Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-17
A USEFUL CRESUS.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL Aston WILL
FIGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY.

Stories About the New York Miilion.irs.
His Remarkable Performances with .
Billiard Ball - Price He Paid For One
shave-Mr. Astor's Hotchki.. Battery.
On the eve of the outbreak of hostili-
ties between the United States and
Spain John Jacob Aston. Jr, through
representatives in England. managed TO
purchase IN that country a first class
battery of six II FOUNDER Hotchkiss
guns and 8, 900 rounds of ammunition
for each gun, says the New York Post.
As soon as the battery had been shipped
from England to the United States Mr..
Aston presented it 10 the war depart
ment, and the gift was Immediately ac-
cepted- When Mr.. Aston first applied
for a commission IN the volunteer army,
1t was his object 70 be stationed with
this battery, but. realizing his little
knowledge of military affairs, he later
asked that he might be assigned to the
staff of Major General Miles This ap-
point1nent he received and will join the
army at Tampa before its departure for
Cuba Concerning Mr.. Astor's military
plans the New York Journal says:
John Jacob Aston is going to the
front as soldier in the service of his
country 1t is as much his duty TO do
that, of course, as it is of the poorest
man who has enlisted Nevertheless it
is not to be forgotten that Lieutenant
Colonel Aston risks more than most of
his fellow patriots and is not to be
classed with the Impoverished young
bachelor dude who CALAMITY dashes into
IL. IL L., = l.
commands 500, 600. 600, with all its
pleasure giving power, and separates
himself from wife and children besides
A military and an American salute TO
Lieutenant Colonel John Jacob Aston !,
He sets good, an inspiriting example
and proves himself to be a man as we'll
as millionaire. -
Many stories are told about Mr.. Aston.
While he was a student at Columbia
college he was an expert billiard player.
Il tell you what, Jack, said one of
his friends there billiard trick you
can't do-and I'll bet on it. -
What's that?" asked young Aston
Why, retorted the other, picking
up billiard ball and winking at his
companions. You can put this billiard
ball in your mouth"
1t was a silly challenge, but Astor,
opening his jaws to their widest, seized
the ivory sphere and forced it into his
mouth, Naturally, he could not utter a
word but amid the laughter of his COM
panions he waved his hand in trium-
plant emphasis of his victory
Then he tried to remove the ball
There was an unlocked for difficulty.
Try as he would he could not expel the
discomforting object He began to gasp
for breath, and his distress was so ap-
parent that ridicule ceased and his
companions endeayored to aid him. But
not even half dozen thumbs and fingers
could withdraw the sphere. He would
have died had not one of the young men
rushed away in hot haste, returning in
few minutes with dentist, who ex-
tracted the ball
1t would seem, from an incident that
once occurred in a barber shop in New
York, that Mr.. Astor in his youth lack
ed that closeness in money matters that
stood his grandfather IN such good stead
when he began tho fortune that the
boy was then spending, says the New
York Sun. The barber that shaved
Mr.. Aston is remarkable in his weird
appreciation of ethics. He would deal
honestly with men of ordinary means,
but he has an abnormal socialistic
idea that the millionaire is legiti-
mate prey for him. Therefore he re
solved to get very large price for shaw
ing young Mr. Aston if he could man
age it. After finishing his work he
brushed Mr. Aston coat for him with
great care and held out his hands for
the bill that the millionaire was ex-
tracing from fat roll 1t was one of
Mr.. Astor's habits to pay for small
items out of one of these huge rolls of
bills. The barber passed across the room
to his cash drawer, and then, returning
handed to Mr.. Aston two pieces of sill
yer. The rich youth looked at the mon
ely and then at the barber
'Wh VIII why. what 5 this?" he said
Change for the dollar you gave me
sir, respond I'd the barber.
But. cawnfound it. l gave you 8
$50 bill :
''Oh, no. sir, said the barber "On-
ly a one. Look III my drawer if You
like, and you'll see there's nothing lar
ger than one there.
Several of young Astor' friends We're
with him, and so he did not like to dis
russ such vulgar question as money
He made up his mind that it was dol
lar he had given up. and janlming bis
hat over his ears went for n walk on the
avenue. The barber tells about his get
ting $40. so for Il single shave.
And I'd take 500 out of that young |
fellow if l could, - says he