The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-21

William Eads How. He Is a grandson
of the great engineer whose name will
ever continue to be associated with the
New Orleans ietties and the great Eads
bridge across the Mississippi.
What is the matter with young Mr..
How will naturally be asked. The an
swer to the question is not easily given.
He has been committed to investigation
by the probate Judge as to his sanity;
but he is as yet outside of a lunatic asy
lum or any such other public institution.
Indeed, 1T is not known that he ever saw
the inside of such a place. The probate
judge before whom he was brought de-
clared that, so far as he or his experts
| could determine, the man is not insane.
| OF course there are but few who would
ever seriously regard the man as wholly
| sane who would give up. as he has done,
! over a million dollars. refusing even to
| touch the interest on the amount or
penny of such interest for his own use.
! The admitted facts attending this
strange phenomenon will hardly strike
the average sensible man or woman of
the world as offering anything like an ad-
| equate explanation. 1t appears, first OF
all, that Mr.. How has decided that as
rich man he IS called on to follow the
accepted advice of the Redeemer, to give
UP all to the poor and follow Him.
! Strangely enough. young Mr.. How ac-
! cepts this direction as calling for lit
eral fulhllment Either the Christ meant
what He saIu in this respect, according
| to Mr. How, or else He meant none of the
wonderful things imputed to Him while
| on earth.
This young man is at least an interest
| ing study. AS such we can all we'll afford
to sympathize with and admire him, even
though many Of us may be disposed to
wish him possessed of more sound world
sense His sanity was first questioned
when he offered to the mayor the sum Of
100000 for distribution among the poor.
| The mayor at once called In his chief Of
| police to deal with him, and together they
| decided to turn him over to the probate
! court to have his sanity inquired into.
| But It did no good How is still at large.
with all his uncanny views Of what the
Redeemer of men taught concerning our
| duty toward the poor.
The sequel to this extraordinary offer
is that Mr.. How has taken up his life
| among the very poor, and he proposes
| that it shall DO spent in ministering to
| ther wants, physical and spiritual The
| inquiry into his sanity did not seriously
! interfere with his offer, for after his
lease he renewed 1t; but the mayor, SEN
sible wording that he. appears to be,
would not touch the foolish mans money.
| It Is somewhat pleasing to learn that
there is no likelihood that Mr.. How VIII
be denied all facilities for the distribu-
! ton of the proceeds of the inheritance
which he refuses to touch. The latest ac-
| count Of his peculiar conduct tells that,
| notwithstanding that he now runs mis-
| sion, and that he is looked upon by some
| thoughtful persons as a fanatic. certain
prominent citizens Of st. Louis have
taken him up" as 1t is expressed, and
will aid him in accomplishing what he
has thus far found difficult-the disburse-
ment Of his annual income among the
poor. Mr. How contemp!ates earning his
| own living by his hands while preaching
the gospel to the poor and otherwise min
istering to their wants.
This strange man is still young. and has
ample time for repentance, should 1t occur
! to him to repent. OF course, if he should
keep on as he has started he may do
some actual good but very many sensible
persons will still believe that he Is likely
to do quite as much evil In thus rudely
unsettling all the accepted standards OF
charity and humanity to which the world
has so long adhered