Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1903-06-10
MR.. REEDS WEALTH
Is Said to Be Much Larger Than
Even His Intimate FRIENDS
Thought.


OF VIM. f. Curtis from Washington
The friends of the late Thomas Il.
In Washington were astonlshed to
read a dispatch in the morning
papers stating that, according to tile
official report of his administrator,
he left a personal estate valued at
$431 900 net, after the payment of all
debts and obligation, and all fees OF
administration. This fortune was
found invested in gilt-edge stocks
and bonds. Mr.. Reed always pre-
tended to be very poor, but some of
his intimate friends were convinced
long ago that his poverty was an af-
fectation, because they knew of large
fees received by him from time to
time for legal services and literary
work. He never wrote line or
made speech for nothing. Each of
the many articles which appeared
from time to time In the magazines
from his pen brought him $500, and |
know of one instance at least in
which he received 800 from a New
York newspaper for an interview he
prepared by himself upon a cur
rent topic. His lectures brought him
$500 a night, and occasionally in
large cities like New York and Bos-
ton he received $1,000. The year be-
fore he left congress he delivered
five lectures in one week, for which
he received check for So 500.
He estimated his legal services at
n very high value, and unless his
clients made bargain with him in
advance they were sure to be sur
prised when they received his bills.
There is story that, while in Lon
don some years ago, he charged John
V. and G.. b. Farwell of Chicago
$1,000 for giving their solicitor in
formation about the laws of the Unit
ed States bearing on the sale of their
Texas lands, and / know where he
made life enemy of one of bis clos
est friends by sending him bill for
advice on legal question in what
was supposed to be friendly con-
versation. In discussing that in
stance and the Farwen affair, Mr..
Reed took the ground that if he had
been a tailor and friend had asked
him for suit of clothes, he would
certainly have expected pay for the
material and the work, and his legal
knowledge, having been acquired by
hand labor and study, could not be
given away, as he expressed 1t, like
salvation" He was the subject of a
great deal of criticism in this re
spect. He was called avaricious and
penurious but never dishonest, and
In 1896, when he was making a cam
paign for the presidential nomina
ton, there was some unfavOrable
comment about his acceptance of IL
nancial assistance from friends when
there was really no excuse for him
to incur any expenses or spend any
money. Mr.. Reed explained, how
ever, that he had no source OF in
come except his salary, which as
speaker was $4,000 a year, and he
lived In such a quiet way that 1t was
said that he never spent more than
half of it.
Those who were most familiar
with his affairs would have been sur
- prlsed if his estate had turned out as
much as $250,000. The general esti-
mate was varied from 100000 to
5000 900, although it was known that
his brief connection with the law
firm of Simpson, Thatcher q Barnum
had been usually profitable.
The fact that he had $4,000 cash
on deposit with his brokers at the
time of his death indicates the
source of considerable part of his
money. He enjoyed intimate ac'
ouaintance with several of the
heaviest operators on Wall street
and his speculations must have beer
very fortunate.
It'll also surprise that he had re-
tired from his low partnership before
his death. No announcement haC
been made of the fact, and none o.
his friends in this city were aware
that he no longer retained the pro
fessional connection which had beef
so extensively advertised. This con
firms, however, the stories that III
intended to leave New York and re
turn to Washington to reside. HI
told me that he was thinking o
doing so because the atmosphere
was more congenial here and the ex
pense of living was so much less.
1 recall two instances of MI
Z Reeds generosity which show tina
he was not altogether selfish.
young man came here from NeS
England because he was able TO oh
tain position under the government
which would pay him a salary suffi
cient for his tuition and living eX
for his studies and lectures, bu
he had scarcely stated upon hi
course when he lost his position an
tried in vain to secure another. II
went to Mr.. Reed among others fC
the aid of his powerful influence
After hearing his story and question
ing him closely the speaker said: .
will loan you the money to pay yor
expenses until you get another jol
but l cannot do anything to help yo
get a government position. You 6
not come from my state, and If
have any influence at all ought
exert 1t for my own constituents"
The young man accepted the offe
and Mr.. Reed kept his promise fat
fully.
One of his first acts when he b
came speaker of the house of repr
sensatives was to clear the capitol
the apple stands and bric-a-bra
shops that lined the walls He dro
every one of them out and the cor
doris have been clear ever sine
Representative Van Schaikof w
consin. learned that the woman w
kept the cigar stand was entirely q
pendent upon it for the support
her family and crippled husbar