The Sunday globe., 1901-05-05
Old Jason Howard the Money Finder
Of Watson Block
FRANCIS MCDONNELL OF IRELAND
The Former However, is Permanent While
the Latter Is Transient Resident Of
the Nations Capital.


known to the cheap "roomersn who
patroni2e it for their domicile as "Wat-
sons Block,n has among its lodger
tenants old Jason Howard one of the
queerest and most clam-ike citizens of
this submerged constituency. There
is a vagueness about his early history
which even Jason cannot or will not
clear up, and it is pretty certain that
his name is not Jason Howard at ell,
but something else that he has himself
forgotten. He is tall, stopped and
swarthy, and moves about the streets
slowly and cautiously, with his eyes
fixed upon the gutter or the pavement,
always on the alert for what may be
lying there. 1t is only known that he
came to Washington a half a century
ago, and was then the same unsolvable
riddle that he is today-reticent, un-
obtrusive, and to all appearances upon
the verge Of starvation
One Of his intimates years ago said
that he came from South Carolina,
where he was youth of splendid pros
poets, and had been Tilted by Miss
Laurens, the daughter of one of the
most aristocratic families Of the Pal
metto State.
But his secret, whatever it is, is his
own, and the nearest he ever came to
giving it up was when he said to the
writer:
My people I've in South Carolina,
and were very ealthy when | left
there They owned plantations and
saves. lam going back some day, and
if they speak to me | will speak to
them If they do not there is no harm
done, | do not know how they are
situated now, but if they want me to
do anything for them, why | will do
it without word.o
Further than that he would not talk
about his family or his early history.
His room" in "Watson's Block" is
in keeping with its occupant 1t is
about 6Xl0 feet, aud the furniture con-
ssts of a trundle bed, half dozen army
blankets, a diminut.ve stove, q chair
without a back, and a store box, which
serves the double purpose of table and /
chest. Here he has lived and medi- |
tated while whole generation have
made their entrance upon and exit from
the stage of life.
Many of the middle-aged residents Of
the vicinity remember him as the butt
of their school-boy jokes over a third of
a century ago, At that time he was
looked upon as an object Of charity and
his food and clothing were given him
by charitable people, for whom he did
occasional odd jobs of work, and the
same people gave him half dimes and
tips with which he paid his rent.
Not till 1873 did any one except a few
bankeTs-whO are proverbial for mind
ing their own business, and saying but
little, if anything, about other peoples
suspect that he was possessed of
means. But when the financial crash
came, and some of the banks We're
crippled and had to close up for repairs,
VI Goh Ia NOlH vi llltll NlNhlNOlEt u NlklLGu
was astonished when old Jason called
on him for advice, and showed him
bank book calling for 50 goo, and others
for different amounts, the whole aggre-
eating perhaps Sl5 900.
With some of the banks and his |
debtors he had to compromise, and his
fortune was reduced something like
$1,000 by the crash of '73. What cret |
sorrow he endured in consequence no
one will ever know, but the unsuspect- !
ing world never saw any change in
him. He had always been down to
bed rock, and fortune uld not strip |
him Of any luxuries.
How he managed to accumulate a
fortune which it is believed now ex-
ceeds s2l 900, is quite as great mystery
as Jason Howard is himself 1t is
thought, however, that he brought a
portion of it with him when he came
from South Carolina. He has never
earned a salary that he could save up,
a few dollars year and clothes being
all that he was ever known to earn.
Assuming that he had $4,000 when he
came to Wa. .hington, which is estimat-
ed was then the extent Of bis fortune,
the question naturally ar.se How did
he get the rest Of itY
A gentleman who has closely OBJ
served his habits for a quarter of a cen
tury, thus explains it: He has reduced
money finding to an exact science
Every year in Washington, at u low
estimate, there is $4,000 lost on the
streets In small sums of from one cent
up to a dollar or two. Children lose it
going to the groceries, or it is dropped
at the markets, etc. Old Jason knows
exactly where it IS most likely to be
lost, and am satisfied that he finds a
fair per cent of it. Watch him any
day you please, along the streets leading
to the most largely patronized stores,
and along the avenue, when the ladies
are shopping. There is nothing on the
pavement or in the gutter that can miss
his eye, aud while the common yag
picks up the cigar stumps, old Jason
picks up the money | have seen him
pick up coins dozens Of times. Some
Of the boys year or two ago, soldered
nickel to an iron rod, on f near 1lth
street, aud :it fooled old Jason dozen
times. But one morning it was gone,
He went late one night with Il cold
chisel and a hammer and cut it of the
iron rod"
"You c,uld have seen him all Of
Inauguration week poking here and
there with his cane along both sides of
+ street near the department store, oc-