Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-11
.COBBLFR COMES
INTO 100000
SUDDENLY REMEMBERED BY
RICH RELATIVE
HAS PASSED LONG YEARS ON
WoRKMAN's BENCH
ST. Louis Millionaire Decides to Divide
His Fortune and Showers Money
on His Sister and Her
Husband

Raising him from an obscure cob
bier, eking out a bare livelihood at ~
a day, to the position of possessing
100000, with 100000 more coming, is
the kindly manner in which Dame For
tune has dealt with William W. Perry,
412 East Eleventh street, Los Angeles.
That this is not the usual weird
dream of fortunes that never mate
rialize Is evidenced by the fact that
.Irs. Lorreta J. Perry has in her pos
session the papers which entitle her
and her husband to this princely sum.
incidentally, it is Mrs. Perry who Is
the heir direct and the benefactor is
her brother, Charles Fl. Merry OF ST.
Louis, Mo, head of and largest stock
holder In the Rail and River Transpor-
tation company, which operates eX-
tensively along the Mississippi valley.
The fortune has come to this couple
in the autumn of their life quite UNI
expectedly. Mr. Merry, whose wealth
is estimated at $20,00000O, is 81 years
old and lately conceived the idea of
providing for his relatives so that there
Nigh be no litigation after his death.
But it was a letter, innocently sent
by Mrs. Perry, that brought about
present conditions and resulted in
Merry announcing his immediate in
tention of distributing part of his
wealth.
Mrs. Perry, who lived with her broth
er for five years previous to her mar
rage, has corresponded with him regu-
larly and recently wrote him that May
3 she would celebrate her 59th birth
day. An answer was received in the
form of stocks of the River and Rail
Transportation company valued at
500, O0O These stocks are now paying
10 per cent dividends and the first
dividend will be due May 1, 1909.
Mr. Merry made a similar gift to his
five sons and also to his two other
sisters. and stated that May l of next
year Mrs. Perry would receive an added
interest in his company to the extent
of 100000.
Sixty Years of Age
Mr.. Perry, who is so, was seen yes
terday afternoon at his cobbling shop,
S54 South Main street, by Herald
reporter and with almost childlike glee
told of his good fortune. His shop is
a mere hole in the wall, three feet wide
by fifteen feet long.
"Yes," he said in response to ques-
tioning, Il am the lucky man, but this
thing has happened so suddenly that l
can hardly realize it is true. But l
know my wife has in her possession
the papers which entitle her to 100000
in stocks or whatever you call them.
81 have never seen my brother-in-
law and only know that he is fabulous-
ly rich We have always managed to
get along and did not expect any such
money, but 1 tell you, when man
works and digs all his life just to live,
it's mighty pleasing to have such a
circumstance occur,
shall l give up my cobbling busl-
ness? Well not just at present. l have
always worked for living and 1t
would seem mighty hard to lie around
idle now. But I suppose 1 shall get
used to having money and then / in
tend to spend the rest of my days in
comfort"
Mr.. and Mrs. Perry have resided in
Los Angeles twenty-six years. and the
greater part of the time Mr. Perry has
been engaged in the harness and cob
bling business.
The life of the couple has not been
all sunshine. for of seven children born
only one is now alive, Charles ]. Perry
of Los Angeles
Mr. Merry is head of the concern at
present trying to locate a terminal in
Los Angeles. 1t manufacturers steel
refrigerator cars has operated in the
east and middle states and is now seek
ing to introduce the system on the
coast, with a terminal station in Los
Angeles.