The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-05-04
PAYING OUTLAWED CLAIMS FROM
 A NEW FORTUNE.

A NEW FORTUNE. The life story of Leigh s. J. Hunt, who announces that he will shortly es-
 tablish metropolitan daily paper in
 Seattle, reads like a romance. In the
 middle eighties Hunt arrived in Seat | tie from Iowa. He bought the Post | 1ntelligencer, which was not much of
 paper then, for $27,ooO. In few
 weeks he sold third interest in it for l $40000 Soon lie he'd stock in the Pu- l get Sound National, then as now the leading financial institution of the city, and from that on until 1898, when the
 panic came, everything he touched turned to gold.
 Hundreds of people invested in Hunts schemes. The man was looked upon as a wonder. Laboring people by the scores went in with him. As managing director of the Post-Intellgencer he built up political ring that controlled the territory of Washington and even- tually the state. Associated with him
 in politics were such giants as John c.
 Haines, Frederic James Grant and
 George H. Heilbron, who have passed
 to the great beyond; John H. McGraw, whom Hunt made governor of the state and who will probably be his friend and ally, now that he has decided to return
 to Seattle and a host of l ess well known men, all of whom we're shrewd politicians and whose word was law in the state. His policy was to make King county the dominant factor in the state, and he succeeded. which his successors have failed most lamentably to do.
 Hunt made senators governors and congressmen. He dictated the munich pal government of Seattle with a rod of iron. Ills word was law. and his powerful and influential newspaper kept In subjection those who would have risen Tn revolt. He enjoyed all the pow CT that one man could reasonably hope to have and apparently 1t was to last for all time But the panic came. AL most in a night every dollar. which Hunt had on earth was swept away. His property was a drug on the mar ket and his bank was insolvent. Those who had followed his schemes and iY1- vested their money in them went down with him. The only consolation they
  as poor as they. T
 Shaking the dust of Seattle from his feet in 1894, Hunt went to Korea. There he obtained important mining conces- sions from the king, and for six years has been at work recouping his for tunes. His old-time luck returned, and his wealth is now reckoned in the mil- lions. The earth yielded at his touch, and 1t gave up gold in fabulous | amounts.
 Some months ago he returned to the | American continent and landed at Van l B. c. Instead of stopping at | Seattle he went to New York and from there to London. Everywhere he met ! men whom he had induced to invest money in his schemes in Seattle. He made good their losses, with interest. In New York, prior to leaving for Lon- lon, he stated that he intended starting , newspaper in Seattle, and when he cached here on his return his old-tin1s associates and friends greeted him with ,pen arms. He took a suite of six 'ooms at the Hotel Butler, engaged ot of Japanese and colored servants to wait upon him and then walked over to he First National bank, where he de- ,oslted an immense sum of money, to- yether with list of the men who had ost money through his schemes in the i'd days. Every claim was outlawed, ut Hunt instructed his bankers to pay very creditor to the last farthing. President Hoge, of the bank, sent for me man who held Hunts outlawed note or s40.000.
 How much will you take for it?" he sked.
 The man hesitated. Two years ago Ie would have rejoiced to get twenty ollars for it.
 Well, I don't know" he began; .uess ----"
 Well" put in MT. Hoge brusquely, here is a check for the face value of he note, with the interest to date; will hat satisfy your"
 This man was one who had lost all in he panic. The interest on the note ,as over $20,000, and he went out of he door rich man. whereas he came . l, to all intents and purposes. pau er.--Seattle Correspondence Portland |reronian