The morning call., 1893-09-15
FARM TO FORTUNE.
Strange Story of John S.
TOmIyn.
BACK TO HIS OLD HOME.
A San Francisco Newsboy Who Now
Owns the Second Largest
Diamond in America.
BACK TO HIS OLD HOME,

see no" ne pIace LOOKS, spoke j. :. Tom
lyn If Kansas City. the twice selt-made
millionaire. possessed of the second largest
diamond ID America, and former resident
Of California. as he looked up from a game
Of billiards yesterday afternoon to respond
30 the salutatiOn of an old-tme friend. who
had sat In a chair watching him for some
time, wondering in his own mind if it could
really be Jack TOmlyn
Jack 1t was. and a hearty welcome was
1t that was accorded to the first friend 10
greet him in his native State.
Few men are there in all the universe
whose life portrays more substantially the
ms aud outs of fortune with the typical
.self-made American millionaire than Jack
Iomlyn, and none Is there who in the time
of need is more willing to extend the hand
of friendship and charity to suffering
humanity.
1t was on April l, 1S47, that in humble
cottage, of poor parents, not far from the
city OF San Diego, John Stewart Tomlyn
was born. His father was a poor farmer
the boy receiving little education other
than that which through his own energy
ne pick ed up. From early morn to night
until he had reached the age of l6 he
kdrudged away at home, performing Il ose
duties appertaiuing to farm life that his
mother died. Despondent and heart
broken, the boy resolved to leave the old
home to seek his fortune in other fields.
san francisco was the goal for which be
Ionged, and by walking and receiving
rl0eS from farmers along the road, three
weeks after he left home, on a bright july
morning in 1868. he landed here with 65
cents in his pocket
No one knew the boy and he knew no
one. The first thing to do was to look
nh hrT TWNNf for
This he soon found by purchasing a bun
die OF parerS. As neWsbOy he thriyed.
and at the end OF three years, after spend
ing a considerable sum in receiving a bel
ter education, he had saved together $500.
AS he now expresses himself: 81 was
never before or afterWard so rich as I was
then"
With this as a starter Jack TomIyn left
San Francisco for the gold fields of Mer-
ced County, where he remained for six
years. At the expiration of that time he
had an opportunity TO sell out at a profit
which be did. The following day he
figured up his pet worth. and found that
at the age OF 24 he was worth In actual
cash S85.000
Now rich man be resolved to leave his
native State for the East. and on the nigh
Of October l. 1872, memorable in history
on account OF the great conhagrati0n IN
chicago, he arrived in the now Worlds
Fair city. SaGdened at the sight of misery
and poverty that surrounded him on every
side, and with pocket full Of money the
noble heart of the man responded in a
practical manner to the call of the
moment, and while the burning en-
bers were still smoldering, from his
own funds he established, in an old
frame church on Wabash avenue, a
free eating house. Later on some relief
was given him from the contribution fund
but at the end of thirty days, together
with a donation to the relief fund, he had
spent upward of $50. 600. From that time
on Dy acts OF Charity and reverses in buSi-
ness his fortune dwindled down until TWO
years later he found himself little better
Sf than when he began life.
With the remainder of his fortune he
started for the oil fields Of Pennsylvania,
where he again entered the arena in the
fight for gold. There. as in California, he
was successful, and in 1881 he returned to
Chicago with a fortune of 100000 bis
ambition drifted to speculatiDg in the
Board of Trade. At first his operations
were small, but, contented with his nib
bling ways, he put IN the time for year
neither making nor losing amounts Of any
moment. His first deal of any conse-
Quence was in 1882, when long on corn be
closed the day $4,000 richer than when he
began In the morning. he continued In
this way. gradually adding to his fortune
year by year until 1888. when. during the
manipGlations III the market of the then
millionaire, "Old Hutch" Mr.. Tomlyn
cleared over S150000.
Soon after this he moved with his fam
lily to Kansas City, which city he now
calls his home, although much of his time
is spent abroad. He is a great lover of
dogs, and on a ranch which he owns In
Texas ne has kennel that contains many
good specimens Of the canine fami y.
Aside from his having amassed for
tune, after starting out n life as a penni-
less boy. Mr.. Tomlyn is worthy of note as
being the possess or OF the second largest
pure and perfect diamond in America
The gem weighs 33A 1-16 carats. and is
pure white. Its cut is perfect and its
mounting very heavy. 1t is made Tor a
shirt stud, the gold surrounding it being
some of the first diggings of its owner in
California in 1866, when he was worth less
than $1,000. The gem itself is native of
Brazil. Its cutting was done IN Paris.
where Mr.. Tomlyn purchased it, while on
visit there four years ago.
Besides this he has two other gems OF
about equal size. one weighing 171a carats
and the other 1712A carats, both OF which
are set in heavy gold rings. These three
pieces of jewelry are the only ones pos
sessed by him, and although priced very
dearly they are seldom worn.
Mr.. Tomlyn is a widower, his wife. hav-
ing died in Kansas City three years ago.
His marriage was romantic one. and no
event in his life does he relate with more
enthusiasm than this one. Leaning back
in big chair in the billiard-roOm be
smilingly said: Speaking OF my mar
riage. and it was a happy one, L must tell
you how / won my wife.
'It was only few months before went
to the oil fields. 1t all happened a a game
Of cards In Bloomington, H., where l was
at friends house. One evening after the
arrival OF some friends a game of cards
was proposed. Euchre was chosen, and
for several hours the party amused them
selves in this way. Finally / was accused
by the lady Of not knowing how to play
the game. This resulted in a wager of a,
pair of kid gloves that | could beat her.
81 was taken up and, of course, to be
gentlemanly, lost. A second game was
played, this time / wagered a silk dress.
Again | lost, when finally l proposed that
we should play third game, not naming
the stake. 1t was mutually agreed that
whatever il was to be it should be reason
able.
THE game started. never worked and
studied so hard In my life. j won. and,
after stopping to give my heart a chance to
stop its eternal humping. | said The
stake played for WAS a wife. Do you
grant it?'