Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-23
YOUTHFUL MILLIONAIRE
Willie Eckstein, Once Street Waif, TO
Have More Romance in
His Life.

A few days ago an Associated Press
dispatch appeared in the News" an
nouncing the prospective inheritance
by former Salt Lake boy of fortune
valued at something like $4,000, 900. 1t
reads as follows:
La Porte, Ind, April 2O.--Judge Will
lis Brown left Winona Lake last night
for New York city, where he will in
vestigate the claim of William Eek
stein. aged 10 years formerly a bare
footed salt Lake newsboy, who Is said
to be heir to an estate valued at 1000,
600 roubles. or s5,000,000, left him by
an uncle who died in st. Petersburg "A
number of months ago. Judge Brown
may accompany young Eckstein to
Russia TO assist him in complying with
the legal requirements necessary to
place him In possession of this fabulous
fortune. Young Eckstein declares that
If the money becomes his ne will es
tablish a school in Utah for homeless
boys. educating them and fitting them
for some life work.
The history Of this youthful Rus
sian reads like q romance. Born i'm
st. Petersburg something like 10 yeSrs
ago, he attended the Russian high
schools in both the capital and Mos
COW, and II was while attending the
latter that he was found one day in
company with a young anarchist hav-
Ing anarchistic literature in his posses
sion. The latter was arrested, but Eek
stein managed to escape. That night
the Russian authorities traced him to
the school. and went there to put him
under arrest. Learning of their pres
ence he managed to escape Knowing
that he could have little chance for
lenience, his father being an exile for
4 t.n N.
stole rides to the frontier and over in
to Germany. He managed to reach New
York and there became bootblack and
newsboy. Having relatives in Salt Lake
he managed 10 get out here, and again
took up his work as a newsboy. Being
on the streets a great deal, he fell into
bad company and habits, and was Il
nally brought before the juvenile
court. Here he came to the notice of
the Canyon Crest people, who took him
and put him under the moral influence
of the home. There he became an ex-
emplar of good conduct, brightness
and ability. Specimens of his work still
at Canyon Crest show the boys fine
capacity which rapidly outgrew the
facilities of the farm. Determined to
give him an opportunity to develop,
the officers raised by private subscrip-
ton sum sufficient to send him to tho
Winona Institute in Indiana. where he
continued to progress to the credit of
himself, his patrons and the institute.
Letters received from him by Mrs,
Hugh Park the little mother of the
farm, who is one of the chief partici-
pants In the management of the farm.
show the gratitude of the lad TO his
friends here, and II Is a good sign of
its genuine depth that one of his first
thoughts in connection with the great
fortune said TO be his. that he should
wish to erect an institution comment
Grating his appreciation for similar
means of help which have aided In
making him worthy of his prospective
good fortune. Willie has distinguished
relatives In Russia, two of them Of
ficers in the Russian army, who took
active part i'm the recent Russian and
Japanese war. The progress of his ro-
mantle story will be watched with
eager interest by his local friends.