Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-24
TOM cQFElN DEAD.
The Famous Winthrop Spend
thrift Dies at lowell, Me.
Once He Threw Away Thousands
in Piotous Living.
Died Alone and Among Strangers, without
Enough 70 Bury Him.

Winthrop, Sept. 23.-(SpeciaD. Tom
Coffin, the strange and mysterious
spendthrift, is dead The following
letter was received by the selectmen of
Winthrop, Wednesday:
Lowell, Me-, Sept q, 1897.
To the Authorities of the Town of
Winthrop, Me: 4
Thomas S. Coffin died here, last night,
and we have no.tomb, so we (town of
Lovely are obliged to bury him i'm
mediately. owing to the condition of his
remains, and after proper time, if his
relatives want his remains removed we
will help them to do SO.
Yours truly,
w. G. WALKER,
Chairman Board Of Selectmen, Lowell,
oxford County, Maine.
So this is the end of Tom Coffin, thus
to die, friendless and homeless, with
out money enough to bury him; and
now the towns of Winthrop and Show
hogan will have to argue it out as to
who will be responsible for the burial
expense; that is. unless some friend
comes forward or property turns mp
with which to pay these expenses. The
story of Collins life is a most remark
able one. 1t reads like tale from the
Arabian Nights. Till he approached
| young he lived in Winthrop
| then he saw fit to leave here on ac-
count of some scrape into which his
youthful exuberance led him. Little
was known of him after that for years.
At one time he kept little store in
Portland, and then he disappeared al
together and was forgotten.
About II years ago he suddenly re-
appeared in Winthrop, a middle-age,i
| man, coming home from the West
with moncy-money. as it seemed,
without end. How he got it was the
great mystery. Some said it came
through inflated mining and land en-
terprses; some said he made it as a
bookmaker at the race tracks, but no
one knew, and he never enlightened
them. This, however, was certain, he
had money. bundles of it, and his one
aim seemed to be to dazzle the COM
| munity in which his youthful days
were spent.
He bought fine house--the present
residence of l.. T. Carleton. Esq. The
grounds did not suit him and he tore
away fine granite terrace walls. SOM.
young people presumed to set upon his
front steps without invitation and he
forthwith had the steps carted away.
He bought valuable horses and when
he became angry with them he had
them shot. He bought furniture and
carriages, and firing of them he hal
them split up and thrown in a p!la
on his lawn and burned.
He kept the town in a constant state
Of excitement. There were Shrieks
and cries of murder" from women in
his house and there was always plenty
of women there. He bought expensive
carpeting and had it laid from his front
door across the street so that a woman
living in his house might walk thereon
without soiling her slippers.
One night a woman in night attire
rushed out of the house, shrieking, and
bounded, unasked, into a passing
vehicle. Tom came after her and seiz-
ing her by the foot, dragged her from
the wagon and compelled her to go
back into the house.
At one time he kept $4,000 in money
in a basket in his parlor and would go
away for days leaving it in charge of
his servants. Sometimes he carried
about with him grip stuffed with $780,
900 in bills. and on one occasion before
starting for Boston, not wishing to
be bothered with so much money, he
carelessly emptied it upon the floor of
a closet and there he left it while he
was gone. This same grip full of
money he once overwhelmingly left
in village store over night, never
thinking to hunt it up till the next day.
And so he rolled in wealth and scattered
it to the four-winds.
Then he left Winthrop as suddenly
as he came, and nothing more was
known of him till he reappeared, sew
eral months ago, a mere shadow, a
Ragged and forlorn wreck of his former
self, emaciated and uncertain of gait,
in the last stages of the dreadful NOR
phine desease. The habit had con-
quered him. He made a last desperate
effort to shake it off while here, and
afterwards took treatment at the Deer
ing Kelley Institute.
But now he is dead. The State will
pay $35 of the $40 of his funeral ex-
penses, for he was a sailor in the United
States navy; and SO it is left a matter
of debate whittier or no the town of
Winthrop will have to pay the other IS.
Some town will be obliged to pay it,
unless, as we say, some friend comes
forward; or property of the deceased Is
found to cover the amount.
DEATH OF vATAL CYR,