The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-03
HIS MEMORABLE GREED.
HOW A NEW YORKER STARVED
HIMSELF TO LAY UP GOLD.
Dying at the Age of Seventy and Leaving n
Fortune of $3.50, 900 10 Charity-A spend

Fortune of $3.50, 900 TO Charity-A spend
thrift in Youth and "a Miser in After Life.
The miser, William Gillies, who died
suddenly on March while standing in
line at the paying teller's window at the
East River bank, and who astonished the
Howard mission and home for little wan
derers, 206 Fifth-ave.; the American mis-
sionary society. los Bible house; the
American tract society and the American
bible society, by bequeathing TO them
most of a fortune of Sl50,0O0 which he
had amassed. and which only one or two
persons knew he possessed, so meanlY
had he carried himself in dress and liy-
ing. was a most remarkable character.
Those who knew him, says the New y ork
Post. declare that there was not in New
YORK a man so cursed with an memorable
greed for money, TO obtain which he in
dulged in the most heartless cruelty and
lived in parsimonious Indebtedness
Gillies was seventy years old when he
died. His manner OF living in his youth,
it is related, was Numerically the oppo-
site of that of his old age. Before thirty
we'll and spent his money freely. He
was born in England of a Scotch father
and an English mother, people In moder-
ate circumstances. They came to this
country when their son was ten years
old.
When thirty years old Gillies began his
determination to save his money. he
opened his account in the Bowery savings
bank, where he soon accumulated quite a
sum of money. He was O lournevman
sail-maker by trade, plying this business
until be was fifty years old, and earning
$3.50 per day. Living was cheap in those
days good board and rooms being plenty
at s.. 80 per week on Bleecker-st., then q
fashionable thoroughiare. Gillies lived
there.
Gillies' first financial venture was to be-
come the pessessor OF fire insurance stock
which then paid 10 per cent. dividends
annually. Ii was then that his passion
for money first began to manifest itself to
those who were about him. 1t Is said
that when he used to hear the fire bells
he would Jump out of his bed and anx-
iously wonder whether his company had
any risks in the fire, invariably going out
TO investigate ii il were before midnight.
At the breakfast table his fellow guests,
who knew of his habit. used 10 tease
MIN by suddenly telling him that two
blocks hai been burned that night When
fire stock no longer paid so we'll he sold it
and bought bonds. He then began to be
be usurer. He lent his money TO his
employers or his felloW-workmen, getting
> per cent a month. Woe to the man
who fell into his clutches in this manner.
He follow wed his victim like cat q mouse.
lie would get man TO give his
note, watch him until he was In
a corner, and then compel him TO
give n bill of sale of all his effects
and rent his business place from Gillies at
an enormous rental, until the uburer bad
possessed himself OF every dollar the man
had. In this way he ruined almost every
man he came into contact with. His last
victim was Samuel Hall of 10 Cedar-st.,
who died OF a broken heart, 1t was said,
in consequence. Those who knew Glllles
say the richer be grew the more misery
he became.
During the draft riots in 1868 Gillies was
forced to furnish substitute. He later got
back the money which he had paid, but he
never forgave the government for causing
him to spend the money in the first in
stance. He would walk the streets ours
ing President Lincoln and oil the other
republicans. For the last twenty years no
one knew where he lived. His invRria-
bic answer to any inquiry respecting. his
address was: You can always lind me
at Vermilyea's between l and , o'clock.
and at Halls, 10 Cedar-st., at 1
o'clock" He never could be found
after that. 1t is said that he used
TO sit in Madison square In sum
mer and IN Cooper institute in winter,
until 10 o'clock at night. His eating was
after an astonishingly frugal manner.
When he died a Park Row restaurant
ticket was found in his pocket gagged and
punched to the extent of lie, &c and Sc on
each occasion that the ticket was used.
He dressed extremely miserably. In
buying a pair of ehoes he would say {:
'Give me the thickest soles you have got
for the money"-Sl50 When the
shoes became worn he would sew
them up with wire many a time. The
last waistcoat he had was worn thirteen
years by him; it had five fronts put in it
and four backs. He would buy only paper
collars and he wore each one a whole
week, then turned it inside out and wore
1t another week He never wore a white
shirt. He boosted also that the colOred
handkerchief he used cost but cents,
and that he had used is four years, and
without washing.
1t was his custom, if he could lend
money at a usurious interest, 10 go to one
OF the big trust companies and with his
gilt-edged securities borrow money at
per cent, then lend this out with an
enormous interest, his bonds meanwhile
drawing interest He never would In
dulge in real estate investments. fearing
soma one would thus get a hold on him
and sue him. 81 only want that kind OF
property which can be turned into money
in an hour" he was wont to say.
One who knew of his wealth once asked
him how he would dispose of it. Leave
il for educational purposes" was his re-
ply. We'll, you will want to be decently
buried, any way?" was next asked.
BURY me in a pork barrel and dump me
off the dock, was the laconic reply. An
other enc asked him il he had no rele-
tives to whom he might leave his money.
His answer was; "If / thought l had
relative who would get my money, l
would burn it up" That some money
was left to religious institutions surprised
those who knew him we'll very much. A
friend says he never attended church, and
was opposed Is any person disposed TO be
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