Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-12-01
STOPPED
A Family Fight
Over Money
BY Scattering $4,000
Among the Poor.
Sensational Procedure by a
Young Missourian.

IN this city have been made
ashamed by Benjamin Gist, a
young man from Falls City,
Neb., who spent $4,000 in one
week. Gist did not spend the money
In reality, but gave 1t away, as all
spendthrifts do. 1t is doubtful IL he
recelved any benefit from the money
at all. He simply "sowed 1t to the
wind" literally and figWntively.
81 am going to put a lot Of money
into circulation" young Gist said to
the driver Of the carriage he had hired
the first day he started.
Gist's manner of distributing the
$4,000 was vastly different from that
Of most young men who have a large
sum of money 10 spenl In very short
time. He did not visit the gambling
houses and other disreputable places.
He drank come during the seven days
he was putting the money into cir
culation," but not to excess.
A few months ago an uncle of Ben
3amin Gist died and left him legacy
of $4,000. It was the unCle's entire
fortune, and was all in money. The
own, and Gist was his favorite of all
his nephews and nieccs.
Young Glst was not Of age at the
time the fortune was left to him. and
another uncle was appointed by the
court to take charge Of IT, The
guardian talked to young Gist about
dividing the money among his cousins,
saying they were as much entitled
90 IL as he.
Go ahead and divide It," said Glst.
The guardian could do nothing, how
ever. as the law held him accountable
10 his ward for the entire sum. In the
meantime Benjamin Gist became of
age and the money was paid over TO
him. by that time his cousins and
uncles and aunts were quaTrcllng
about the division Of the fortune
The quarrel became 80 fierce that
Gist tired OF 1t, and declared that I'M
less II ceased he would not give any
Of them shnrc Of the fortune. lie
went to AtchIson county to visit an
aunt and ask her advice about dividing
the sum, with the result that she
wanted the greater share Of it for her
own children.
The quarrel about the fortune con,
tlnucd, and young Gist slipped quietly
away from his home, He secures Il
draft for SiOOOO and deposited it in
one OF the banks In this city. His
relatives knew nothing of his intention
In fact nobody but himself knew any
thing about IT, when he told the
driver of the carrngc he had hired
that he intended TO place large sum
of money in circulation the driver
smiled, lio thought young GIst meant
fhat he was going ON protracted
spree.
Tho young mHn started one after
noon by driving to the bank In a car
riage and drawing out 10000 In gold
This he had placed in sacks and con
esalod under his coat when he entered
the carriage. Then ne went to a saloon
and took II drink, probably to nerve
him for tho worI he was undertaking
Gist then ordered tho driver TO take
him 10 that part of the city where pooI
people could bc found. with his over
coat pockets filled with ten and twenty
dollar gold pieces he went from hous,
10 house, whore he surprised the in
h0bitants by opening their doors anc
throwing gold pieces into the rooms
In many places he was taken for m
Insane man and people He'd from him
hut IL soon became known that he wa,
giving away money and crowd fol
lowed his cnTrnPc.
Glst threw n handful Of gold plecei
into the crowd aud ordered the driver
10 whip the horsos, escaping from Tn,
crowd while the sculIic FOR the none,
was going on lie gave away the 50,
600 In ono afternoon.
Several different times he drove NJ
10 where h0 saw Il crowd on the street,
and threw handful after handful O.