The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-29
THE ECCENTRIC BROWN.
MS KELATIYEs HAVE NO IDEA ~
RESTRAINING HIN.
Always Ksswn for Oddities and for Lavish
Expenditure Of Money. but III. Cousins
Never Heard Of His Franks.


BROW lived in this city with his uncle.
Dir. Patrick WilAie Brown. who was
rich and influential citizen.
lie also had another uncle. who, from
his secluded mode OF living. was known
as Hermit Brown, and u - but natural
10 suppose that Bayard Brown has IN
herited his tendencies IN that direction
from his relative. Brown was captain
OF a boy soldier company here during
the war
The New York sun OF yesterday says
Of him.
yesterday morning when ne read IN the
sun about the freaks and pranks OF MS
cousin. McEvers Bayard Brown, who has
been living as a hermit for years on MS
steam yacht Nalireyia, in the harDVr
q Brishtlingsea. England. Frequently
Mr. Cutting. his brother X. Fulton Cut
ting. and some friends OF the ecsehvl9
New Yorker. have heard general tales
about Bayard Browns strange manner
Of life. but the details about his lavish
ana indiscreet heuefactiOns ana aOout
the amusement he takes IN beiaborihs
his crew. squirting water into their ears,
and hunting his second engineer with
poker We're new and startling. ana
created no end Of interest In business
and club circles.
Mr. Brown always has been peculiar.
As a school boy and as club and So
clety man be was considered eccentric.
but he was known by all his intimate
for business and a generous, jolly good
fellow al his fav0rlte club, the Union.
Though unusually generous. Mr.. Brown
was always abstemious.
OUTWARD APPEARANCES.
To outward appearances he is an active
New York business man to-day. His
name appears with the name OF his
cousins. ". Bayard Cutting and X. Full
ton Cutting, on the door leading into a
large suite OF offices on the NTH floor OF
the building at 81 Nassau street and his
name IS also associated with valuable
Investments and remuneratiVe properties
In this city All OF Mr.. Browns business
is done by the Cuttings. W. Bayard
Cutting said yesterday:
Il have not seen Mir. Brown for sew
eral years. probably four or five. Letters
from him have been received at this
Office from time 70 time. generally upon
property. IN which he expressed his views
intclligently. The letters are. OF course.
In the nature Of privileged cOmmunica-
tons and Il would De improper for me
20 state the contents. In regard 10 tie
article IN the sun. | can say ! know
that Mr.. Brown lives In his steam yacht
in Brghtlingsea harbOr. and that he is
somewhat eccentric. but I know nothing
Of the singular actions attributed 10 him
by the writer Of the article In the sun.
The statements as TO his family are all
May I inquire about the size Of Mr..
Browns estate and the amount OF his in
Gomez Mr.. Cutting was asked.
"Oh. yes" said Mr.. Cutting. you might
ask how wealthy Mr. Brown r.. but do
not feel az liberty 10 answer. My cousin
is a wealthy man. and he does as he
pleases with his money. He does his bust
ness through this office. the rent for
which ne assists in paying. but IL IS
none II nv business what he does with
bis income
STUDIED LAW.
Did Mr. Brown ever practice law?'
NO. he did not" MIR Cutting answered.
He studied law, but he did not go into
active practice. His grandfather. the late
Robert Bayard was also my grandfather.
MS father. the late Alexander Speers
brown. as very wealthy man. Eight
years ago Alexander Speers Brown diod
leaving a large income 10 his son. Soon
arterward Bayard Brown went abroad
and nave not seen him since. My broth
er. X. Fulton, Cutting. and myself are
ms nearest relatives. | know OF no aunt
by the name OF Mrs. SCHUYLER He has a
relative named Miss Schuyler"
is there any foundation 10 the intima-
ton that Mr.. Brown fears Incarceration
IN an American insane asylum"
Why, not IN the least, so far as I
know. His relatives have never thought
Of such a thing. and there Is no posi-
bnt he Is not insane"
Mr.. Cutting leaned back in his chair
and smiled. That article in the sun was
about as clever a piece OF WO4k as | ever
saw in the newspaper line. II was a rrst-
class beat and very correct. / wonder IL
never came out before"
Mr.. Cutting said he dld not know when
MI. Brown would come 10 America.
4 member Of the Union club said he
had not seen Mr. Brown for several
years but ne remembered him as a gentle
man with great many very original
mannerisms. lie ssid:
LAVISH WITH MONEY.
He evidently must have been a very
wealthy man. for never saw a person
more lavish IN expenditures He went
into everything. lie became a member
Of the KestigOuche club, and bought
some water rights on the great river for
salmon, but / never heard OF his going
10 New Brunswick to fsh. lie was one
OF the trainers OF the Jekyll Island Club.
lie gave literally toward the opening OF
the island lie built private cottage.
which cost him $500. but ne never went
near Jekyil Island, and he never saw his
cottage. / guess he has spent as much
money on steam yachts and in cruising
az any other man IN the world. / have
heard often by letter and by word or
mouth about his dOings In England He
was 0pen-hearted. generous. and indis-
Greet. and ! see how persons could easily
impose on him. lie Is a confirmed bache-
lor. being f0rty-tWo years old. but I
never heard him express any dislike for
women. ] presume the money he has
squandered and gwen away would NJ up
and endow forever a public library"
NEWPORT, Aug. 1.-THE suns story
Of the eccentricities Of McEyers Bayard
Brown is altogether correct Mr.. x. tut
ton Cutting. his cousin, spoke regretfuily
and briefly OF the matter TO the cores
spOndent this afternoon when he had read
the published narrative. He said that
nothing can Le added 70 II. the ar
ticle seemed 70 contain ali the Information
there was
'Will the family take any steps, was
asked.
NO" replied Mr. cutting. He is as
happy and as well on there as ne could
possibly be anywhere
What were the causes Of Mr. Browns
condition OF MIND asked the sun cor
respondent.
We'll. / would rather not say anything
about that" was the answer. Were IL
a case Of accident or almost any other
matter than what II is would be glad
10 assist you.
MI Cutting said that the story was net
a SURPRISE % him In any part. and he
begged 10 be- excused from any further
discussion Of H.
Ii IS believed that some unfortunate
love affair must have turned Browns
mind tie has no brothers or sisters. and
he is the last OF his branch OF the family.