The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1906-01-19
PAIR OF PANTS
Worn BY a Man For Fifty
Years Caused His
Death.
[Snu Frinelsco Chroniclel

son, aged over seventy years, with
queer old patched clothes and long
white beard, the city of Los Angeles,
Cal. has lost unique figure Of his
tory. Many time has the writer
of this article seen him lettering
around the downtown streets bent
almost double, his patched clothes
and unique appearance causing
wondering comment from the newly
arrived tourist.
These clothes he had worn for ov-
er half century. and they had
been so pieced and patched and
darned that no part of the original
cloth was there. But the old fellow
would accept no others, and it has
been recently learned that his death
was due to grief because some one
stole his queer old patched clothes.
He was a frequent visitor at the
Public Library. and read works of
fine quality and of educational value.
Once the girls of this institution got
up a little purse to buy him new
hat and new coat to replace the
old Jumper" which had been
patched so much that the original
had been entirely displaced by the
patches. The pocketbook and mon
ey the girls offered to him in the
most delicate manner imaginable,
but the old fellow would not have
none of it. but was perfectly furious
about the matter. He not only re-
fused acceptance Of their gift, but
roundly abused them; and it was a
sorry looking presentation commit
tee when the old man got through
with il.
Not long before his death a curio
hunter angered him by desiring to
purchase his clothes for museum
in San Francisco, offering $500 for
them. 1t may be said that they
were obtained in some other way for
the same institution, as Masterson
awoke one fine morning and found
them gone. His clothes had been
left on the line in the back yard,
and during the night had been spir-
tied away.
The old man mourned the loss Of
these clothes as if he had parted
from a dearly beloved child. and
wrote this pathetic offer ola reward
of 81. 80 out of the scanty pittance
which he obtained from washing
dishes at cheap restaurants:
ITO Whom it May Concern: If
the party who borrowed my panta-
looms from the clothesline last Fri
day night without asking for them
will return them to Mr.. Watts, the
landlord, between now and next Fri
day night, in as good condition as
when he took possession of them,
Mr.. Watts will pay him dollar and
a half, without asking any questions
on my behalf.
THAT is the price / paid Jacoby
Brothers Clothing Company for them
in December, 1849. Since then |
have expended several times the first
cost upon them in patching. darning,
washing and trying to hold them to-
gether till am ready to throw them
aside for good.
"Why am still wearing these old
pantaloons dozen years after they
were worn out and would have been
thrown away by other people, and
why | am now offering the same
price | paid for them when they
were new, in order that may con-
tinue wearing them an unknown
number of years longer, are ques-
lions concerning which the public is
not a this time entitled to insist up
on receiving full explanation.
at is sufficient for the public to
know that my purpose is an honora-
BILE one; and | am trying to accom-
plish it by the honorably methods of
an honorable man."
III. .oo.L;,,o, a,,1 comfo,.tinur