Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-15
IS ROLLING IN Wealth
So Thinks a Modern croesus,
Who is Here to Promote
Mining Exchange.
Talks Of His Wealth. and OF His
Bonanza in Gold and Sill.
yer Mines.
Halls From Waterloo and is
HarmIess..To Divorce Vile
and Adopt a Boy.

present time real, live count-a coun
with common, ordinary, everyday
rame, who is going to revolutionize tn.
business interests of the city, especially
the mining exchange and real estate enc
of it.
The -philanthropist is in the
reighborhood of u years OF age and his
Lame is John II. Pierce. His home is ir
Waterloo, where many years ago he was
adopted by William Pierce, a highly
respected and well-to-do residentsof tina,
city.
Pierce, which is the young mans law
full name. came to the city couple OF
weeks ago and engaged rooms at the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. l.. Z, Darling, 11G
he represented many things, principally
emong which was that he was just
about to fall heir to 100000, and had
come here to close up a deal for a por-
ton of the amount. Some of the money
came from an estate in Russia, the man
from relatives who had died in this
country several years ago. TO hear him
talk one would think that he was fairly
leveling in wealth, and that a thousand
or two was merely to his eyes as thirty
cents.
DIVORCES WIFE; ADOPTS BOY.
Pierce would become real interesting
al times in his conversation, especially
when he talked of the fair sex. and
would intimate that there was an even
chance for any girl of manageable age.
He informed his friends that he had
been married, but that now he was go-
ing to give his wife a divorce. allow her
all the money she wanted, and adopt a
boy. His reference to the adoption of the
boy was not likened unto the daily puz-
ale picture-"find the boy'-for he had
the genuine article and could produce
the goods, in the shape of Master Albert
Matson, son of Hans Matson, lad of IA
years, who Is known about town as a
former bell boy at the Pilgrim.
Since coming to town Pierce has taken
fancy to the lad, and has him now as
his valet and constant companion. 1T is
love me, love my boy" with him, and
wherever Johnnie goes the boy is sure TO
go, too. The boy, however. isn't to be
blamed, for Pierce is layishing untold
wealth upon him, has purchased for MIN
ring which, Pierce says, is. good
enough for him to wear every day, and
only Yesterday, at the Farrand q Gift
ford store picked out a new overcoat
and suit of clothes for his protege, paid
a dollar down on them, just to show
good faith you know, and was to call for
them today. He has promised the boy
to take him to Europe.
TO PROMOTE MINING.
The mere adoption of a boy is not
Pierce's mission in the city, however.
He Is here to promote mining vent
IRE. SO he claims, also to dabble in real
estate He likes the town, and says he
doesn't know of another place where
he would like to make his home, now
that he has become acquainted. He has
conducted negotiations for room in
the Woodbury. block, where he Is goins
to open up an office-a mining ex-
change, if you please.
To representative of the Times-Re-
publican, who called upon Count Pierce
at the Murphy House late last night
the latter stated that his scheme was
the best ever He calls his mine the
Rainbow, probably because of the fab
led wealth that lies at Its end. His
company he says is the First Interna-
tlonal Mining Company" of Portland
and Spoken" Waeh., and that he is
going to offer to Marshalltown specula-
tors q bonanza in the shape of 100000
shares of stock, at the nominal price OF
$50 a share. He thinks. So he says that
he will have no trouble at all in dispos-
ing of the stock, for in his mines they
have already reached bedrock, and are
finding gold and silver in vast quanti-
ties. In fact. Croesus wasn't In it fol
a minute with his modern successor,
Marshalltown that he is giving the peo-
pie here an opportunity to invest.
WHO PIERCE IS.
To ascertain who Pierce really is the
T.-R. communicated with Waterloo this
morning over the long distance tele-
phone. He is well known there, it
seems. and Is consldered perfectly
harmless. His foster father Is veal
thy man, an old resident Of the city,
and for many years has been con-
stable of Blackhawk county. He has no
children and adopted a boy several
years ago. This boy is known as John
H. Pierce, and his foster father has
done everything for him that he pos
sibly could. In Waterloo young Pierce
isn't considered exactly crazy, but he is
looked upon as being weakminded His
talk about coming into great wealth is
and old story for Waterloo, and has
been reiterated there by Pierce for
years. At times he grows worse, in his
mental condition. but at those times
about all the change noticeable is that
he Is to have more money. He does
have wife, but does not live with her,
having married her and brought her
home to Waterloo while making west
ern trip a few years ago.
When the T.-R.'s information was re-
ceived at Waterloo the young mans
foster father was notified that his son
was in Marshalltown and was Informed
Of his actions. 1t is thought that ne will
send an officer here for him. and take
Kim back to Waterloo, where he can be
cared for 1t SENS that his
relatives did not know where he had
gone and We're quite anxious as to his
ARRESTED FOR THIEvERY.