The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-23
DREAMS OF MILLIONS.
Frank p. Smith, Former Topeka Chef
Still Building HoteIs.''

Millionse millions. yes, many millions
lin the mind-has Frank p Smith, for
merly chef at the Santa Fe hospital in
Topeka:-and he turned up in Kansas
City the other day where he had also
cooked some and made them believe
he had it in currency. Moreover he was
going to build there a new million dol
lar hotel before they could finish the
union depot
That same hallucination hung over
Smith, Frank P, when he was III To-
peka some years ago. Everything but
the actual material work was done that
long ago-the dream was completed
But that was only a small incident in
the expenditure of these millions. He
did everything but take a train for the
state of Sonora, Mexico, to buy sew
eral million acres of ranch land. He
had a half dozen of New York million
aires on the way to go with MIN ana
tried to get a Topeka lawyer to go
along to pass on the abstracts. Sofne-
body'S else goats still brouse on that
million acre tract.
But f. p. S. has some money no
doubt. What he has came through very
hard channels from the estate OF the
wealthy California Senator Fair HIS
son. Charles Fair, married a sister OF
Frank Smith, who was trying to be an
actress and was more than quallhed by
beauty. The two were killed While tour
ing France in a motor car For long
time it seemed nothing was due the
smith family from the Fair millions
for they contested that Mrs. Far dled
first. Smart lawyers, however tounu
witnesses to testify that Mr.. Fair had
died before his wife so that her family
through her death was entitled to the
money.
Lawyers in Topeka say the amount
settled for with the Fair family was
S125,0OO But they couldn't find Frank
P. and he has not told where he was
Finally he heard of his sisters death,
however. and got New York lawyers and
Topeka lawyers to pull "swag" out
of the setate for him. He got slice
of the figure and bought farm in Mis-
souri,. hired stenographer, ana began
inquiring by letter OF possible invest
nents of millions which we're never in
/ vested.
Among his financial dreams were
included the backing of a big Topeka
hotel and the support OF big 1urnl-
ture business. Whenever he visited
Topeka somebody was sure to remem-
Der it. He circulated the story of
his millions so well that everyone in
need of money on a business propo
sition sought him and he, naturally
big hearted, promised them all as
sistance-which they waited for but
never got.
one of Frank P. Smiths first ex-
ampies of his inability to think in
ANYTHING less than millions was when
the First National bank of Topeka
failed. His lawyers had gotten him
an advance of $1,000 and he put it in
that bank-just in time to lose it.
lust my luck" he said; lost mil
lion the first thing, just when 1 was
getting my fortune together"
Smith came from an humble fam
lily in a village of New Jersey. Per-
haps that is why a hundred sounds
like millions. After he had landed
whatever his share was, he told a To-
peka friend that he lived awhile in his
sisters magnificent home on the
river front--the finest home in New
York, and kept three" servants. But
he and his wife got tired of that
soon and started out to spend their
millions, he added, and they went to
a swell hotel and rented a suite of
rooms for which he had to pay 500
a week. The story he gave the Kan
sas City newspaper man is about as
good. In reply to the question of
How does it feel to be SO rich 2" he
replied that when he held up his
night bottle of beer" he would say
to himself, Huh. you can afford it,
can't you2"
But about the actual value of this
man of multiplied millions, an adjus-
| ter of certain fire insurance COM