The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-09
Nashville Millionaire Loses Suit
for $4,000 Against President
ROOsevelt's Friend.
BEGAN CAREER AS OFFICE BOY.
Claimed That Profits of Land Com
pany Were Withheld From Him
by Banker Geo. s. Edgell
Court Rejected Claim.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPC BLIC SPECIAL
New York, March S.-After years of liti-
CATION Thomas ]. Feldner. who began life
as Austin Corbin's office boy, and who Is
now man worth millions. of Nashville
Tenn. has lost his suit for $4,000. which
he claimed his alleged share OF the
profits of the land department Of the Corbin
Banking Company
interviewer with the details of Mr.. Field
ner's suit is romance of love and fortune.
This Georgia boy obtained the confidence
Of Austin Corbin. won the daughter of Mil
ton II. Smith. president of the Louisville
and Nashville Railway. although a rival
shot himself in the young womans pres
ence. and finally Mr.. Feldner and his bride
became the adopted children of Samuel NJ.
Murphy. known the surface railway king
OF Tennessee. Mr.. Murphy left them for
tune of from 81, 10000 to 100000
Mr. Feldners claim was that Austin Cor
bin. before his death. entered into an agree
ment with him, by which he was to have
one-half of the profits Of the land depart
ment OF the company. He was unable to
produce this agreement, but alleged that 1t
had been taken. with other papers, from his
desk by George S. Edgell. one of the sur
viving members of the firm.
Mr.. Edgell is well known in banking cir
cles and had President Roosevelt "a his
guest at Newport. n. H. last fall where
tine preserves of the Corbin estate are locat-
ed. Mr. Edgell denied taking Mr.. Feldner's
papers. and the onus of proving the exist
ence Of the partnership agreement being on
Mr.. Feldner's shoulders. the United States
Court decided against him.
Austin CorDin took liking to Thomas J.
Feldner when he was boy in the Atlanta
branch Office Of the banking company. Mr..
Corbin brought. him to this city when he
was p years old and put him in charge of
the land department at salary of $500 a
year. Mr.. Cor5in died in June. 1896. and
later in the same year Mr.. Feidner pre-
scented a claim for half the profits of the
land department up to that time.
When this claim was made Feldner was
suit in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of Georgia against
George s. Edgell as one of the surviving
members of the banking company.
As the corporation had assets amounting
in value to more than $1,000 600 in Georgia.
into the hands of receiver for time.
The case was finally argued and submitted
TO Judge Emory Speer in July, 1901. His
decision has Just been rendered. The costs
VIII amount 1t is said. to about $4,000:
Mr.. Feldner's marriage. in 1893. to Miss
Nettie Bell Smith. daughter Of Milton H.
Smith. followed closely upon VIM. Preston
Thorntons attempted suicide. Thornton had
been engaged 20 Miss Smith. When he re-
ceived a note from her declining to keep an
himself in Miss Smiths presence.
Soon after his marriage Mr.. Feldner
formed the acquaintance Of the late Sam
uel NJ. Murphy. Mr.. and Mrs. Murphy had
no children. and they became so much at
adopted them. Mr. Murphy died in 1900
leaving practically all of his estate to Mr..
and Mrs. Feldner. -