The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-06-13
STRIPPED OF HIS WEALTH
AND SOCIAL POSITION
Aged Patriarch Knocks in Vain
at Door Of Associated
Charities

a pathetic story Of the pranks that
the ficife jade Fortune plays in her
most hearless moods came to us eli
max yesterday when Charles J D.
Meyer erstwhile a millionaire and
prominent lumberman and railroad
magnate Of Wisconsin, sought admis-
sion 10 the Milwaukee pOorhouse
Stripped OF wealth of social position
of business standing Never @ patgi,
arch OF "a years af age. knocked at
the door of the Associated Charities.
which was established, years and years
ago in part through his lavish contrl-
buttons 10 charity, and--
lie was told that by his removal o
Chicago Two years since. no had fOr-
icited an right to entcf the MiMaukes
County poorhOuse
Being offered money by Gustav Frel-
ison, the agent the sepuagenariaa
drew himself erect wing that he had
money enough to pay his board until
Friday and for his return TO Chicago,
where for TWO years he has lived IN q
small room al g3 Aberdeen tsrcel
Asks h.ghts as Citizen.
- merely was seeking my rights as
a citizen reduced 20 penury he said;
"bnt | am not asking for personal
aims
Il will write letters TO your two SON
in-laws, who are men OF wealth. and
viii try to bring them 70 a sense Of
duty toward you. said Frelison, as
his aged visitor with sweeping bow
iefi the office
Verify a story OF Fortune in It's
most prankish form one OF the sort
that Balzac would have delighted y
weave into his Comedie Hnmaine.
Years ago, when The numbering in.
dustry in " lscOnsin was al Us height,
Meyer who Yesterday was caduced @
the point whore he fOugn, a place 4
the po0rhouse was owner of q big SASH
door, blind and Wholesale lumber bus
mess IN Fond du Lac lie was assoc
ated in brsiness with the late Senator
Sawyer of Oshkosh, and was counted
one of the big men of the stale.
He was prominent figure IN tho
councils OF The Republican party, and
twice was a delegate from Wisconsin
10 national conventions.
As Railroad Financier.
Apart from his big station as a big
lumberman, Mr. Meyer was a pioneer
IN the building of railroads in the
Badger state. lie helped 20 finance i
line connecting Fond du Lac With Mil
waukee In the sos, and for years was
president of what was known as the
Northwestern Union Railroad When
the present Northwestern Road began
to expand into system by assimila
ing twenty or thirty other lines, Mt.
Meyer was president of the line that
was considered the nucleus OF the pres
ent system in Wisconsin, and. IN conse.
Quenee, was knows TO an older gener
alton as first president of The Chic
ago and Northwestern Railroad. p
This title came through tne fe' that
he was president OF the NorthiS Astern
Union Road
When the saw mills and The shiugle
mills made Fond du Lac one OF the
most prosperous communities IN the
Fox River valley Mir Meyer owned
a palatial home with extensive grounds
The natives travelled for miles TO see
the beauties OF his palace which was
known far and wide as one OF the
sights al the state
A large conservatory supplied plants
that kent the mansion popetidlly
blooming Artificial lakes and rustic
bridges dolhd Che demensc of The lwn
Der lord. while wide terraces gave the
mansion itself "a sotllng of grcensward
of several acres eNient
Hedeorows and avenues Of elmg and
oaks gave q Vista ir0m iae roadway tG
the mansion While as 10 ihc closed