The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-09-30
M|SER H0ARDED
WOOL BUT SPENT
MONEY FREELY
Now His Aged Relatives Fight
Over Old Mans Savings
WILL WAS CUT IN TWO
Strange Character in Corinth
Was Sharp in Some Things
and Foolish in Others

Montpelier, Sept. 29.--Orson I.
Clement, the farmer of West Corlnth
who for half a century boarded a vast
accumulation of wool, only to have IT
seized by the government during the
national exigency of the World war,
is the subject of an extensive writeup
in the Boston Herald.
For more than 90 years Orson Glenn
ent steadily refused to sell the wool
that accumulated, year after year, in
his farm buildings at West Corinth.
Unable to obtain what he consider
ed to be a satisfactory price for his
product, he stored his pieces in sheds
in barns, in corn cribs, and finally,
in lieu OF other space, in his house.
Lofts. attics and upper chambers
were packed full to bursting with
wool. Sometimes hemlock boughs
were spread between the bales in an
attempt to preserve them. More Of
ten the wool was stuffed into tho
sheds and barns, just as it came from
the shearers, with no apparent con
Germ for its welfare.
In the fall of 1918 the existence Of
the hoard came to the knowledge OF
Joseph G. Brown OF Montpelier, chair
man of the Vermont committee ~
publ ic safety, and the government Of
fersd to buy it at the market price,
even agreeing that it should be sold
without deducting any commission.
When Clement refused the war de-
partment seized it and took such as
was fit for use. Some Of the tieeces
we're so long that it was plain the
sheep had not been sheared for three
years The wool was full OF burrs
and dirt and cocoons. Much of it
was worthless. But what was even
tually salyaged was paid for one ny
one OF Uncle Sans good checks. The
total was $4,000 or $4,000 and II
went right into the bank.
The war department didn't get all
the wool at that After the old man $
death. in a locked granary, which had
been overlooked by the government
agents. several thousand pounCp
more were discovered, Its yalt/ is
added to the estate.
Orson Clement was born in Cornth
His father was a well-to-do farmer
who died about 35 years ago and left
his sons very well Off indeed me
Younger boy, Martin, was ambit Gus
and went to Dartmouth college, but
died somewhere about 1868, before
graduation. The elder son st2yed ON
the farm. never marrying and outIlv-
ing father. mother and all other rela'
tives except one or two distant cou'
sins in whose behalf an attempt Is
now being made to break the Will
For 40 years Clemen; lived on the
paternal farm, which Is on a sac
road. near a mile from the nearest
other human habitation. The only
other person in the house was his
housekeeper, Mrs Alice Bradbury
Mrs. Bradbury had worked Tor the
alder Clement and, when they died,
She STAYED on with the son. They
were q queer pair. "Spats were ire
ouent between them, followed by I'M
mediate reconcilations. The ola
Ibousekeeper wound up the old farm
er's ancient gold watch every morn
ing for the whole 40 years without
once m ssing the ceremonial, except
when away on mfrequent visits Ihey
might not be on speaking terms, put
the rite OF winding the watch was
never omitted.
Mrs. Bradbury outlyed Clement
hut a month When he died her grip
on life seemed to be broken Ihere
was nothing else to go on Tor ana she
soon passed away
During the passage of the years
elements eccentricities became more
and more manifest. He developer
into a curious mixture of miser ana
spendthrift. He boarded his wool be
cause he could not get his price, but
he took no pains to protect it.
He threatened the vi lage dentist
at Bradford who fixed" his teeth,
with prosecution unless he returned
the old gold filings which he had re-
moved. He was the credulous victim
of every agent and canyasser who
had shares in oil wells and mines to
sell and paid over literally thousands
of dollars for worthless stock,
Orson Clement died on March IL
last aged "a years. He left an estate
so weirdy iumbled in its values that
it will be months before the apprais
ers can arrive at even an approx
mate idea of its value 1t may be
$4,000. 1t may be 100000. 1t may
be $150OOO. 1t may be more, it may
he less. But 1t makes a temptine
target for the lawyers and for remote
relatives to shoot at.
The contest arises over Clements
will This instrument, found among
his papers after his death deYise'
$1,000 to his housekeeper, Mrs. Alice
Bradbury, who ministered to hi'
wants for 40 years Clement was
bachelor $500 to her daughter Mrs
Emma McAllster of Chelsea, and thu
residue to Dartmouth college. II
was drawn some years ago.
In the mean time q quarrel arose