The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-10
Indidni0rl Sent His
Nephew 100000
By Mistake; Latter
Is i'm High Glee

Miami, April 1O.-1ntending to
send $500 to his nephew in the
Swiss mountains, and sending him.
instead, 100000, is a story told in
detail of Crawford Fairbanks of
Terre Haute, Indiana, capitalist and
publisher of the Terre Haute Tri-
/ bune
The story is Of peculiar interest in
Miami because Mr. Fairbanks spent
the season in and about this city on
his yacht, Grenada III. in company
with DR.. W. o. Jenkins, his physi-
clan, and other friends. He left here
on his yacht the last day of Febru-
airy, accompanied by his party of
friends, for leisurely cruise home
ward, intending to reach Terre Haute
in April.
While engaged in fishing in Flor
ida waters it was not observed that
Mt Fairbanks manifested any dis
position to waste money by the hun
dreds OF thousands of dollars, al
though it might be said that he pos
sessed points of popularity and was
quite as liberal as the average CAP
italist who is out for a season of
enjoyment pursuing the festive
fishes
How his gigantic financial error
was made, sending to his nephew
the allowance intended, multiplied
by one thousand, is thus interesting
iy told by the Cincinnati Enquirer:
How 1t Happened
whether or not Harry Hontag-
nier was born with a silver spoon in
his mouth when he first saw the LIGHT
of day in Cincinnati 80 years ago is
not known since then greatness and
fortune have been thrust upon him.
Whether or not the latest fortune.
which willy nilly found it's way to
Montaonier, hidden in Swiss noun
tain fastness. also is to remain his
is a matter which is being decided
in Cincinnati
Through error Montagnier re
Gently received 100000 francs,
the equivalent of 100000, as an in
stallment on his quarterly allowance,
instead of $500, from his uncle,
Crawford Fairbanks, Terre Haute
(lnd) capitalist. A special courier
found Montagnier in the Alps and
notified him that the money was
awaiting him in Berne, Switzerland.
The young man secured the
money and sent telegram brim-
ming with gratitude to his uncle. |
Transmission of the message alone |
cost $50. Mr. Fairbanks, who had no |
knowledge that a mistake had been /
made, thought that his nephew was |
paying rather heavily for the plea
sure of bit of sarcasm over the pal |
triness of the sum he believed he had
sent and dismissed the matter from
his mind. But other letters of |
thanks continued to come. One
reached Miss Louise Montagnier.
1876 Reading road, an aunt of reel
pient of the money. 1t stated that
dear Uncle Crawford" had made /
Montagnier "a Christmas present of
1000, 900 francs"
Mr.. Fairbanks got busy. lie /
learned that clerk in his New York
bank had cabled his nephew $780,
600 too much. To add insult to in
jury, it would seem, the Berne bank
now is claiming $4,000 as the per-
ecntage due it on the transaction. Ii
the sift should be recalled more
money may have to be donated to a
foreign bank.
The innocent victim of the mis-
take is the son of the late Frank G.
Alontagnicr, who was in the employ
Of the Sargent-Wilson Book Com
pany predecessor of the American
Book Company, and Mary Fairbanks
Montagnier, daughter of one who
was then considered Tndiana's rich
EST man. Harry was the only
child.
Upon the death of Frank G..
Honta nier in 1888. his widow took
he child to Chicago. where he re-
'eived training at Armour institute,
to make electrical engi-
leering his profession. Upon his
Mothers death, however, the orphan, I
eized with wanderlust. went to Eu- c
ope, where he has since made his
csidcnce, always however, retaining 7
itizenship in the United States. He |
as Gained fame as a traveller, ex-
lorcr and scientist.
'Nonta"ner is prominent in En- c
lish and continental society. is a b
'omhcr of the Royal Geographical c
institute, London, looked upon as an ;
on the history of Mont s
lane, and, since the outbreak of y
ostilities, has gained note as war t
In 1909 he married a
society belle of Paris. {
Last fall the young adventurer L
'as involved in a controversy with c
he Italian Government, and upon
is arrival at San Reno, following a $