The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-14
FROM GAMBLER TO PHILAN-
TEROPIST.

Diving. still another phiianthroplSt
has ~pleasurably stirred London by his
splendid gifts. By the will OF the
late George Herring. the millionaire
benefactor and fnancier, half a mil
lion sterling is left to the Metropoll-
tan Hospital Sunday 1und and 5,O0O
pounds each to the Northwest LONDON
hospital and the Salvation Army So
cial fund. The will also provides LOT
the carrying of his gift Ct q nun
bred thousand pounds sterling TO the
Salvation Army land scheme a lie"
months ago. Now. us every BODY
knows Mr.. Herring LAID he tounda-
ton of his fortune as a layer Oh OddS
at the races. AS betting commissioner
for Sir Joseph HaWley. whose opera
tions ON the turf we've enormous, MI.
Herring bore a reputation OF absolute
hontesty in all his dealings. h rep
utation he thus won undoubtedly con
tbbuted to his astonishing success III
Ne higher walks CT finance. he never
valued money unduly for its own sake,
as is shown by the use he eYentuillS
made OF his wealth. In his pubic
b~enefactiOnS he vas a mOdet 10
wealthy people who desired to use
their money for the benefit OF others
and there would be Ear less humbuS
and imposture connected with charlts
if his example were universally fol-
lowed. He won and kept the cOnf-
dence and friendship OF many OF hlSlt
station. his gift to the Kings hospital
fupd being the interesting sequel 10
the donation to the Army
fund. upOn the anrouncement OF
which King Edward wrote a letter TO
MIR. Herring expressing great sauslac-
+iou at hearing Of the magnificent
donation, and adding that the unoe-
taking had the kings most sincere
sympathy and good wishes. by MS
own wish Mir. Herring was burned De
meath the sun dial at the Haven OF
Rest almshouse. at Maidenhead, which
he erected for the bentit OF mlndle-
class married couples in reduced cir
cumstances.
SEQUEL TO A BANKERS SUICIDE
From these pniqpe chapters OF per-
sOnal achievements in h pursuit Oh
GOOD deeds one turns with depressing
emotions to the story Of the biggest
financial crash the city has known Tor
a long time-the sequel to the suicide
of a London banker. This was the
failure of Messrs. Patrick Macfadyen
G. Co, bankers, whose senior partner
recently threw himself in front OF an
underground railway train and was
Nrushed to death. Besides the Lon
don house, the firm carried on an ex-
tensiye business in India, and the
amount involved is several millions
1t a meeting Of creditors in the bank
ruptcy court the attendance OF the VIC
Tins of the failure was so large that
an adjournment was taken to more
commodious quarters, where a sensa-
tional statement was made by the re-
ceiyer. Two years g MIR. Macfadyep
yielded to temptation. and began &c
speculate in the stock market. Ills
ventures were disastrous from the hrs,
and last July the crisis was reached
when an investment of s350,0O0 IN COP
Der stocks swept away b firms re,
manning assets. Altogether s5,OOo,Oo'
had been lost in that manner, ana tns
army Of creditors may eventuaiiS
share 800, 900 or less among them
Rather than face the consequences o.
wrecking his firm. Mr.. Macfadyel
rounded out his career by suicide. hi:
partners are Sir George Arhutnno'
and John Montgomery Young.