Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-09-11
MARKED FOR WEALTH.
Cases Of People Who We're Unable to Escape
its Possibilities.

Whom Hodson Barnett, the copper
millionaire gave away his fortune he
went to live for time at Wootten, q
village near Bedford. Barnett was
one of the richest men in Britain, be-
ing worth over 93,O00,0O0, and cor
tainly the biggest copper merchant
and worker in the country. How
ever, he got tired of his millions and
eventually gave nearly his entire for
tune away to charities, townships
and his political party: He was of.
fered baronetoy, which he refused,
and with an income of G400 year
invested in consols, he took cot
tage at Wooten, with one servant,
and lived as quietly as retired doc
tor.
But within ten months copper
mine of his in British Guinea, the
now famous Lc Coria mine, which
had seemed so worthless he had not
troubled to sell it, brought him an
other fortune. A prospector who
examined it offered him G50,O0O for
it, was told by post to keep the mine
for his trouble. That mine is now
the chief asset of the great Powell
syndicate and brings in 100000 a
year. But Barnett's troubles were
not over, for in another Two months
he was left legacy of 100000, and
this, grumbling at the work involved,
he presented to the Norton Institute
for Waits and Strays. Feeling un-
safe from wealth at Wootten, he
quietly changed his address to Tavis-
took, in Devon, but there he was pur-
sued by another legacy of 100000,
which he distributed among the hos
pitfalls, and at his death eighteen
months ago at Hampstead, he had
just been assaiied by another fortune.
Mrs. Camden Brett, the famous
heiress, took rs much trouble to avoid
wealth as most people do to gain it..
She began life with a settlement of
100000, and by tho time she was as
she had come in for 100000 more.
She came TO the conclusion, however,
that wealth was more trouble than it
was worth, and in the summer of
1893 she commenced giving enor-
nous dinners to the poor of London
and other great cities. Within a
year she had disposed of her entire
fortune except very small compe-
tence and bought little house. in
Fulham. This house, shortly after
ward, was claimed as the site of the
Hewarden building. Mrs. Brett was
forced to sell and the price allotted
was $4,000 and about six times the
price she had paid.
Saddled with E12,000, she spent it
in founding the Cottage Hospital, at
1lfracombe, and settled again in a
tiny village at Curibton. Here, being
aqualified nurse, she took to amateur
nursing, and having attended a
wealthy manufacturer named Morley,
was bequeathed 100000 at his death.
This she mostly distributed to mis-
sionary societies; but there was no
escape from the fortune that dogged
her, and two years ago she bcfriended
a patent inventor, who in gratitude,
assigned her half royalty in one of
his inventions which became hugo
success and brought her in f11,OOO.
No one had harder struggle to
get away from money than Corber,
the ship-owner, and once proprietor
of the Corbey Line. lie sold out his
great business realizing over E1 $780,
600, and made it over to his heirs,
not even leaving himself a compc-
tcncc to retire on. lie bought little
farm just outside Exeter and turned
it into little market garden, making
it pay very fairly. The first attack
of fortune was the news that ship
of his which had been abandoned un-
insured in the Pacific year before
was found with all her cargo intact.
But he wanted nothing more to do
with wealth and ne made her over to
the finders. She was worth GIG, 900.
Finally, before he died, he received
new legacy Of $4,000, which he
gave to Guys Hospital. Boston
Post.