The age-herald., 1901-04-10
THE RICHEST FARMER.
William scuIIy, an IrIshman, Who Pre-.
 fers to Be an American.

From the New York World.
 William Scully of St. Louis owns a greater number of farms than any man in the United States Their aggregate area is 100000 acres. They are worth $1o,- 000,OOO They are located in central Illi- nois, western Missouri and Kansas. They represent the accumulation of fifty years of the life of their owner.
 He Is the richest farmer in the richest agricultural section in the world. His wealth is said to be $25, ,000,0O0. William Scully came to this country shartly after the Mexican war for the purpose of in- vesting his money. He chose to put 1t into farming lands.
 At the time he was William Scully, gentleman, of Ballecohey. Ireland. Now he Is William Scully, American citizen, owner of the John A. Logan residence in Washington and multi millionaire. Ever since he came to America he has been either Lord or Viscount Scully, all though he never gave anybody reason to believe that he held title. He Is not a lord. Neither Is he a viscount. In 1897 the Illionois Legislature modified the alien landowner law. This law necessi- tated MT. Scullys removal to the United States and his naturalization prior to 1903. When the Scully agents went to Bates County, Missouri, six years ago to
 
 alarmed lest Scully import an undesirable tenantry. This criticism of MT. Scully has covered a period of more than forty years. Not one word of defense ever came from him. Criticism seemed never to touch the rich Irishman. His policy was silence. Meanwhile the Scully acres con- tinued to yield great crops. Nobody ever heard of a sale of Scully land except a farm purchased in Sangamon County, Ills, by former Governor Richard J. Oglesby. Nobody ever heard of mort gage on a Scully farm. At Butler, in Bates County, Missouri, there are 125 Scully tenants, and they lease their lands for cash, paying from SIPS to g an acre, and make their own Improvements
 The Scully agents are particular about leases. The farmer who applies for one of them must be practical farmer. His stock must look well fed. His machinery must show good care. He must have good reputation, be temperate and indus trious and pay his debts. He must not quarrel with his neighbors.
 Three years ago MT. Scully increased his holdings In Bates County to 43,000 acres, all purchased for cash at from $26 to $37 an acre. None of this land Is en- cumbered. William Scully has visited Bates County several times. He has in spected his farms and carried away sam ples of their soil in little paper sacks, leading his tenants there to believe he must have at his home samples of every piece of the land he owns. A year ago the people of Bates County voted on a proposition to build new courthouse at Butler. MT. Scully's agent wrote to him and inquired to know what he would ad- wise his tenants to do. MT. Scully an- swered that they ought to vote for 1t. The proposition carried. This richest of Amer ican farmers is modest man of simple tastes He dresses simply in dark clothes, with an old-fashioned black bow tie. He does not drink or use tobacco. He Is member of the Episcopal Church.
 Mir. Scully spent several summers in Lincoln, H., on one occasion bringing his family One of his sons married Lin coin girl. The family lived very simply and became popular. MT. Scully devoted his whole time to his lands and his books He was never known to come to Lincoln or to depart from there without having with him an armful of books, principally devoted to agriculture.
 MT. Scully permits no detail of his bus mess to escape him. He even sees that a new generation of scientific farmers will be on hand to take his place and the places of the men who work with him. He puts young men at work on the farms and then sends them to college at his own epense.
 Jesse Smith of Butler, Mo-, is now at the Missouri State University at the ex- pense of MT. Scully. He will assist the men who look after the Scully farms in Bates County. Three men are constantly at work looking after the Bates County farms. They see that sowing and har- vesting are done in their proper season They see that the Scully farmers SOW the crops that are tried and sure, letting others do the experimenting.