Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-06-26
Hermlts Who Were Worth A Million.

sole attendant, on the expenditure
apart from drink-of a workingman.
During all this long period he was
only known to purchase one suit of
clothes, a cheap pair of gray
trousers, and two top coats. He had
four straw hats in l6 years and for
the last of them he paid a shilling.
Mrs. Ealden, his housekeeper,
used to cut his hair once month,
and she had instructions to save the
hair and put it in matress, ''as it
was pity to waste it," and when
Mr.. Dunlap's frock coat showed
signs of wear she cut offsits tails
and converted it into a Jacket, For
the last eight years of his life this
odd man lived entirely in back
room of his house and spent his time
in drinking whiskey and champagne
his one extravaganceTof which
he would often consume five bottles
in a single day.
A similar eccentric was George T.
Cline of Chicago, who left over a
million pounds sterling at his death
a short time ago. After the Worlds
Fair Mr.. Cline bought hotel of rs
rooms and lived there alone in a
single room, occupying his time in
playing the violin. For days to-
gether not a glimpse of him was
seen and then he would repair to a
cheap restaurant and eat meal
which cost him 5 pence, and for
which he provided the tea. He al
lowed himself IL shilling month
for food, and apart from his beloved
violin found his principal pleasure
in seeking out Irishmen with rich
brogues and buying food and liquor
for them in order to hear them talk
In tiny, creeper. covered hut on
the summit Ola mountain in Penn.
sYlvania there islivingtoday mem.
Der Of one Of the richest families in
America, man reputed to be enor-
mously wealthy. From years end
to years end this hermit Of the hills
spends his days alone; he does his
own cooking and housework, washes
his own linen in neighboring
stream, catches his own trout, shoots
his own game, cultivates his own
vegetables, milks his goat, and
makes his own bread. He, never re-
ceives or sends a letter, never sAes a
newspaper, and holds no comm1ni.
cation with the outside world with
the exceptioni of an occasional chat
with young farmer who brings
him flour, eggs, and meat once a
week.
Another millionaire hermit, who a
very few years ago died in Moscow,
was G.. G.. Solodovnikoff, who had
made fortune variously estimated
at from four to ten millions by
colossal speculations on the Bourse.
So many and varied were his in
vestments that it was said the hand
ling of coupons alone gave employ
ment to ten girls. And yet this
lord of millions. who might have
rivaled kings in the splendor of his
palaces, lived for years in a tumble
down two storied cottage, surround
ed by sordid and rotting furniture.
For weeks together he never put
his head outside his front door, and
he spent half his time in his dress
ing grown. When his will was
opened it was found that he had
left the whole of his stupendous for
tune for philanthropic purposes,
from building schools for girls to
providing cheap lodgings for the
working classes.
When Mr.. Paul Colasson, the
famous hermit of Paris, died recent
ly, it was stated that for the last 81
years of his life he had lived ex-
clusively on a diet of eggs and
bread, supplied to him every third
day by an old servant, the only hu-
man being he ever allowed to enter
the magnificent mansion to which
he had retired on the tragic death
of his favorite nephew. During all
these years he had nursed his grieI
in solitude, never once, so far as is
known, leaving the gorgeous palace
which he had converted into q
prison.
St. Petersburg recently lost hel
most remarkable character in the
person of a millionaire count who
in spite Of his immense wealth
lived a life of the most sordid power
ty and self.denial. His figure,
clothed in rags, was a familiar
spectacle in the streets of St. Peters
burg, and many sympathetic pass
er-by pressed aims into the hands O
the man whose daily income was es
timated at 81, 900.
Nor must we forget the millionaire
baronet who died a few years ago il
the garret Of house in Waterlo'
road, London, at the advanced ag
Of 81 years. For many a year nj
servant had entered his poor attic
his meals were served and placet
ortside his door at stated intervals
He was never known to cross hi
threshold, and he died alone in tn
one illfurnished room in which
though he had an income of $50, 0,Ql
annually, he had spent SO maA
years Of sordid and self-impoM
confinement. Tit Bits,