The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-12-21
Former Banker Asks Aims
ut Mobile.
AGED AN0 BROKEN IN HEALTH
He spp,ias 10 Salvation Army for Aid !;
His Story Reads Like a
Rom anCe.

,.obile, Ala. Dec. 7.-Weakening now
with the pressure of years, his body
ben beneath the heavy weight of cares
that have been his, the wreck of one
who was a mighty man before the finan
cal storm of the early nineties, float
ing adrft the world, but pointed home
ward i'm the far northwest as the sun
of life is setting. James billings ar
rived here several days ago from Hon
dulas, and is asking for aid to return
to Duluth. MINI.
The story is novel in real life A
battle of the strong, romance of kings
in financial realms. He is vertable
Man who was" gazing in retrospect
over the years, seeing himself one who
stood before his fellow men mighty
among the miehtiest, giving and taking
the fortunes of the world.
Picked up by the Captain of the
United Fruit company's steamer Suldal
at the port of Puerto Cortez, Billings
was brought to this city free, out of
sympathy. Too proud to be street
begear. he went to the Salvation army,
which makes it duty to look after
Inc
steamer Suldal arrived in Mobile several
days ago with this passenger, he only
yesterday made himself known to the
commander of the local corps of the
Salvation army. Captain w. A. Wild
gerry. Being feeble, and fearing he could
not modestly tell what he wished at
the right time. Billings wrote the fol-
lowing note which he gave to the cap
tain:
"Dear Sir: A long, severe sickness
while in Honduras the past year has
ruined my hearing, hence this method
of approach | was a resident of Du-
luth. Mimi, for the past twenty five
years. For eight years prior. was treas
urer of Harlan county, Nebraska. three
times reelected. From 1881 to 1893
was extensively engaged in banking and
trust company business and also in the
great iron industry business in Mlinne-
sofa. The panic of 1893 completely
wiped me from the financial world. At
and prior to that time, both Dunn and
'Bradstreet rated me at from $500. 900
to S500000. / owned one bank entirely
while, also president of national bank
and secretary and treasurer of a $780,
600 loan and trust company. Bank re-
ports of both Dunn and Bradstfeet of
that time cc0rroborater my statements
have. ever since been. struggling to hon
orably recover my lost position among
men. I have just arrived here from
Puerto "COitez. Honduras. without cash,
and a total stranger in2your. city, sixty
Years old last April, T.. very much de-
sire to return to Duluth as | am broken
I'm, hno1fhi Jt Tiki nfi
tatiem is about $40. I'M my distress
am obliged to appeal for such aid as
you may be willing to contribute to
help me along and shall as soon as pos
sible paw it back. Very respectfully,
James Billings.
Captain Widgery stated that he will
at once start subscription for the
unfortunate man.
Duluth. Dec. l7.-Mr. Billings was
one of the leaders in Duluth's finas,ial
world of his time and was not only the
president but the organizer of the Ma
rine National bank of which he speaks.
This bank was started about 1889. and
was unable to weather the financial
crisis. as was the American Loan and
Trust company of which he was Inc see
rotary and treasurer. Banking was the
last stage in his financial development,
however. as before he undertook it he
had made large sums in the mining
business. When he came to the north
west from New. York state he started
out in the copper country and it was
there that the largest part of his for
tune was amassed.
He married twice, bringing his first
wife with him. She died here and he
married again. he had two children
when he left Duluth. They and his sec
ond wife have been lost sight of by
Duluthians since their departure for new
fields.