The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-17
Mr.. Megler then showed me his last letter


TO Mrs. Vanderbilt. 1t ran:
Mrs. ". II. Tdnde bilt 64O AZ. Ne,o York.
! , DEAR MADAa-For some time pass | have
| osen hVlng with many hopes that | would GER
.ailnly receive letter from you, in responce to
/ mime or 10th Nov. last. Expect YOU are in con-
slant enjoyment of good health, and can also
report same of myself The wholesale Drug
business here being always very brisk, ap at
'In U.,ies on the alert and idleness is thing
uhAnown In our offics, as have constant writ
| ing and figuring to do from A NJ. to p m. ,
ana IL appears to me that in oregon IL is all
work and no play, for amusements with me are
| quloe rare. am no Member OF any Society
whatever, but occasionally 60 to the Marquam
! draud Opera House, which is a magnificent
! theater. aud am told it is an exact pattern of
| the new California Theatre, San Francisco
II proposition made in previous letter is
| suitable to you l would be delighted to poss sss
your sanction at very early date. In view of
lapse OF time since first letter 1 forwarded to
| you until present date, let US name the 18th of
| coming May as the maximum time that you
Wrlte to me that have been accepted to said
mentioned alliance. and on receipt Of your re-
| ply | will then start for New York
| In reference to my present financial standing,
will say that have few hundred dollars cash
on hand, and was indebted in this city for two
| bis-viz., to Max Smith S75 wbicn I maid on
September %, 1890. The other obligation is
about same amount, payable to Sam Strouse,
| but IS not due yet
With many respects to yourself and. family,
am faithfully yours,
JOSEPH P. MEaLER.
Portland, Ore.
REGISTERED AND RECEIPTED FOR.
The last two letters to Mrs. Vanderbilt
were sent registered and the receipts came
back signed. Megler showed them to me
with pride. One bears the name of Mrs.
| w. ID. Vanderbilt in a feminine hand and
may be her signature. The other letter
was signed for by George w. Vanderbilt.
In speaking of his Improbable cor
respondence with Mrs. Vanderbilt Megler
told me that he considered that he stood as
| good chance as ANYBODY to wed one of the
eighteen grandchildren and that on account
| OF being a native New Yorker he was
entitled to consideration.
Mrs. Vanderbilt was not the first person
that l addressed on this matrimonial bust
ness, " said Megler. Il wanted to marry
Eveline. daughter of Cicero Hunt Lewis, a
rich man Of Portland. thought l was
going to get Eveline, but she is married
now"
Here Megler fshed out Of his trunk an &C.
count book in which was written in pencil
| copies Of letters he had addressed to differ
ent wealthy men and women, informing
them that he was in the field hunting for a
rich wife.
This is what he wrote to Helen Gould on
May 2, 1886:
DEAR MIss-I have gone into the matrimonial
market, and your name is in my catalogue
| Should this information commend your fancy,
| be kind enough to write me of your approval at
| once. Very respectfully,
JOSEPH P. MReLER.
Megler wrote to Miss Jennie Flood,
daughter of the late James G. Flood, in a
| similar vein, and also made inquiry OF John
Jacob Aston and Charles Crocker, the San
Francisco millionaire, IL they had any
unmarried daughters. Megler told me that
Mr.. Croker, while on a visit to Portland.
made inquiry about him at the store
| where he was employed, aud that he was
flattered at having attracted Mr.. Crocker's
attention.
Another letter in Megler's book was
directed to Miss Clothilde Palms. daughter
of the late Francis Palms, Detroit million
aire. Megler told me in conclusion that he
used to believe that he was destined TO be
wealthy because, many years ago, before
he went west, Jay Gould winked at him one
night in the Grand opera house Although
MeRler has abandoned his fortune hunting
he reads the newspapers carefully every
day IN the hope or getting information
about the objects of his former epistolary
pursuits.
l saw Megler's sister, Mrs Rosa Sonnen-
berg, at her home, No IS East One Hundred
and Eleventh street, and both she and her
husband, who is a broker, appeared greatly
astonished when told of Megler's letters TO
Mrs. Vanderbilt.
1--WE knew nothing of this fortune hunt
ing craze of his )" said his sister. HE was
out west nearly sixteen years, but | have
seen him often since his return and he has
given me no indication whatever that he
had any such silly schemes in his head"
Mr.. Sonnenberg told me that he had al
ways thought his brother-in-law bright
man. He was good accountant and fine
penman.
l was unable to see Mrs. W. H. Wander
bilt, but the'valet told me that he renem-
bered Megler's visit and got rid of him in
short order.