Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-04

People Who Have Refused to Accept
Fortunes Left to Them.
From the London Tit Bits.
II Is safe to assume. notwithstanding the
fact that human nature Is PROBABLY less
black than generally painted. that The world
contains very few men who would refuse
the bequest OF a fortune for conscience
sake-fewer by far than men who have
turned away from wealth In order to es-
pouse women OF their own choice.
Herr J. Brengwin. q young German hank
clerk. is one of the few who have set con-
science before CAST In this manner. For
some years Herr Brengwin has been em-
ployed at modest salary In q branch
Dank IN Berlin, and recently he became
entitled to a fortune OF very nearly 100000
under the will OF an uncle of whom he
had scarcely ever heard. and who had made
him his sole heir
Naturally enough, the young man was
delighted by his unexpected stroke OF good
luck and. resfgning his clerkship he re-
paired to Vienna, where his uncle had lived
and died. to take over the estate. the bulk
OF which was personal property. Becom-
ing aware that his uncle had amassed his
fortune by usury and that his name had
become byword in Austria the conscen-
tious heir absolutely refused to accept a
penny of the estate, resolute1y returning
his old stool at the bank.
What was perhaps the largest fortune
ever refused for conscience sake was that
from which Frederick N. Charrihs ton, the
famous temperance advocate and religious
worker in the east end of London. turned
aside. Mr. Charrington was entitled to a
share of his fathers great brewery busi-
ness. one of the largest in London, and II is
estimated that the share he refused was
worth Ell, 100000 when he made up his mind
that he would not accept 1t.
The story is told of how he was led to
make his momentous resolve. He CHANGED
east end when he saw drunken man shot
through the doors into the arms of
wretched looking woman, who was pa
tienty awaiting him. The drunkard struck
the woman and heaped the West abuse
on her without any apparent provocation
and as they s1ouched away Mr.. Darlington,
CHANGING to glance up, saw his own name
in large gilt letters on the public house
sign. 1t was one of the brewerys tied
houses.
Such was the impression left by the in
cident upon Mr. Charrington's mind that
he vowed thenceforth to have no share In
the trade which was productive OF SUCH
results, but instead to devote himself to
the cause of temperance and rescuing the
outcasts of East London. work he has
at the utmost self-sacrifice steadily pursued
ever since.
How much do they pay you for wearing
qured an impertinent young man OF Mr..
Charrington on one occasion.
AS nearly as l can make out, answered
the reformer. with a bland smile, st costs
me E20,e00 year"
Some eight or nine years ago a we'll
known west end physician died, leaving
fortune of rather more than 100000. The
whole of this amount was beQucathed to
a nephew with contingent remainder to GER
tain charities should the beneficiary refuse
the bequest the object of the testator being
to deprive a daughter, who had married
contrary to his wishes, of his estate.
The nephew, however, although the Tor
tune must have been a sore temptation to
him. objected to being made an instrument
of his uncle's posthumous Spite. and an
nounced his intention of refusing the for
tune directly he was made aware OF the
terms of the will. Upon it being pointed
out to him that his refusal would only
create the contingency provided for and
not benefit him or his cousin, he formally
accepted the fortune and then transferred
1t by deed of gift to the young lady who
had been so unfairly dealt with by her
father.
Unhappily, her husband more than justi-
fed the deceased physicians prejudice
against him. and promptly gave up his
practice and began to dissipate the fortune.
He died. however. before he had made
away with half the estate. and in due
course his widow married the cousin who
had so conscentiously refused the fortune
for her sake.