The morning call., 1892-06-25
SUDDEN WEALTH.
The Engineer of the Steamer Au-
rOra Is Now Rich Man.
An Adventurous Career All Over the Country.
Running away From a stspmother-With
Crook, the Indian-Fighter.

Everybody on the water front knows
Joseph Il. Beare. engineer of the stern
wheeler Aurora, and at some time con-
nected with one or other of the boats plying
between the river and bay ports or else
touching at different points on the coast.
There is no engineer in the harbor more
popular than Joe Beare, and the news of
the wonderful good fortune which has come
to him during the past week will arouse
nothing but the best OF feeling among his
wide circle OF friends.
Yesterday morning Beare received a por-
demonstrating document from a lawyer
in Chester. Ill. 1t stated that the aged
father Of the engineer had recently died and
left property valued at some half million
dollars, divided equally between the wife
and two sons Joe's share is placed al
$4,000, exclusive of valuable personal prop
erty, which has also been equally divided
among the three heirs, and which, It Is
thought, will bring each portion up TO $780,
coo. This document urged the necessity of
an early meeting OF the heirs.
THE PARTIES INTERESTED
1t stated also that the Probate Court had
deferred action for three weeks, IN order
that all the parties interested might be
present in person.
Beare has had an adventurous life of il.
He was Oaly years of age when In 1871 his
father remarked, and owing to difference
with his stepmOtheT, BeRre left home For
several years he peddled papers in Chicago,
but at last drifted to the West, where he
took up the vocation OF pack -driyer, and in
that capacity joined the army of Generals
Crock and Custer. and was at Rosebud and
Goose Creek when the latter met his fate at
the famous Big Horn massacre. Like all
the other followers of the army at that
fated time, Beare had to fight for his life,
and was wounded in the engagements which
took place during that memorable campaign.
He received a wound in the groin, which
laid him up for several months and proudly
bears the scar OF the casualty TO this day.
Bearers disastrous exl erienee with the
Indians did not deter him from following
the plains for subsistence, and for years he
wandered from north TO south and cast and
west until hardly foot OF ground west of
the Missouri remained that had not been
traversed by him.
II ARIZONA.
In 1881 he found himself In Tombstone,
ATiZ., and for three years worked as engi-
neer at the mines of the late Senator Hearst
in that locality. After leaving Arizona
Beare came to this city. where he has since
been employed as marine engineer Beare
is a typical man Of the West, tail,
1.-the and robust, is married, and
Tejoices in one son and heir. He
taxes his unexpected accession 10
wealth very modestly, and seems TO be glad
principally because he ''can help some of the
other boys out now" Bearers father was
John BeRre of Chester, Ill, who came to
this country from Switzerland nearly 20
years ago. He drfted West in the early
days ana settled in the lower part of HI
nois, not far from ST. Louis. Convinced If
the fertility of the soil in that section he
purchased several sections of land, planted
orchards and became a very wealthy man.
Joe is the younger of two sons, and with
the surviving steDmother shares the prop
erty. The heir is 30 years Of age and has
seen none of his family for % years.