The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-10
A FORTUNE IN BARRELS
The Curious Hiding Place for MiSer Bab-
bits Wealth.
HE WAS WORTH ABOUT 100000
And Yet Lived In Abject Poverty I'm a
House Like Pig-stye. Denying Him.
self Sufficient Food-His stomach to
De Analysed for Traces OF Poison.

4
tricts OF Norfolk county are In a state O
| nigh excitement over the death and buria
OF "old man" George NJ Babbitt, the mys
terious autopsy performed upon his re
mains and the strange tangle of famil,
history and family feuds, already more o.
less known, which have been thrust int
glaring publicity. It is a nine days won
der, and should Professor Wood of the Har
ward medical school, who is to make an ex
animation of the dead mans stomach and
analyze Its contents. discover anything
suspicious, the wonder will endure for q
longer time than these same proverbial
nine days.
Mr.. Babbitt has been one of the ''char-
acters" of Mansfield for 80 years Since the
death of his wife, dozen years ago. he
lived
Strange Lonely Life
In big barnlike 2-story house situated
about third of a mile from the station ON
the Attleboro road. His one daughter.
Mrs. Seward, lived with her husband and
family at Crawford, n. j. Gossip SAYS
that she and her father were not IN
friendly terms. She rarely visited him, il
ever, and, rs far as could be learned. COM
munication between the two was almost
entirely suspended. Certainly there had
been none for nearly year.
The old man was always close in his
habits and soon became confirmed miser.
He had considerable money accumulated
which he had invested in railroad bonds.
They were mostly for $1,000 each. His plan
was TO pinch and scrape and hoard the in
terest of his investments until il amounted
to $1,000, with which he would buy another
bond. Then he began on the next These
bonds he concealed about the premises in
the most peculiar places-in ash barrels,
In old boxes and in holes and corners about
the outhouses and cellar.
How much there Is no one k nows for GER
tain. There is at least $50, 900 i'm personal
property of this kind, and systematic
search of the premises may disclose much
more A neighbor told the reporter that he
should not be surprised II il reached 100000
in the end. But that is an exaggerated es-
innate.
His life was perfectly abject He denied
himself food, fire and the common neces-
saries of life. The house was like a pig
stye, and the old man was at times so
feeble from his
Voluntary Deprivation of Food
that he could scarcely walk Once or twice
neighbors prevailed on him
to allow a housekeeper to take charge of
his establishment, but none Of these could
stay more than a brief time; the place. its
owner and its environments made it inn
possible. Aside from his scrimping pro-
clivities, Babbitt was pleasant enough, and
was not in the least averse to chatting with
his neighbors. He disliked strangers. how
ever, and did not like children. Mis-
chievous school boys sometimes plagued
him, and then he ran out and pursued
hem with angry cries.
When his grandson, young George Se-
ward, who had come to visit him, stole
several of his bonds a year ago, the old
nan, reduced to q pitiable condition of
body and mind, consented to 20 and live
With his niece, Mrs. Klebes of Attleboro.
md her husband, who Is a blacksmith.
But soon rupture ensued between Mrs.
flebes and her husband, and she came to
Mansfield with her daughter, who went
lome nearly year ago. She made the old
nan comfortable for the rest of his DAYS.
ave him proper food TO eat and decent
lothes to wear, furnished and refitted the
.ouse, and, in general, was a daughter to
lin. Mrs. Klebes, whatever her motive
nay have been, and there is not a shadow
4 q case against her, treated the poor old |
nan in the most humane and commend. |
Ible manner.
Mrs. Klebes said: Before did come |
Jncle George made a trade with me by |
which in consideration of deed of this |
ouse and land and some property should |
ONE and care for him as long as he lived.
his deed was made out with the knowl-
dye of Mrs. Seward, and this I consider
ny pay for the care / have given him."
he deed Was made out in June, 1892, prop
rly witnessed and executed
Deed Probably without Value.
II Is not thought, however, that this
eed IL worth the ink with which it is
'ritten. At the preliminary hearing at
.ttleboro, when young Seward was
harged with she robbery of the bonds,
he question of Mr.. Rabbits mental abil-
" TO testify was raised. He was exam
led by expert physicians and pronounced
non compos mentis," and ne was not
lowed to go into the witness box.
Incidentally, IL may be said that Mr. Bah
tt, feeble old man, walked on the rail-
,ad track to Attleboro 20 attend this hear
g, thereby saving Is cents.
Isaac Tucker is near neighor, but no |
lation Of the Babbitt family For many
sars he was on intimate terms with the
d man, an was perhaps the only man adj.
tilted TO his confidence in money matters
Mr.. Tucker notified Mrs. Seward of her
ther's death; she came on at once. Mrs
.ward Is at the Central House with her
'etty daughter, but she firmly declines TO
interviewed. Mrs. Seward is the only
gal heir, and must inevitably come into
,ssession Of all her fathers estate minus
e lawyers pickings.
The stomach and contents of the dead
an has been sent to Boston and the re
10 Of the examination will not be made
lown at present. DIR. Wood of the Har.
nd medical school is making the ex.
piRstiorA