Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1902-09-17


Fanwood, already heavily in
volved through the firms inter
ests, was unable to meet them.
BE asked for extensions, and In
each case found that the mort
gage had been transferred by the
original mortgage to Michael OBJ
erstein.
He applied to the latter, asking
for time in which to settle, and
vas answered BY immediate fore
closure proceedings, the proper
ties being bought in by the mort
gagee. FanwoOd made several
attempts to see the man who
seemed bent on his ruin. Each
time Mr.. Oberstein vas busy and
could see no one.
Three fine residence buildings
we're at last the only real estate
remaining to FanWOod. They
were held in his wiie's name, free
of all mortgage or incumbrance.
To one of them FanwOOd lived.
The other two were rented.
One day wOrkmen started to
tear down the adjoining buildings
on either side. In their places
we're reared huge, cheap tene-
ments. FanwOod's protests we're
unheeded. His property mate
rally deprecated in value. The
tenants moved away, and the two
houses remained empty. Bust
ness became worse and worse.
FanwOOd was forced to dispose
of the three houses at q sacrifice
below their original cost. They
were purchased by Judge Ober-
stein. The cheap tenements were
torn down and houses in keeping
with the neighbOrhOOd erected.
All this had taken months, and
during those months Henry Fan
wood aged rapidly, grew thin and
careWOrn.
More notes fell due. FanwOOd,
by heroic struggles, met them,
only to find in each case that they
were indorsed on the back by
transfers to Michael Oberstein. 1t
seemed a pursuing nemesis.
Another note was due. The
next morning FanwOOd & Co.'S.
doors we're closed, the name added
to the long list Of failures. The
same day Henry FanwOOd re-
ceiVed a letter which read:
can eye for an eye, a tooth for
g tooth" SO saith the HebraiC law.
The letter was signed with the
name OF Michael Oberstein.
FanwOOd was puzzled over this,
not knowing how he had ever in
.iu1ed this man. He wrote, ask
ing that it might be explained.
In his mail the next morning was
an envelope addressed in the same
hand, containing q sheet Of paper
ION which was written the single
word, "Rosie." FanwOOd re-
membered.
The morning papers Of the next
day announced the death, by bis
own hand, Of Henry FanwOod, Of
the firm Of FanwOOd & Co. Bust,
ness troubles we're thought tC
have been the cause Of the sui'
eide. That afternoon q mar
called at the fat where Fan.
woods wife and children lived,
and said that he had been instruc.
ted to take charge OF the. funeral,
All expenses were already paid.
BY whOmf The man was mol
ct liberty to say.
The funeral was one In iuI
keeping with the dead mans for.
mer financial standing. What
was by some considered rather
peculiar was the attendance Of {
Young rabbi, from q synagogue ii
Hester Street; a Jewish priest q
the funeral Of = gentle stranger
The young rabbi himself thought
the request OF his patron, Michae
Oberstein, which had brought hin
there, strange and inexpliCable
What Michael 0berstein though
about the matter was not known
to any but himself.
A few days later Mrs. FanwOO(
received q letter asking her 70 cal
on the legal firm Of Donaldson s
Adams, to learn Of something K
her advantage. She was their
told that g client Of theirs, ''aI
old friend Of your husband" de-
sired to pay q long outstanding
debt. The amount was twenty
thousand dollars, in q cheCl
drawn BY Donaldson & Adams
Ne, they were unable TO disCl0sl
their clients name. For variOul
reasons, which they were not 8
liberty to explain, he had instrue
ted them that he did not care Il
have it known.