The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-04-06

iibcSs Aou y ~ otS"Ni"t Ccc ,btc
rough heel Of thes'goldensscalf
When William Gillies dropped
dead in front of the paying teller's
window in the East River Bank on
March 4, nobody paid any particular
attention to the incident, and it was
only said, another poor friendless
beggar gone" Since then, however,
arrange story has col..,,e out concern
ing the mans life, and now W. ~ iS !
waiting for the probate that is ex-
pectcd to give to charity a fortune
which was carefully kept from it dur
ing miser's life time.
The will was found while Gillie's
body was lying at the undcrtaker's
1t names the Union Trust Company
Of so Broadway as executor. Ed
ward King, President of the Trust
Company, said yesterday that the
will had not yet been probated, and
no Ind no idea of it's provision. He
thought, however, that the estimate
of $3.50, 200, which has been stated
as.thc amount Of Gillics' wealth, was
probably greatly exaggerated.
Dir, King said that he knew moth
ing about William Gillies, further
than that he did business with the
Unioc Trust Company and had 3 box
in its vanlts. But William Loft Of 50
Barclay strtcet, who knew Gillies as
well as anybody ever knew him,
probably, and J. E. Browne, foreman
in the printing establishent formerly
run by Samual Hall at 10 Cadar
street, where Gillics spent most OF his
afternoons, knew many curious things
about the man.
In the seventy years and more OF his
life Gillies seems to have conumed,
almost, by cold, cruel greed for
money, that allowed nothing to stand
in the way of its satisfaction. When
he was ten years old he came here
with his parents from Scotland, and
was apprenticed to a, sa'lmaker.
He began lending money to his tel
low-workmcn, and when his employer
borrowed So, 900 from him some years
later. he bounded the man to his
grave and secured all his earnings Tor
years to repay himself
This experience seems to have
taught Gillies that nsury was his
strong hold and it was NOT long be-
fore he settclcd on Samuai liaii tor
a victim. Hall made a good deal OF
snoney as hn cngrosscr lie must
have borrowed large Suns from Gill
les. for in Il few wears Giliics owned
taim bodily and soul. All OF his IN
come, except little for the support
of his family, went into Glllle's peck
cts for years, and whcn he died, FEB.
Is. he still owed GillicS 1860, OF
whieh $3.50 was interest that had
piled up at the rate OF 50 per cent
compounded monthly.
At first Hall paid 60 per cent, which
was compounded every month, tor the
deans. In December, 1890, the two
men made an arrangement by winch
l,i|lies became the owner of the print
ing establishment at 10 Cedar street,
to secure HIMSELF" Hail having the
privilege of rcdeeming it within tive
wears Then Gillies rented the prop
erty to Hall for IL sum which was
equal to about 30 per cent, compound
Ell monthly.
The next thing IT, 60 was the policy
for 81 900 Insurance on Halls llfe
Hall had wife and five children to
support, and bills to meet BESIDES and
it was working for these ends that
kiilcn him.
At Christmas time Gillies was sit
ting in Halls office one afternoon, as
had been his custom for years, when
the news that Hall was dying came.
Hurrying to the sick mans house he
ausisted that the name, good will, and
few accounts owing the printing
office should be made over tt ham,
Hall refused, but he was tormcnted
from then on to such an extent that
early in the new year he consented to
everything except giving up the name,
which was the only part of his identi-
~ Ieft him