Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-09
LUCK OF A DESERTER.
Strange Story Of How He Recame m
Millionaire and What Followed.


From the Chicago Record
Along in the sos a Scotch sailor named
Penny deserted from a man-of-war on the
west coast of South America and found
his way to the interior of Bolivia where
he worked as a miner and did odd jobs for
living. In the course of time he took up
with an Indian woman. and after she had
nursed him through a long and dangerous
illness he married her to show his graft
tude. She reciprocatcd his confidence and
ancctfon by leading him to an ancient
mine, which had been abandoned and par
tally filled at the time of the conquest in
order to keep il from falling into the hands
OF the Spaniards. With the aid of his
wife and fellow countryman named Mac
henzie, Penny cleaned out the rubbish and
struck a vein Of silver that made him a
millionaire. The mine is still operated and
Is one OF the most profitable in South
America.
After having developed the property and
organized his affairs. with Mackenzie as
his superintendent, some years later Penny
returned TO Scotland and purchased the
estate near Aberdeen upon which his par
ents had lived as laborers. His Indian wife
could neither read nor write and could not
speak or understand a word of English.
but was habitually arrayed in silks and
satins and wore Jewels that were the won
der of all the country around. Penny
spent his money like Monte Cristo." and
the fame of his philanthropy will never he
forgotten by the people of that region He
brought a son of Mackenzie to Scotland to
be educated and sent him to the best
schools. He also adopted a nephew of the
name of Craig, thc|son of a village parson
living near Aberdeen. Penny insisted that
both should adopt his name and as he
had no children of his own and no pros
poets of any promised to make them his
heirs
When he died suddenly he left a will be-
queathing his mines and his millions to his
wife, and commencing to her care and
generosity his two ADOPTED sons, Craig and
Mackenzie Penny.
Shortly after Craig Penny started for
Bolivia with the widow leaving MacKen-
zie, who was then about eighteen years
old. in school. During the voyage by some
means. Craig induced Mrs. Penny to marry
him. and when they arrived at Oruro he
produced marriage certificate. took
charge of the property and dismissed the
faithful Mackenzie, who had been sole
manager of the mine for many years. Then
Mrs. Penny died under mysterious circum-
stances. Although her husband attempted
to keep away doctors and priests the old
lady, through servant managed to send
word to friends that she needed protection
and before her death declared that she
had been poisoned. The scandal was
hushed with money, and Penny lived like
a lord on the profits Of the mine. of which
he claimed to be the sole owner, but after
4 time young Mackenzie learned what had
transpired in Bolivia and started to Oruro
to protect his rights. Being a British SUBJ
ject he placed his claims in the hands OF
Thomas H. Anderson, United States min
lister to Bolivia, who was in charge OF
British interests, and the latter with the
aid of Dr. Alonzo. recently president OF
Bolivia, endeavored to arrange an AMIGA
bic settlement of the controversy, under
which the two boys were to have equal
shares in the mine
When MIR. Anderson returned to the
United States at the end of his term of
office he brought young Mackenzie Penny
with him in order that he might complete
his education in Washington, but after a
time. when the boy returned to Bolivia
President Alonzo organized a syndicate to
buy out both the heirs for $4,000 each.
He now controls the mines, and is paving
the two heirs in installments, while both
are drinking themselves to death at Anto-
fagasta.