The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-29
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.

ton has been published and I failed to
find in it any mention of a beQuest for
marked a gentleman at the Copeland.
He was one of the few wealthy men
who failed to help public charities,
schools, or, in fact, anything that did
not benefit himself directly. Russell
Sage is the only other rich man who
is as close as Huntington in this respect
and who cares as little for the human
race outside of his immediate family. He
lived for the sole purpose of amassing
wealth and judging from his will, he
was anxious that the wealth should be
death. In all the obituary notices
have read, have failed to find a regret
expressed except by some of his en-
ployes who said they were surprised and
added kind words 1t seems to me that
a man who had the wealth and influence
he possessed should have done some
good that the public would appreciate
and remember after his death. Leland
STANFORD, who was an associate of
Huntington, endowed the university that
bears his name and will be a lasting
monument to his generosity. The
Armours have given thousands to edu-
catiOnal institutions and public charities;
hospitals and institutions all over the
country mark the kind and sympathetic
heart of wealthy men who were able to
look beyond their own doorway and see
where they could aid the common broth
erhood of man, but Huntington can look
back in vain for one trace for which the
has amassed the fortune that he did
owes something to the public. There is
no question as to his business ability
and notice that is the only thing about
him which was considered worthy of
mention in the obituary notices.
s'When a man desires to leave his
friends and lose himself he goes to Mexi-
CO.," said a gentleman at the Fifth Ave-
nue. who has been on several trips to
that country. Years ago when a man
Gn1f oil no n
Texas, but since Texas has become
civilized Mexico has been the choice of
a majority of the people who seek to
lose their identity and change their
names. Many men, both young and old,
drift on the ever changing currents of
time till they are lost to friends and
relatives and it seems to me that current
lodges a great many of them in Mexico.
Just why a man who desires to lose him
self should go to Mexico has not been
explained, but that men do is attested
by the incOntrovertible fact that many
a man has been found there who was
wanted by both his friends and the off,
GERS, and there are others there, lots of
them, who in mortal fear that they
will be dug up by some inquisitive
American. Gillett is not the only man in
Mexico who will not cross the line. 1t
is generally supposed that man from
the United States will not remain there
longer than year or so without return
ing for a visit. When they stay longer
than that people begin to wonder what
desired to bury myself alive could do
it just as thoroughly in a country that
had a more conducive climate. I can
only explain the tendency towards Mexi-
co by the drift theory. When a man
cuts loose and starts for nowhere with
the idea of losing his identity he will
drift with the current and the current
is bearing that direction"
s"There is rather an interesting story
connected with that ring said an ex-
railroad man at the National in an
swer to an inquiry concerning large
opal ring which he wore. About f1f-
teen years ago I was running on the
Iron Mountain in Arkansas was on
freight at that time and our run head
ed out of Texarkana- one night L was
called to go out on an extra and / was
greatly pleased, for it was my first
trip a conductor. Our train was
composed mostly of cotton, but we had
on a few empties. 1t was a bad night
and the weather had been bad for some
time. The track, which in those days
was never in good shape, was very soft
and we had slow orders for a dozen
places. Everything went along all
right until about midnight l was sit
ting in a chair in the way car half
asleep and nodding with the swaying
motion of the car when suddenly was
thrown to the floor and it seemed that
everything loose was on top of me. I
got up as soon as l could, found my
lantern and. after sending the fagman
back, started forward. I knew, of
course, that we were wrecked. l found
that six cars were in the ditch with the
engine. BY some miracle, which seems
to occur in many wrecks the engine
crew had escaped uninjured and the
head brakeman was only slightly
bruised. One of the men went ahead
to the next station, which was only
few miles distant, and the rest OF us
examined the wreck and did the usual
amount of swearing. While we were
near one of the cars which had been
thrown a short distance from the
wreck / thought I heard a voice and
stood still waiting to hear il 1t was re-
peated. 1t came again and seemed to
be from the car which was lying on its
side. I called and heard feeble cry
for help. With the aid of the engineer
I got up on the car and after a lot OF
hard work succeeded in sliding the door
back. When held the lantern down
so the light. would fall within saw
man mashed between the cotton bales
We worked hard and finally got him
out and carried him to the way car,
where we made him as comfortable as
possible. The man was injured intern
ally and was bleeding from the mouth
and nose. I sat alone by his side for
time and gave him all the aid | could
He asked for whisky and l found a
flask from which I gave him swallow.
He began talking and with great diff
Guilty said: I am hurt bad. l am dy-
ing. In my pockets you will md about
$1,000. I wish you would take 1t out
now before anyone comes ana would
give it to my mother, who lives in st.
Louis Please don't say anything about
it to anyone / know you could keep
the money, but I hope you won't. Take
this ring which you will also find in my
pocket for your trouble He gave me
the street address of his mother and
wrote it in my book. took the money
as he requested, but I am willing to adj
nit that at the time 1 hardly knew
what to do. The tramp, for he was a
tramp, died before we could get him to
a
his clothing that would lead to his
identity. I carried that money for sew