ten
ants Of his houses say he was very lenient
with those who got behind in tho payment Of
rent, and he told one man recently that q GER
tain tenant had failed to make payments until
he owed $500 for rent Valentine occupied oil
Of the homestead except tho lower floor. which
he rented to q saloonkeeper and his family;
used tho four rooms as living apartments aud
ns sen sRs hs
mart ard S In h' as
furniture Vas Of NJ strsisht:S backed: ansom-
Portable kind which HI vas fashionable ash when
ssS N s sst SGf ssH
tms. es wsnd Sas
would frequently keep the food supplied to
RSen n n %osy for s %o Tsst eat % ena
si.ss lis rSS%s peSsSSally ,. and tthsy
was the OVERWHELMINGLY ei feature s syeryTheeFs
glass Of ele brought to him from The saloon
nPhoders q total al abstnsne ,PPI Tincjples -
saRe hsa bseS prond Eana
some front porch. and was shinglel with
Sssa pan}sa t. seaw ya . 1S It
tho village too. in the main street; he u.
tie s walls curious eeEsd Thss
Disappeared. and the walk from tie street be.
to ~ T. hs . 1sG n q rs lest hs s Ss
He would not allow t. even though the ssl9Sn.
boards in ths piazza Moor, or AZ a1yth!pps
sa@s way in I respeet to the four houses ise that
he owned down near the depot. and which are
slowly falling into decay.
They stopped laying last fall and he stopped
feeding them One d.. day neighb , informed
=. It looks IS though it had starved to DEATH"
senss euaas to 20 s o%t n
the street sa and PICK their living aint going
He Kept his word and frequently drove them
out into the main street For many years his
appearance has Indicated his habits, Nobody
man had once been brawny black smith. His
cheeks were hollow. which emphasized the
hhd a9 Big 5
lie had adj little s iat Sapxs apssordn1
OF money about his person and rooms. A man
who had lived in the house with him saio yes
The old fellow wore old,iashioned clothes
and always had 4t trousers OF the style that his
hey 81 ne n
good d many sreenbacks inside the waistband
and could tell at q glance whether he had
~ t @ bsoPPs s Sd he
.si e sossa s ssx t hs saa WIFI Wifi
Il: sTssSsss We're sSos . EssS r. =. toiS
LEFT alone: he wasn't Charming host BY any
means. His pockets were always stuffed Will,
lid away 1 In mattrs.ses and the like For an
d M a q ~ loSSsra he to
wealthy as sin. but nobody ever bothered him."
Alexander lay in a coffin In the parlor yos-
terday afternoon. and his youngest brother.
who is % years old. sat in the kitchen with
woman relative and an old friend. The brother
looks more like Dutchman than Alexander.
to talk about his brother 8 wealth. but admit
ted II would reach hundred thousand dollars.
Out in the street the dead man 3 chickens We're
scratching for scraps Of food and drinking
from Hd the mn nadS,s poole, blink because
To. aSe riah Ss way AVE-. said the SrotSsr
that are always pryng into other peoples af-
fairs and talking about 'em who may not be rs
good as they are. Perhaps they don't pay
asSs had ae any
pleased. Hadn't he,i He lust chose to live
guess he don't owe anyone. Now. was 1t He's
lived here all alone iast twenty;ntne years
EsIs ten children; NSPw tRsrs's only two. xmy
York. / was the luckiest OF the lot, for didn't
have to leave home until was q: Alexander:
living. He worked as a journeyman black
smith for long time. and blacksmithinR
wasn't as easy In those days as 1t 10 now.