The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-03-29
STORIES OF MISERS.
OLD TIMERS TELL OF MEN WITH A
PASSION FOR HOAROING.

"Plum" Turner and "Vulture" HopkiIsA-
The Latter's Encounter With Guy-Sir
John Cutter and His Statue-How Smyth
Beat Taylor, the Oculist.
AS the old timers began their daily seance
| Squire Ben said: I'VE have had some
famous misers in America, but mother
England furnishes examples which throw
chem into eclipse. Plum Turner and
'Vulture Hopkins two noted English
misers, are immortalized in Pope's Moral
Essays The first, Richard Turner, had
been turkey merchant. He died in 1873.
When possessed of 81, 500, 900, he discon-
tinued his COACH because interest was re-
duced from to per cent. He then put
$3.50, 900 into the Charitable corporation
of London for better interest, but lost it.
This loss he took SO much to heart that he
kept his chamber ever after. 1t was
thought that he would not have outlived
this loss, but that he was heir to another
considerable estate which he daily expect
Ell, and that by this course of life he saved
both clothes and other expenses.
The second, John Hopkins, by his ra-
pacity obtained the name OF 'Vulture.' He
lived a worthless life but died wealthy.
He would give to no person living, but
left his riches, amounting to about ST.,
| 500, 900, SO as not to be inherited till after
the second generation. On his counsel
representing to him how many years it
must be before this could take effect, and
that his money could only lie at interest
all the time, he expressed great joy thereat
and said they would then be as long in
spending as he had been in getting it,
Hopkins was a wealthy London mer-
chant and was the architect of nearly his
whole fortune, which originated in some
highly fortunate speculations in the stocks
and was considerably increased at the OK
plosion of the South sea bubble in 1920.
On one occasion he paid an evening visit
to Guy, the founder of the hospital in
Southwick, who also was as remarkable
for his private parsimony as his public
munifcence. On Hopkins entering the
room Mr.. Guy lighted farthing candle
which lay ready on the table and desired
to know the purport of the gentleman's
visit
II have been told, said Hopkins, that
you, sir, are better versed i'll the prudent
and necessary art of saving than any man
now living and therefore wait upon you
for Il lesson of frugality, an art in which
l used to think l excelled, but am told by
all who know you that you are greatly my
superior. And is that all you come
about! replied Guy. Why, then, we can
talk this matter over In the dark. Upon
this he, with great elaboration, extin-
guished his newly lighted farthing candle
Struck with this example of economy,
Hopkins rose up, acknowledged himself
Wi of hn nth hplf
and took his leave"
THE lives and habits of such men, re.
marked Uncle Joshua, ARE principally in
teresting as showing how innate meannrss
can be cultivated. 1 recall the fact that
upon the funeral of Sir John Cutler an
other miser of the same stamp, there was
expended no less than $35, 900. Sir John
was a loyalist in the time of the common
wealth and at the restoration was created
a baronet by Charles II. He belonged to
tho Grocers' company. He contributed a
large sum toward the building of the Col
lcgc of Physicians in Warwick lane, in re-
turn for which the statue of the baronet
along with another of the king, was erect
ed in the college court. Sir John died in
1899, and his executors claimed of the col
lcge $50, 900, the sum which Sir John had
advanced, with interest, and appearing to
be charged as u debtor in the books of the
deceased. A compromise was made by the
executors accepting $4,000 as payment
in full of all demands. The faculty CT the
college, enraged at this shabby transac-
ton, obliteratcd the name of Sir John in
scribcd on the pedestal of his statue
Mean in life and mean in death seemed
to be this miser's MOTTO
Here Is 6ne " said old Bob. Sir Will
liam Smyth of Bedfordshire was i'm
mensely rich but most parsimonious and
miserly in his habits At 20 years of age he
was entirely deprived of his sight-unable
to gloat over his heaps of gold. He was to
be couchcd-that is have his eyes oper-
ated upon for cataract-being persuaded
by Taylor, the celebrated oculist, the
agreement being that the latter was to
have 60 guineas If he restored his patient
to any degree of sight.
Taylor succeeded in the operation, and
Sir William was enabled to read and write
without the aid of spcctacles during the
rest of his life But no sooner was he re-
stored to sight than the baronet began to
regret that his agreement had been for so
large a sum His thoughts were now how
to cheat the oculist. He pretended that he
had only a glimmering and could see moth
ing distinctly, for which reason the band
age on his eyes was continued month
longer than the usual time. Taylor was
deceived by these Misrepresentation,
agreed to compound the bargain and &c
cepted 90 guineas instead of 60. At the
time Taylor attended him Sir William had
large estate and immense sums of money
in the stocks and $780, 600 in the house. -
Boston Herald.