The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1900-11-29
None Guessed the Fortune of
Abraham Wolff.
DEATH ONLY REVEALED IT.
He Began Life a. an Office Boy in
New York

dreamed that Abraham Woln was
''twenty-times millionaire He was
known a. a banker of the firm of
Kuhn. Eoeb X Go a. Il member OF
the Stock Exchange: a. ~ucr, - III
business man who has risen from
humbleness. But no one would have
ever clasSed him "a muiJi-millIou-
aire. 80 quietly has he been accumu-
lating wealth AMI SO mode>tly
refraining from displaying it.
1t il now plain that Mr. Wolfi was
another Silent Man ofWall Street.
and the mystery that surrounds the
accumulation of his vast estate l. III
teresting tinanciers no little.
The will filed in the Surro~ate'>
office a. Morristovn y. y. shows
that fifteen charitable institutions
have been left requests offrom 81 900
to $4,000 each: all of his nirces and
nephews and cousins get from -, 900
to SJO, 900 each: the clerks in his
firm = office are allowed from Sl2J
to 500 each. and that after all this
amounting to nearly 1000. 900, il
deducted. there i a residuary estate
TO be divided between his two
daughters amounting TO more than
SIS. 900. 900.
As viewed i'll this light. there was
not a more picturesque character in
the business world OF New York than
was Abraham Wolff H. came to
this country about fifty years ago
when twelve years old and started
in as an office boy without money
enough TO buy a penknife.
Mr.. VOLTS parents lived in Eden
koben. Germany. They were poor
and decided to cross the ocean and
start lie anew ia the United States.
They came north with view to
starting their children in life than in
hope OF gaining riches for them
selves.
When Abraham Wolff started out
as an office boy he received only 80
per week. He worked his way 10 "A
position as clerk at an early age. and
all the while saved money After
awhile he was able to enter business
for himself
At first he went to San Francisco
but after meeting successes there he
determined to 90 back eastward
where the channel of commerce was
larger.
He located in Cincinnati and fol-
| lowed the mercantile business there
for number of years. He returned
to New York at the age OF thirty-fiye
and entered the banking business as
clerk with the firm of Kuhn, Loeb
& Go. He afterwards became a part
npr and has remained such ever
since.
While his start va. due to the sue
! cess lie experienced a. a merchant, lac
did not begin to- roll up any great
fortune until he began a. banker,
and here his success invariably
resulted from his prudence as AN in
vestor.
His associates in the bank used to
say to him, Wolff. you work too
hard: YOU take too much upon your
self: you will kill yourself toiling."
His reply invariably was. Work
keeps a mans mind away from the
worst Of worldly things
Mr.. VOLTS death was sudden. He
was at the bank Oct. / last, and
never seemed in better spirits. He
went to his country place, two miles
| from MOrristown. y. j.. on All early
train and ate d good dinner. 4
few minutes afterward he was found
diving on the -four in a bathroom in
his fine house. Physicians came. but
he was dead before their arrival
They said his death was due to heart
disease.
His residuary estate viii be diyid
ed between his daughter Clara, who
j, the wife Of Fl. I. Wertheim 81 tbs
banking firm Of ProbSt. Wertzler &
Co. and his daughter Addie. who !,
the wife OF q. II Kuhn Of the firm o
Kuhn. Loeb K 10 This property !.
chiefly in securities. In every larg'
railroad corporation III America ~
had shares
II many OF the mines that have
had great outputs OF wealth be va
? a shareholder. in city. state and gov
ernment bonds h. could count soy