The herald., 1893-01-22
MINER, SP[CULATOR, M|SER.
Demise of George Pfeiffer, Po-
mOna's Queer Character.
From a San Francisco Society Man
He Sank to Being a Cobbler.
He Marfied and His wife Left Him. and
Then Saving Money Appeared
to Become q Mania
with Him.

maker, who had shoe shop on Main
street just south Of the McComas block,
says the Pomona Progress, in this place
for eight or nine years, and was known
all over the valley for his miserly WAYS
and the life of a hermit that he lived
right in the heart OF this place for years,
died last Friday night. He was aged "a
years, and kidney trouble ended his
days.
&. Pfeiffer's lille was strange one. He
WAS born in Germany, and came to Cali
fornia in 1858. Pfeiffer had good edu-
cation, and with his natural aptitude
and geniality he advanced fast. He
was, when 25 and 80 years OF age,
dashing young fellow and favorite in
the society of the Germans of San Fran.
cisco. He ran popular and hand
some bSot and shoe shop, speculated
in gold mining stock, aud lived gay
life. He waS worth at one time about
$4,000. and hgl a dep osit ia one b ank
of $26 900 for over year. In 1870 he
was married to young lady, and because
OF his wild ways and indifference to her
she left him. She went east, and the
husband never heard from her again,
although he spent several thousa nd
dollars In trying to find her. A bout two
years later Pfeiffer lost every dollar he
had in speculation. His life, his sorrows
and his reverses unsettled his mind, and
he became hater of the world and
distruster of every man.
For 10 years Pfeiffsr drfted about
California and Nevada, earning living
as cobbler, and hoping that he might
find more wealth in gold mines. He
sank lower and lower, and his insane
desire for money became stronger. He
came to Pomona, and by almost constant
application to cobbling, day and night,
and by subsistance upon the meanest,
lowest and least food that one can imsg.
inc, he accumulated property worth
about $4,000 in eight years.
No man could live meaner and cheaper
than Pieiffer, the cobbler. He had 4o
bed during his life in Pomona. He
usually plodded away at his bench until
midnight, and then would crawl, like an
animal, into long box filed with rags,
old newspapers and gunny sacks for
rest OF three or four hours. He was al
ways up long before daylight, and would
perambulate all about Pomona actually
seeking food from swil barrels in the
rear OF houses and hotels, picking up
bits OF coal for his stove and wood OF
any description that he could convent
emily carry home. The vilest and old
est meat that people had thrown away
was choice to him, and bread that hard
ly an animal would touch was carried
home as prize. To get a living and
save every possible cent WAS tho ALL
absorbing mania of the poor old nan;
At daylight he would go to woIk. ana
I tfc rCvIzIrvt -eaIoros- tO>-sir -I1e il'eu III
his poor, foul and cooped-up chop. He
knew or cared nothing for any events in
| the world, and never mingled with men.
He had one or two sympathizsrs among
men of his nationality, who called upon
him once in great while and saw that
he was not actually suffering, but his
lie and habits were those OF typical
hermit
During the past year Pleiffer's health
began to break down under his long
privatiors and self-Starving He should
have had physician, but it was out OF
the question for him to pay money for a
doctor or medicine, and he became worse.
Two weeks ago he became go ill that it
was feared he would die there in all his
rags and filth, and she city health offi
GERS ordered a cleaning ont OF the chop.
A German friend Of Pfeffsr's was moved
by the old mans case and took him to
his home to die. The patient sank very
fast during the last few days of life. he
little estate life by Pieif'er will be eet-
tied by the public administrator of the
county.
The old man was properly buried with
religious services last Sunday in the
Pomona cemetery by number of our
citizene who took co npassion on poor,
ineane, friendless Pfeif-r.