The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-09-04

the Wife of an Embezzler - His
an Illness OF Her S0n--HOyv NIackay
Was Befrzended When He Was In
| Hard Luck.
Samuel Davis Of Carson, New, who
knew the late John w. Mackay, the
| last Of the great bonanza kings OF
| America and multimillionaire, per-
sonally for nearly thirty years, says in
| the New York Journal that he new
er seemed any different as a man.
| His millions never caused him to forget
| his early poverty, and he never pre-
| tended to be anything that he was not.
J He was abovebOard and natural in
everything he did, and he despised
pretense, or what Nevadans call put
ting on dog"
| One evening in the Courier Office
called to find him studying All ordinary
schoolbook. He did not put it away,
but kept on studying and frankly said:
IT never received much education, and
have to put in my leisure hours catch
ing up. / was poor and never had ia
cilities for improving my mind, and
this regret more than anything. !
would sooner have decent education
than all this wealth"
His purse was always open, and he
had lively vein of humor running
through everything he did. He was g
great admirer of the writings Of Ches-
ter Hull, who was a humorist Of
quarter of century ago. On the death
of Hull applied to Mackay for some
money for his widow.
"Is she young and handsomeY' he
asked.
Neither" was the reply.
sgThen we must help her by all
means. How much can we give"
"About five hundred"
"All right" he said, drawing his
checkbook. .How shall we divide it?"
'sYou furnish the check and ! will
supply the stamp on the letter."
He grinned at this. and 1t is ex-
planned that it seemed but proper
segregation Of the gift considering our
respective incomes. He drew the
check for five hundred, and as left
the room he called me back.
Wanted to Put 1t on Sharon.
"Now, don't want any one to know
Of this; tell her you sent it."
replied that she would know better,
and then he whispered in chuckle,
1--WE can lay It on old Sharon; tell her
Sharon sent 1t, and when he gets her
letter of thanks he won't know what
hit him.
promised to do SO, but thought It
best to let her know where the money
came from, and couple Of days after
saw Mackay standing in front Of the
Courier Office reading a letter and cry
ing like a schoolboy.
you've blabbed on me- he said,
shaking the letter in my face. Here,
read this 1t was very touching let
ter, written by a refined woman whose
heart fully appreciated the kindness.
Before had reached the bottom of the
page my eyes were moistening, and
Mackay, who suffered at the time,
broke in with: There, cr-cr-cry cry
yourself, you lunatic, and see how you
Like it.
He then blamed me for not doing as
agreed and said that he would knock
off a couple of hundred the next time
called on him for charity. He was as
good as his word. There was another
similar case, and / called on Mackay
He took out $500 in greenbacks and
said:
"Now, tell that woman that Sharon
sent this money and / have knocked
off 5000 for the way you acted be-
fore"
delivered the money and the mes
sage, but the woman said, ooh, this
came from Mr.. Mackay. and he wants
it kept quiet"
/ once saw an account book in the
sisters hospital and, thinking it public
property. was glancing. over it. The
entries showed that Mackay gave
about $4,000 month. Sister Frederick
took the book hastily and asked me to
never mention the amount Mackay
gave, as he told her if he ever heard
of it he would discontinue the allow
ance.
A Good Fairy to Miners.
He wandered about the miners
| homes. and when he found cases of
distress he quietly placed the names
on John Mallon's books and fixed a
regular allowance Of groceries per
month. Mr.. Mallon once told me that
this account averaged $1,000 monthly.
| When times were dull on the ledge,
he made it rule to give married men
first choice of work. He always con-.
sidered the stockholders first. however.
Bishop Whitaker asked him to put a
man on when there was no work.
II can't do 1T, bishop. It is not right
to the stockholders to put on men
when there is no work. Has he fam
| lily? Five children, you say? Well,
here is a thousand to keep them.
through the winter, and if things pick
up in the spring will have place for
| him"
A bill came to him personally for