The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-29

VIII to Be Filed TomOrrOw-A Square,
Peculiar Old Bachelor.

feCul1af Via ISatCnelOfs
The last will of the late p. II. Lewis will
be filed for probate Monday or Tuesday. 1t
was drawn about year ago, for about that
time he gave it to B. F. Briggs to keep,
telling him that he had designated Judge
l.. B. Andrew. Roland Denny and himself
as executors. Mr.. Briggs said yesterday:
have no idea what the will contains, as l did
not witness it and he did not re i me, except to
say that it would give me all the information
necessary, such as where all his relatives were
to be found, etc. I placed the will in his tin
box in Dexter Horizons bank. couple of
weeks ago he gave me power of attorney to act
for him in the transaction of any business
which might come up during his illness.
He repeatedly cautioned me to carry out the
provisions of his will strictly. "Don't vary a
hairs breadth from the conditions" said he
Garry ont all the provisions strictly. even if it
takes two-thirds of the estate to do it," don't
know what is necessary to do in the matter, but
presume all that will be required is to record
the will in the probate court I don't know
whether he left anything to charitable or pub
lie institutions or not, but at one time he offered
to give the Pioneers' Association q lot on which
to build home for the pioneers, but the con-
d;ions of the offer were never complied with
and the matter was dropped.
Mr.. Lewis was pecu lar character. A man
OF strong convictions, he lived up to them with
all the sturdiness of his self-reliant nature He
TOOK 10 man into his full confidence, although
he had many warm friends. He had such a fibre
of honesty in his makeup that he was one of
the very lew men TO whom the hackncyed
phrase. 'hls word was az good as his bond,''
was truly applicable. He belonged to no
church. but he always believed in doing what
was square, aud acted up TO that belief. He was
charitable 10 those he knew were i'll need and
whom he liked. He never married | don't
know wly. seems q me I heard ha stn-y
many years ago that when he first came to this
Coast IN 1897 from Missouri ne was engaged TO
girl back there He met with reyerses in Ore
gon. and soon afterwards he learned that his
sweetheart had mdrrlei another man, which
ever asterwsrd sourei him towards women.
He lived peculiarly. For ten years, even after
be became quite vol! 10 do he sept i'll Dexter
Horizons bank as night Waterman and drew pay
for the service, which also saved him the ex-
pe8se o. room rent. lie toen built a small
house On the lot noS occupied by the kilgen
block, Oh second street, aid lived there all
aloe, H took care OF the room himself bnt
every lew months he would hire some one to
come in and clean 1t up Afterwards he built
the residence IN whic1 lie died. Al the corner OF
sixth md Seneca streets. lie lived here all
alone also although the house was large enough
to have builI more rooms. | recoilect one time
asked him why he did not finish M the sec
ond stosy and build staircase. ''Oa, ii did
people would BE- b0thering me TO rent il TO
item" lie replied Wien ne was Ill he would
&, down 10 the residence OF his niece, Mrs f.
Il. rr.cc, bur during his ia,t Illness she went to
his home and helped 70 nurse him.
lie got hi3Nrst start out OF the Newcastle coal
mine, having taken up the isud on which II is
situated saoB after coming here. He sold il TO
lis present owners Tor t3l 900 about eleven wears
ago since then he has been a Spectator in
real estate ana accumulated quite "a fortune
H. leaves two brothers and sister the
brothers living of Lawrence county, H.. and
Green county, No, aud his sister living IN Ran
dolph county. Ark.
An old pioneer and one who transacted
cons ldera0ie business with Mr. Lewis,
said:
Although ! have known him perhaps as in
timatcly a. any one for the last forty years,
never knew much about his business He was
practically broke when he came here suc for
time worked SIS common iaborer. digging
wells exc. H. a reg ular fox IN the woods
snd snew every foot OF the Puget sound coun-
try He travelled all over it locating Land for
people and he hal Il wonderful memory about
what he sAw and heard. Il was while
he was no,iug about n the country that he
ran ou the Newcastle coal lands. He vas OF
secretlve nature and never told much about his
business. His word was good a that Of an
Asio- lie ass charitable, tG: he didn't taAe
any stock In building churches. he has helped
a!ons macy u man WHO IS a1w prosperous and
many others who have not been prosperous.
He vas q uau VI strong likes aud disii.ea II
there wss auythlug he despiset il was II man
who crasdshei, II he got siucG himself he
never sqaea!ed. bur IL II vas known he use! to
Joke about IL As business man he Was very
careful lie never got loaded up so that he
couldn't make q turn or carry the property IS
lie 60. a. de could borrow ali he wanted, bus