The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-26
WAS ONCE A MILLIONAIRE.
Jacob Henry Armburster's Check
cred Career.
From the New York SUN.

From the New York Sum.
Jacob Henry Armbruster, a conductor
on the Belt Line street cars, dropped
senseless in his car on Tuesday evening.
He was removed to the Flower hospital,
where he died without regaining con-
seriousness. He had been in the company
employ only a few months, having come
to this city from Chicago, where he had
been conductor on the North Chicago
Street railroad. He brought with him a
his wife, to which he made no defense.
friend in Philadelphia, and it was through
this that he was employed. His best and
almost only friend in this city was Mr.
George II. Sherman, VINO is IN the OF
and Tenth avenue.
The story of his life as he told 1t to
Sherman is interesting.
Il first became interested in the man"
said Mr.. Sherman yesterday, when he
said to me one day: i don't have to work,
but III not go on my knees to anybody.
have good health and am earning enough
here to keep me comfortably
From that time on he told me parts
of his career.
He was descended, he said, from an old
Philadelphia family. He said that his pa
ternal grandfather was at one time en-
gagged in the printing business with Ben
jamin Franklin. His father is still living
and is said TO have been wealthy. He was
a prominent democratic politician and was
at one time receiver of taxes in Philadel-
phia.
"Armbruster himself was born and rear
ed in Philadelphia. He went to college,
but left in 1868, at the age of p to go to
the war In July of that year he enlisted
for three months with the Dana Guards,
cavalry company of Philadelphia He
fought at Gettysburg and in other battles
during the summer of SO, but left the ser
vice about Oct. /, at the end of his term
of enlistment.
with the money he had saved and
some that his father advanced to him, he
entered
Inside of thirty days, he told me, he had
made nearly a million dollars. With this
money he decided to engage in legitimate
business. and became the owner of large
rolling mill in Philadelphia, and at the
same time started large wholesale and
retail hardware business.
Shortly afterward, while he was Stlll
on the wave of prosperity, he married Miss
Ellen t. Potts, daughter OF wealthy
Philadelphian. They had one child, who is
now about Is years old and lives IN great
style in her native city. 1t was with ref
erenCe to this daughter that Armbruster
told me that he didn't have to work,
provided he was willing to pose as beg
about 1875, Armbruster suffered severe
financial reverses, and again resorted to
speculation. This time he was not success
full, and he lost what little money he had.
About this time it seems that he had some
difficulty with his wife and her family. In
1880 divorce proceedings were begun by
his wye, to which he made no defense.
About two years later he married again.
This marriage was not a happy one, and
q divorce soon followed. The second wife,
with a daughter who Is now about y
years old, is living in Philadelphia.
Last year the first Mrs Armbruster
died Her father died shortly afterward,
leaving an estate of more than S,000,OO0.
A large portion of this-about $4,000
went to his first daughter, who has
since been maintaining a handsome es-
tablishment in Philadelphia, while her ia
Their worked for small wages, and finally
died street-car conductor. The reason
for this / do not know, but understand
that the first divorce was on account of
difficulties with his first wife's family, and
il is probable that they have never since
recognized him or offered him any assist
ance.
"Armbruster had lived at 743 Ninth
avenue since last April. He showed at all
times that he was man of education and
refinement. He had read widely, and was
one of the most pleasant and companiona-
BILE men that have ever known.
"Word was sent to his family in Phila-
delphia informing them of his death, and
his aged mother came to this city on
Wednesday to take the body home. She
| corroborated the main facts of this story,
and said that her son was 56 years old.
The funeral was held yesterday at the
| home of Armbrusters parents, S41 Frank
| lin street, Philadelphia.