The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-10-17
IA DOLLS TR EASI JRE.
CHILD FINDS A 81 900 DRAFT INNER
b ( aa PLAYHOUSE.
Time Stained Relic Of Thomas Woodward.
NJ. r., an Eccentric and Wealthy Eng.
lishman-Was Dated In ls51-Payment
win he Requested. 4 Y 81. 5si

WILL 10 1SeQuCbSoUs v" II. v.stH8S
When little Mabel Ennor of Stevens
Point, Wis was cleaning her dollhouse
1 day or two ago, she found in m OLD
treatise on mathematics 81, 600 draft
ON tho Adams Express company.
The old book was begrimed and COW
cred with dust, and would soon have
met its fate in the furnace and carried
with it the long lost draft if little Ma
bel had not given it a kick and sent it
spinning OVER into the corner, but that
kick tore the old leaves apart and the
draft fluttered to the floor. The engrav-
ing on the note caught the child's eye
and prompted her to show it to her
grandmother. The draft was bought by
Thomas W oodward in 1851 in San Fran
cisco from the Adams Express company,
and was payable at sight to Thomas
Woodward in Chicago through the pri-
vate banking firm of G. 81. Smith & Co.
Thomas Woodward was little Mabel's
grandfather, and was ON eccentric, old
Englishman, who was great traveller
and genius in finance, but he could
never pin his faith to banks. He was
brilliant, we'll educated and made many
fortunes and as often lost them. Wood
ward was drawn to this country and to
California during the gold craze of 1S49.
There he met with success, but his re-
puRnance for banks continued, and he
used hollow logs and crevices in rocks
to hide his treasure. He used to tell his
friends how at one time he buried 3d.,
900 in gold nuggets in a hollow log on
his claim in California and left 1t there.
In 1851 Woodward decided to give
up his rough western life and return
east, where he might live and enjoy life
more in accordance with his aristocratic
bringing up in old England. He bought
five drafts for 1000 each, of which
the draft found recently was one. His
wife died soon after returning east, and
he seemed to collapse mentally for a
time, but after few years Of travel be
came to himself, married again and set
tied on q beautiful farm near Madison,
Wis. st
Mr.. Woodward enjoyed telling tales
Of his western life and his money at
fairs, but they were generally treated
lightly, though Oh several occasions
events happened which would seem to
prove the truth of his statements. On
one occasion his wife came in from the
barn and told him that an old barrel Of
oats, which stood out there in bin,
was all mice eaten and worthless and
shor,ld be disposed of. Mr.. Woodward
took his hat and walked leisurely toward
the barn, and after time returned,
holding hatful of bank notes, all nib
bled to bits. 8
"Wife," he said, "there is $4,000"
The fragments were sent to Wash
ington, and q few hundred dollars was
realized on the whole amount.
Another time, when the old gentle;
man was away from home, his wife ted
a barrel Of bran to the hogs. When told
Of it on his return, he calmly remarked,
"There was money in that bran, but
he never told how much.
When Woodward came to die 20 years
ago he muttered something about IS. 900
in drafts, which were among his papers
In the library, but careful search was
never made. His effects We're tossed
about, and part Of them were brought to
Stevens Point several years ago when
Mrs. Woodward went to live with her
daughter, Mrs. J. A. Ennor.
The draft, which now turns up SO 70
mantically, is the second in the series
Of five which were bought in San Fran.
cisco A years ago, and since it was
made payable at sight it is still as valu-
able as the day it was drawn despite it,
age and the stains Of time.
George Smith, the Chicago banker on
whom it was drawn, died 30 years ago.
The draft will be taken to Chicago and
presented to the officers Of the Adams
Express company for payment by Judge
Cate, attorney for Mrs Woodward.
Since the finding Of the draft closer
inspection Of Mr.. Woodward's papers
reveals the fact that he was eight years
Q member Of the British house Of COM
mons, and that his brother, who was .
member for IL years. was for a time its
speaker. Chicago Inter Ocean.
Railway Speed. %
Here is what has been accomplished
On American railways: #s@
First.-A train has been run 4S0H
miles, or 10 hours and minutes. with