The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-01-08
A.MAN WHO CANNOT LOSE.
He eeeks to BECOME Poor, but Every
Venture Enriches Hin.

/ ingly through weary existence, earn
ing by constant labor a bare mainte
nance, Is a sad one. Several days agt
bonds and securities amounting Il
100000 were6found In the bottom of &
cast-off trunk in the Saratoga hotel a
/ Chicago, as was related at the time
in the Courier-J ournal. The finding OF
such valuables has led to an investi
cation, and the fact has been establish
ed that the bonds and securities be
| long to John Lawrence Schoolcraft
formerly of Kentucky.
| Chief of Police Badenoch, of Chi
cago, when he turned over the securi.
ties to the owner, instead of making
him happy, brought sorrow. and suffer
ing to him, as the bonds recall sad
event in his life, which be had striven
hard to wipe out and forget. The day
the bonds were found by a waiter at
the Saratoga hotel, Schoolcraft was
earning his living by addressing let
ters at 81 per thousand. 1t was quick
ly learned that he was the owner of
the bonds, for he had the hotel check
for the trunk in which they were
found. He also had a receipted bill
for his board at the Saratoga hotel.
He, when asked in regard to securities,
he once possessed, gave the numbers
readily. Chief Badenoch, wanting to
be more sure, however, sent School
crafts picture to his old home in Rich
mond, Va. Letters were received i'm
mediately from prominent business
men of Richmond saying the picture
was undoubtedly that of Schoolcraft.
This dismissed all doubts as to the
mans identity and right Of ownership.
These letters also explained why
Schoolcraft, with 100000 at his COM
mand, keeps up the drudgery Of ad-
dressing envelopes to earn his daily
livelihood. He himself declines to tell
the story of his life, but in answer to
persistent questioning only says: mo
man on earth has suffered more than
l. Had l thought my past would be
dug up in connection with these miser-
able old papers, 1 would never have
made claim to them. May my secret
be buried with my body"
Ten years ago John Lawrence School
craft was a vigorous, handsome young
man Of % years. He was an enter
prising young business man and was
member Of the firm of Campbell &
Schoolcraft, of Richmond, Va. The
firm was popular one, and made mon
ey fast. Schoolcraft had extensive
business ventures outside of his reg.
ular business, and all of them netted
him big gains. Mrs. Schoolcraft was
a beautiful woman, and was one of
the most attractive and fascinating |
leaders of Richmond society. School
craft idolized his wife, and his whole |
life seemed to be given up to her pleas
ure and happiness. One day he awoke
to the realization that younger law !
yer, named Stein, who had been one
Of his most confident and trusted
friends, had robbed him of his wife's
affections. The affair had gone too !
far to admit of any reconcilia ton, and
with broken heart he left her. He
made no complaint, nor did he utter a
word of censure, but hastily converted
all his property and business interests
into cash and portable securities and
eft his once happy home to become a
W WdhoClCI IhC ISSI VI LIS Lie.
Schoelcraft's main purpose was to
squander all his money and scatter il
n a way that his wife could never get
t. He rushed into big speculations
md often, instead of losing, realized
profits. Taxes on his real
estate were purposely left unpaid and
he property was sold and resold until
t was clouded by mortgages too far
o admit Of any redemption. He went
nto big mining schemes and all kinds
# wild speculations, and in almost
very instance would win. Finally he
vas heard from in Albuquerque, N. NJ,
where he had invested in what he con- :
idered a losing venture, but to his
liter disgust he realized from it over
100000. Schoolcraft finally succeed
d in squandering all his money, and !
anded in Chicago about two weeks ago
With but a few dollars in his pockets
mall pittance wherewith to sustain
imself.
When Chief Badenoch took the secu-
tiles after they were found and show.
d them to Schoolcraft he said they be.
,nged to him, but they were worth. 8
.ss. Experts who have examined them i
eclare they are good, and not only 4
an their face value be readily col.
.cted, bur the accrued interest," which
ill amount to some thousands of dol. Z
RS. Schoolcraft, although being only
years Of age, has aged rapidly, and b
lie sad expression on his face portrays \
b1ighted life. n
Schoolcraft was born in Kentucky, n
nd Lived in the State prior to his resi- s.
ence in Richmond, Va.-LouisYills .
Mind and Health.
The mental condition has far more e
fiuence upon the bodily health than
generally supposed. 1t is no doubt
ue that ailments of the body cause =,
pressing and morbid conditions OF u