The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-05
THE LUCK OF A DEsERTER.
"a Strange Story of How He Became &
Millionaire and What Followed,


Millionaire and What Followed,
Along in the fifties 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 Bo-
1ivia, where he worked as a miner and
did odd jobs for living In the course
of time he took up with an Indian wo-
man, and after she had nursed him
through a long and dangerous Illness he
married her to show his gratitude. She
reciprocated his confidence and affection
by leading him to an ancient mine,
which had been abandoned and partial
ly filled at the time of the conquest in
order to keep it from falling into the
hands of the Spaniards With the aid
of his wife and a fellow countryman
named Mackenzie, 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 Macken-
Eie as his superintendent, some years
later, Penny returned to Scotland and
purchased the estate near Aberdeen,
upon which his parents had lived as la
borers. His Indian wife could neither
read nor write, and could not speak or
understand word of English, but was
habitually aTayed in silks and satins
and wore jewels that were the wonder
of all the country round Penny spent
his money like a Monte Cristo," and
the fame Of his philanthropy will never
be forgotten by the people Of that re-
gion. He brought 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 the son
of village parson living near Aber-
deem. Penny insisted that both should
adopt his name, and as he had no chill
dren of his own, and no prospects OF
any, promised to make them his heirs.
When he died suddenly he left will
bequeathing 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 Mac
kenzie, who was then about eighteen
years old, in school. During the voy-
age by some means, Craig induced Mrs.
Penny to marry him, and when they ar
rived 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 circumstances. AL
though her husband attempted to keep
away doctors and priests, the old lady,
through a servant, managed to send
word to friends that she needed protec-
ton, and before her deaths declared that
she had been poisoned. The scandal
was hushed with money, and Penny
lived like lord on the profits of the
mine, Of which he claimed to be the sole
owner; but after a time young Macken-
zie learned what had transpired in Bo-
livia and started for Oruro to protect his
rights Being a British subject, he
placed his claims in the hands of
Thomas H. Anderson, United States
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 |
amicable settlement of the controversy, |
under which the two boys were to have |
equal shares in the mine.
When Mr.. 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
five hundred thousand dollars EACH He
now controls the mines, and is paying
the two heirs in installments, while
both are drinking themselves to death
at Antofagasta.-C Record.