The Washington herald., 1920-04-19
Potomac Canahnan Heir to z Millions,
Pufs Pipe and Wonders How to Spend III
Gabriel Shipley Hesitant,
But His Wife Lydia Will
Give to Poor and Indulge
In Long Trolley Rides.

Hagerstown. Md. April 1s.-A
story of the present day which III
walls that of the legendary Alad-
din and his magic lamp is that
of Gabriel shipley. a lock-tender on
the Chesapeake Canal who found
overnight that he is the posscssor
of a fortune estimated at more than
s7.ooo,Qoo. Shipley Is the attendant
at the canal lock at dam No. 4,
below williamspcrt. where he has
been on the job for years hearing
only the braying OF the canal mules
and the horn of the boatmen, but
he is plaI ming to leave the placid
scenes for a mansion, llmousines
and other modern luxuries.
"Forty-niner, Uncle Dies.
A letter has just been received
by Shipiey which tells of an uncle
named Mccoy. formerly of this Sec
tion, who went to California dur
ing the great gold strike of 40.
Mccoy died at his home in Cali
fornia recently. leaving an estate,
consisting principally of gold mines,
estimated at $4,000, 900. OF this
vast sum Shipley and his five chill
d-en will receive about $1,000 600.
while two sisters will share equally
with Shipley in the estate. Ship
ley has employed a lawyer in Ha-
gerstown to lCok after his inter-
ests.
Thu A. r.
an emigrant train in the gold rush
of '4s. The party was over three
months in making the trip. They
had several encounters with row.
ing bands of hostile Indians. suf-
fered variety of perils apd hard
ships. but finally reached their goal.
He never married.
Wedding Anniverxary.
The news of Shipley's great for
tune came to him on theanniversary
of his wedding. He received the
news like a stole and his only COM
ment was to his daughter when.
after he had concluded telling her
Of the riches to come. he mused-
Now, Lydia. what the hell am l
going to do with all this money!"
Mother Shipley has her plans.
however. She said she intends to
leave the simple life with the COWS
and chickens" which she has led so
long on the green banks of the
Potomac. Her greatest ambition.
she said. has always been to live
at Halfway which is midway be-
tween Hagerstown and Williams
port, Nd. In a palatial home of at
least eight rooms she intends to eS-
perience all the thrills of an oc-
casional trolley car passing her
door and to indulge in the gayety
of this rural social center.
Lonesome mt Dam No. 4.
Standing on the unpainted steps
of the four-room house at Dam No.
4. where her millionaire husband Is
still the lock tender. she declared
her first intention after they had
come into the s7.00O.000, said to be
their share of the estate, was to
give to the poor" After that and
the house at Halfway, the rest of
the money will go into the bank.
Mrs. Shipley says she is discon-
tented because it is too lonesome
at Dam No. 4 1T isn't so bad in
summer" she conceded. when the
canal boats are runnin'. But in
winter whe nthe canal is closed it's
jest awful mbsuy go to visit my
daughters then"
The glitter of s7.O0O,00O has not
turned the heads of the Shipley
family. In her Kitchen and dining
room combined. Mother Shipley con-
tinues to bake good apple pies,
while Gabriel puffs at the cut plug
in his old briar pipe and attends
to his duties at the lock.