The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-22
Became an Indian Prince.
From the BROOKLYN Eagle.

A notice from the surrogate's court
published recently in the Eagle, recalls
the singular history of former resident
of the eastern district The citation is
issued to the legatees of the late James
Darragh to appear in court of Brooklyn
on Dec. 81 TO attend the judicial settle
ment of the account of Enoch L. Fancher
and John Mccain, eXecu .Ors of the last
will and testament OF James Darragh, de-
ceased. Darragh was remarkable man.
He was born at Turgau, Ire and, some
sixty years ago, and came here a poor
boy. After some years he engaged in the
manufacture of coir or cocoa mats and
mating, and with small success. He
could not compete with the finer fiber
that came from the cas-. He sold out all
his belongings and with the little money
thus realized sailed for India, leaving his
Irish wife and two daughters in Brook
Ign. This, was some twenty-five or
twenty-se years ago. He settled down
in Allepy, a. port on the west coast of Hin
dostan, ruled by the Rajah of Iravancore.
The latter state runs in narrow strip
down the coast to the extreme point
of the great peninsula, Cape Comorin be-
ing situated at the extremity of Travan-
core Here the Brooklyn man resumed
the old manufacture of coir fiber into
cordage, mats and mating. He prospered
and gained the confidence of the I'd lah to
whom he finally became Indispensable He
was allowed to coin money, and gradually
acquired extensive tea, coffee and cotton
plantations and establish factories in
Allepy and Madras. He established the
importing house of Darragh & Small at
III Water street, New York, which does
an extensive business in tiger and other
skins, Indian and Persian stu IS and rugs,
cocoa fiber manufactures, and, in fine, all
the products of the orient.
In the meantime Darragh forrot his
ties in America and married high caste
Hindoo woman, whose daughter was mar
ried to Mr.. Small The latter is a Scotch
man aud was Darragh's oookkeeper and
manager here Becoming Mr.. Darragh's
son-in-law, ne also became his partner,
and looked after the New York END OF the
business. A factory was erected on
Spencer street, which was burned down
some time ago and rebuilt by Mr.. Small.
I he first Mrs. Darragh and daughter re-
turned to Ireland. where they now reside.
Some twelve years or so ago great trouble
between Darragh and his cOnsignees here,
who were then George w Dow q Sons.
They brought suit agaist the East Indian
for settling. Judge FanCher was his
counsel. Darragh won and the case was
taken to the supreme court, where he
was ultimately successful. His counsel
wired him and he got the dispatch in
forty-eight hours. Be came to America,
and on his return went to his old home
in Ireland, where he made his will APP
pointing Judge Fancher one of the eX-
ecutorS.
AS matter of fact, if the stories told
of him on the ships he used to send here
were true, James Darragh lived like
full-fedged East Indian petty potentate
and kept a regular harem in true oriental
stvIe. About four years ago one of his
ships, an old Black Ball liner, came into
the Atlantic dock with an immense pro
duct of coir products, skins and Indian
tea. She was a wonderful flyer, too, and
passed one of Skolfield's crack American
clippers in rounding the Cape of Good
Hope as though.the latter was anchored.
IL always was grievance with him that
his ships had 20 sail under the British
nag instead Of the stars and stripes.
Although the Spencer street factory is
still running in fun blast, few Brooklyn
itas now think of this remarkable and ad-
venturous exile from the City of
Churches.