The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-04-05
MANS ATTEMPT TO
| GET WEALTHQU|CK
ENDS IN SUICIDE
With Fortune Vanished. Eng
Iish Clerk, AfteE Desper-
ate Fight to Retain Riches,
Kills Himself.

1 NICE, April 3,-Bohnd Tho an
nouncement of the discovery In n room
In fashionable hotel in Cannes Of
the body of a young EnglIshman who
had killed himself by taking prussIc
acid Is a remarkable story OF q clerks
rise TO wealth and of a turn OF fortunes
wheel.
The young EngiShman's name is
George Miller. Is years old. Miller be
I gan his career in London as "A clerk in
the office OF an insurance company,
and after a meteor like success he lost
his fortune, in spite Of desperate ef-
forts TO retain 1t.
His story was related by Henry Ma
than the young mans father in law,
who is in business in London
II first met George Miller when he
came TO know my daughter. He was
then In the early POS. n clerk In an in
surance office. He came TO me to ask
my consent to his engagement to my
daughter and he said on that Occasion.
i am only young now but | mean
70 succeed. | will succeed. am going
TO rise in life and will before long De
wealthy man by my own efforts. Give
me three years and | Will succeed
Il gave my consent to the engage
ment and the boy and girl were thor
oughly happy building castles in the
air of what they would do when he
was rich and able TO marry her. George
4 NOiihAhNu INat dbAilNN WIN HIl'i'i'''t
and was able to rise TO an important
position In the company which employed
him. But his progress, while it was
satisfactory IN way was not quick
enough for him. He decided to es-
tAblish himself as Il financier in the
West End. and with the capital he had
saved. he took an office.
''The advent Of his son seemed TO
give George a fresh start in his ambi-
tons. His days as humble clerk he
t.rA lnFs kaA. 4.,1 Ev.,t h. h,l ka.
real flnancier But he began to think
fortune was not coming to him quickly
enough or In large enough measure 10
satisfy him He wanted more.
'He undertook new speculations
with his money, hoping for Bigger re-
turns than ever before. He lost,
HE began TO come home late and
appeared morose and anxious. His wife
was puzzled and little frightened, His
losses at this stage had already run
into thousands OF pounds.
'He began TO back horses heavily,
He would put hundreds OF pounds on
horses in the desperate hope Of re-
trievlng his fortune that way. But he
continued to lose heavily. When II
saw him | began to understand by his
haggard look how things were and |
tried to persuade him to give up gam
bling on horses.
But | could never extract any prom
Use from him. He would say too much
waA ut stake, love, fortune, ambition
everything. Soon II became a regular
thing for him to send telegram to
his wife during the afternoon TO say
he was detained in town on business
until late at night
Il afterward discovered that this
business was gambling with cards
That represented the final stage In his
desperate gamble with life TO win back,
somehow, the money he had lost He
had made fortune and had lost 1t.
Finally he flung down his last hand Of
cards. He was penniess. He came
home to his wife feeling he was hunt
ed man, No money. no business. He
was broken and ruined,
THAT was only last month. Then
he decided he must get away from the
scene OF hts successes and failures, A
foreign country might not only offer
refuge, but perhaps better luck. He
went to Marseilles and the Riviera re-
sorts
"once abroad he wrote and asked his
vita to go out and Join him and 10
Bring the, boy, Mrs. Miller obtained the
passports for the journey, md on the
eve of her departure she received an
other letter from her husband asking
her to postpone the visit.
In the meantime George stayed at
the best hotels and presented checks !
which were valueless, These were dis |
honored and subsequently warrant |
for his arrest was issued. When he |
came to know OF this--he was in Nice |
At the time--he left and went TO |
Cannes. II was an irontc circumstance
OF which he was doubtless. conscious |
when he selected the most fashionable |
hotel In Cannes to put an end 10 the |
whole business. II was In surroundings
like those he should have lived with |
his wife and SON
But he was alone, and II was his
last fling OF defiance against fate
which had been hunting him rcmorse-
lessly, that he should choose richly
appointed room In which to die. He
left note asking that his body should
not be sent back to England but that
he should be cremated, That was the
end OF the tragic chapter"