The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-16
WASTING HIS MILLIONS
To Keep the Son He Hates
From Inheriting Them.
RICH MAN OF BROOKLYN
Resolves to Leave No Estate
to be Fought For
RICH MAN OF BROOKLYN

are turned nomad, father who Is CIV
ing away and spending fortune of four
millions so that his only son may not in
herit it! This is the true description Of
James A H. Bell, known as the Monte
Cristo of Brooklyn"
He was once the owner Of Bell Island.
de was voluntarily expelled himself.
Millionaire Bell sailed for Europe on
Saturday. Il am shaking the dust of
America forever from my feet" he said.
Mr.. Bells son, John Graham Bell. died
NJ ST. Peters Hospital the night before.
His father knew he was dying. but he
would not go to his bedside. When the
end came a messenger carried the news
10 the old man in his queer. old-fashioned
mansion, at No. 45 Sands street. Million
uire Bell. STOPPING under the weight of his
e-ght-four years. came out of his library
on the top floor, holding a candle high
above his head
Il came from the Observation-Disclosures
-your-son-is-dead'' painted the mesSen-
ger.
Very good!" He said again. He went
back TO his library
He rang for his house keeper. Send me
some ice water. I shall spend the night
here. I shall want nothing more" he
said.
The next morning he sailed. He stopped
his carriage on Brooklyn bridge to tell a
neighbor he would never return.
II am shaking the dust of America OF
my feet forever" he said.
A man watched the shrunken old figure
he v0Io ,nff ha
He was a middle-aged man with cur
ious likeness to the old man who had just
gone aboard. He frowned. Then he set
his lips firmly under his thick grey mus
tache and went on with his work as dock
agent at pier 81 North River. The old
man could have seen him had he looked
that way, but he did not. The dock agent
was Charles A Bell. the only surviving
son of the old millionaire who was leav-
ing American forever. James Graham
Bell. his brother was buried from his
house, No. 755 Marcy avenue, last Sun
DAY. The old millionaire was not hidden
10 the funeral. II he had been invited he
would not have gone.
The north pole is not further from the
South, the stars not further from the
earth. than Millionaire Bell, the Brooklyn
AGnle CTlSlO, from SOIlS.
In Brooklyn Institute there is a price
less library of 5000 volumes occupying
three large rooms. The library was the
gift of Mr.. Bell 10 the Institute. In an
olosve of one of the rooms is the marble
bust Of a beautiful woman. This is an
other gift of Mr.. Bell. It is the bust of
his wife who died thirty years ago.
For years before her death there had
y
Bell The old mansion in the then most
0-stocratic quarter of Brooklyn held a
household divided against itself.
The miIlIonaire's love for his wife turn
I'd To hatred. This unnatural feeling ex-
tended to his two sons.
II was deepened by the fact that the
older son. Charles a. Bell. married a girl
whom his father did not admire. She was
O. good girl with the level head and the
practical bent of the average American
girl. She was as wholesome of body as
soul and she pleased Charles Bell Not
so his father.
John Graham Bell did not take to bust
hess lie wanted to be teacher of mus
Ic. This angered his father.
After a day Of reading and meditation
IN his library the millionaire decided to
Jlisinherit both of his sons.
They shall have n share of ny for
tune" he said grimly. 1T shall not he
- large as they expect 1t shall be ex-
hctly one dollar apiece"
lie sent for his lawyer and made his
s viii.
II provided that his fortune. with the
exception Of the said So. should be di-
vided among charitable institutions in
Brooklyn The trustees Of an orphan asy-
ium had made him many offers for the
old mansion on Sands street He had re-
fused them all. Because he said TO
the lawyer. 81 want to give it to them
when / am dead"
John Graham Bell never prospered III
hsaltht and an enfeebled will made Of
him driftwood in life's stream. One Gay
three months ago. the stream carried him
T. St Peters hospital. He had no money.
IT. told the superintendent of the hos
r;taI that ne was the son of the eccentric
millionaire of No. 8 Sands street the
Monte Cristo of Brooklyn The sup
eri-tendert sent bill after hill To the
Sands street mansion. There was never
my reply. The superintendent engaged
2 lawyer At first the lawyer was diplo-
matte.
Your son is too i'll TO be removed from
S. Peters 10 & charity hospital" he
wrote we would spare Won the dis
grace Of sending him to such an institu-
tion. we are SURG this-to yOu-trifiing
bill has escaned your attention. We are
sure that with this reminder Il wal Ne
promptly met"
II was not. The aged father read II
in n cafe On the Champs Eiysee. He lit
cigar with IL and laughed.
Il was only when his housekeeper warn
81 him that suit was impending him
that he returned from Paris.
He arrived on Friday. June - II will
settle this matter an1 go hack tomorrow.
he said And. though his son died that
night he kept his word.
The old man made three wills The pro-
visions were always the same Whatever
was left Of his fortune at his death should
b, divided among certain Brooklyn ms
t:tutions.
But" said a friend of the Monte Girls
10 Of BROOKLYN" after this first will had
been made. any will may be broken now
adays."
Mine shall not he answered Armly,
and went to his lawyer and had sec
ord drawn IN. with the same provisions
but stronger phrasealogy. The third was
kindred 20 e. and there was no miStaking
enc OF the cruelty. clear sentences.
After all these precautions that his viii
Should not be broken. Mr.. Bell set about
spending and giving away his fortune 50
that little o. nothing should left 10 pro
woke. iiticaticn