Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-01
Romantic Story Of a Woman's
Gratitude and a Boys Bravery
ONCE LIVED In SALT LAKE.
Saved the Life OF widow OF Rich
East Indian Refused a Reward
Now Gets a Fortune

Hanlet lily hawthorne a veteran OF
the civil war once resident Of salt
Lake City and now an old and de-
crepid inmate OF the National Soldiers
home, at Dayton, Ohio, has just re-
ceiyed a fortune Of over two million
dollars for service he rendered a lady
In the year 1854. II is a story 30 ro-
mantle that If there were not so many
corroboratlve evidences to support 1t,
It would be stamped as piece Of the
merest fiction. IT Is one Of those stories
that everybody likes to hear, however,
and II is true, one Of those truths or
combination Of actual events that are
stranger than fiction The risk is run
Of being called fabricators by the in
credulous and here Is the story as 1t
has come to hand
Hawthorne, who Is a native Of Eng
land, was bathing In the sea off Kent,
as was often his wont, in the year 1854.
He was quite youth at that time and
was celebrated around his N)me for his
expert swimming, While exhibiting his
pr0Wess in the water he caught a
glimpse Of two people struggling In the
serf several hundred yards out at sea.
Their boat had capsized and they were
plunged into mortal struggle with the
waves, Hawthorne swan to them
quicker than anyone else could have
done It, and found that 1t was a wo-
man and her son, The boy was drowned
but his mother was still fighting des-
perately for her life. Hawthorne gath
cred them both In one Of his strong
arms and swan with them to shore.
The woman proved to be Mrs Jose
phine Kelat, (nee Fairfax the widow
Of wealthy East Indian. She wanted
to reward her youthful rescuer hand
somely but he stoutly refused TO ac~
cept OF one cent A year or two later
he came to the United States and en-
listed In the Union army at the out
break Of the Civil war. The same ele-
ments that made him the intrepid pre-
server OF drowning woman made him
a brave and useful soldier At the
close Of the war he left the army. Az
ter knocking about in the east for a
few years he returned to England.
There he met Mrs. Kelat again. Her
gratitude had not faded one iota and
she urged Hawthorne to accept OF a
gift from her, but he again declined
He returned to the United States, this
time coming west. on his way east
from California he stopped In Salt Lake
The city and the people made a very
favorable impression on him, so he re-
NAMED here for several years, About
ten years ago, being rather feeble and
out Of means, he went to Toledo, Ohio
and entered the soldiers home at that
place.
A few weeks ago he received a letter
from ii. b. Seymour, the admlnistra-
tor Of the estate OF Mrs. Kelat The
letter announced that the lady had died
and left her entire fortune OF $4,000 900
TO Hawthorne. He received this mo-
mentous news as cody as though 1t
were q notice to attend n meeting Of
old soldiers. After receiving the con-
CALCULATIONS of his comrades he re-
sumed his work on book he is writing
Ii Is a volume on money. And he Is
said TO have become quite an authority
on that question. He is now DESTROYS
Of selling enough Of his books TO take
him 10 France, where he can receive his
legacy.
The will provides that If Hawthorne
is still a widower, which he Is, he shall
marry some good woman who WIN as
sist him to distribute worthy charity
to the needy poor and also to charitable
and church institutions. He must build
a church in New York City to be known
as "The Poor Mans Church" where
the poor will not only receive spiritual
food, but where the hungry can also be
fed without money and without price.
Hawthorne must also contribute large
Is 10 the support OF homes for widows
and orphans Of deceased Masons and
odd Fellows.
Upon his wedding day he must pres
sent his bride the necklace worn by
the deceased, presented TO her on her
wedding day by her East Indian hus-
band, and valued at several thousand
pounds sterling. When he dies he is to
be buried In the vault beside his bene-
factress.
He must be dressed In military uni
form such as he wore during the civil
war. Should he leave widow she is
to receive $4,000 per year for life He
is permitted to sell any Of the property
except the chateau in France, which he
must not sell, but keep for himself and
his descendants.
Hawthorne says that every wish Of his
benefactor will be carried out down 90
the mlnutest detail Even to marrying
some good woman, He has received
several applications but has made no
selection vet. In o letter that. he has
written to a friend In this city he ex-
PRESSES the intention OF making his
home IN southern California.