The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1921-08-05
Island Republic Reioices at the
Death OF its Richest Mil
lionaire.
CRUEL POWER OF WEALTH
Seasant Trod Down Millions as He
FILED up Riches on misfortunes
OF others-lived and Died
Brute.


hnfana.-"El Pots" Is dead and nll
Cuba reJoioes. Tile peasant who be-
came a millionaire many times over
and used his wealth TO WELD crrel
power died as he had lived. haupted
ana hated. victim of his own power.
In 10 years he established n coreer
mrid with tragedy. dark with sor,iid
scheming. tremendous with both sue.
cess ana failure. A year ago reputed
"e richest man In Cuba. he came 10
miserable end at his own hands. and
utmost his last words were that tbe
wealth which cost him 40 years of
.en,'.'ihg toll TO accumulate did not
"eid him one hour OF happiness.
.ose Lopez Iiodrigues was known to
'"'uaiiy every one In Cuba. He was
: strahge sinister figure, and even In
denfh he furnishes a remarkable ax.
.""e OF what can be accomplished
~ me constant. ruthless application of
p""T 10 single task. Ferye oil |
So'e tthe pot boils) was his watch |
worn, MS motto, the rule of his sord,d |
"ie. ana II was from this that he come
10 he called "El Pote." the name with
VIZ" ihii'lons became familiar. For
wars he thrived, at the expense of
""ers. Then the fortunes of war
turned against him. and. fearing tba
'oss or all his iil-gotten gains, he com.
a"''e' suicide by hanging himself with
. twisted sheet
Filthy Of Body.
MOI more than five feet in beieht
I'll Pote' had the powerful. tbicksat
ttnme typical OF the Gallego peosont
''e wore Tile Oldest clothes he could
'"u ana was foul of mind and speecb
md filthy Of body.
dose Lopez Rodriguez was horn i,
spain and emigrated to Cuba In his
''"ehth year, fleeing from the hard
""l'ions OF the Gallego peasant life
u i'avana for a while he worked WITH
'''k ana shovel, but as soon ms he
"u'd he abandoned such hard mammal .
MOOT 10 work for an old second banr
DON dealer, peddling, the hooks from
QUE to House. One morning his ooea =
"moyer vas found dead in his bed !
M young Lopez Rodrigues who silent =
!" 'he premises, was arrested on sus. '
'c'nh or murder, but after spending :
o'he tiine IN prison he was released =
nr 'ack Of sufficient evidence ia in. !"
let,
TIE widow Of the murdered hook. y
rf'er continued the business and :
'oPez Rodriguez, after his release
rom prison returned to his old EN-
roN'heht. One morning the widow u
fas found hanging in her room. but
70 evidence being found to confirm y
suspicion that there had been foul =
nay verdict of suicide was returned :"
" me time the young employee had .
avei up some money and he boupbt =
he business. g
Pies Dollar on Dollar. =
Hhng upon almost nothing and /,
'orkihg urelessly, he steadily IN. h
reused his trade and piled one dollar ii
n another until with the passage of n
NC years his fortune grew to pa. II
petable dimensions. 9,
when, after the wealth of Cubans |
'ad been drained by three years of ii
evolution and embargo, the American
les blockaded Havana in 1898, eel
'ote-for by that time he had come II
n'versalfy to be known by his sobri. d.
nef-was able to acquire for cash I'll
arge properties for 1.-THE of their IN
aiue, and when the Cuban republic ri
as set up he was rich man among re
Ven who had been ruined. The latter ];
ere compelled to go to him for casn &c
'nlch he alone was able to lend. And
u came to pass that many of those N