Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-06-20
FORTUNE OF 4 GAMBLER.
Sol. VIM. L. Blanchard" Lived a Double
Life and Was Never Found Out.
Money Goes to a Ragman, His
Brother-"Big Bill Leggett," the
Shovel Welder and 32d Degree
Mason, Posed as a Rich Swell.

|
and faro man, and in South Baintree
as Big Bill Leggett," the shovel weld
err in the Ames foundry many years
ago. will go to his brother, Thomas
Leggett, who, up to the time Of his
good fortune, pushed cart around the
streets of New York as a collector of
old rags, says the Boston Herald.
Blanchard died about year ago at
Oceanic, N. Y. leaving an estate OF
between $4,000 and $4,000, but it was
only last February that Lawyer Geo.
A. Smythe. of this city, succeeded IN
finding the heirs. The dead gambler
left no will, but he provided for a
number of people in such way that
they received large sums of money as
soon as his death was announced. One
Of them was a woman living few
miles out in the suburbs, whom Blan-
chard at one time wanted to marry,
but who threw him off when she
learned he was a gambler.
He was a most remarkable man and
was 81 years old when he died.
II was while in South Brintree, in
1861. and he Joined Company c, of
the Fourth Massachusetts infantry and
went to the front as a three-months
man. He never lived there again, but
he visited his friends often and they
welcomed him as a successful business
man. member of the New York Con-
solidated Stock and Petroleum EX-
change. 32d degree Mason, and hail
fellow well met They did not know
that he was Col. Blanchard, the gam
bier, and that the money he displayed
so lavishly was earned at night, much
of it from wealthy men whom he met
al their summer homes, and fashion
able clubs, and with whom he would
not play cards until they coaXed him
and apparently shamed him into it.
Then Blanchard would play. He al
ways entered the game when the pot
was largest. and when he had won
everything in sight invariably received
a telegram from somewhere which
made it necessary for him to depart
on urgent business. He made thou
sands of dollars this way, and those
from whom he won never suspected
that he was anything more than he pre-
tended to be-a wealthy man who
PLAYED for the fun there was in it,
Blanchard was a splendid looking
man of striking personality, feet D
inches in height, weighing about 25O
pounds. He dressed plainly, but with
the best the tailor could give him.
He was proud of his appearance, his
nhvsioue and manners, and he took
every precaution to keep from the pub
lie. and even some of his most init
mate friends, his real character and
business.
This is the only reason known for his
change of name. He tried to make peo-
ple believe that he was the scapegoat
Of an aristocratic family, and, while
his brother was pushing ragman
cart through the streets of New York,
| blanchard told his friends stories about
a sister who married, he said, mill
ionaire. living on Fifth avenue, New
York. She would not recognize him,
her scapegoat brother, he was wont to
remark.
His was a double life such as we
| read about in novels, and when death
came to him at Oceanic, where he had
gone to get over the effects Of long
debauch. the plot had developed to
such a point that it seemed 1t would
| require a Dickens to unravel it. THIS
work. however, fell to Lawyer George
A Smvthe. of Boston, and last Tues
dav he saw the end Of his labors, mat
ters having been Strengthened out so
that the property will come into inc
nossession of its legal owners.
POSITION GAMBLING HOUSE. ..o.
| When blanchard died, March 20 1870
verv little was known about him. His
MUSICIAN found among his things BANK
hooks securities. bonds and mortgages
amounting to So. 900, and of this amount
co. ooo vas in cash. Just before he died
| II bscame known that he lived in Ne"
York where he had kept gambling mousse
for about thirty years, having rooms at
ia West ADD street. The day before ne
diad he was asked whether there was any
bodv no would like to have come to see
hin, and ne mentioned Fanny Belkeiser'
. rou1atto who lived at 40S West 4lst
street New York. This woman came ana
was with Blanchard when he died. She
with two or three others who had known
him. attended the funeral.
Blanchard's relatives did not turn up
and those who had his affairs in charge
uara AT a loss what TO do. The docton
finally wrote to Mr.. smythe of Boston
Of whom he had heard as having been
successful in finding missing heirs. Mr.
smvthe went TO New York but could
learn very little about the gambler.
! Fanny Belkeiser claimed to be his wife
but said that, being a colored woman
and out OF respect for Blanchard's mem
ory. she would never assert her rights.
He had left her 5000 in trust to be paid