Evening star., 1922-10-07

VldpSe is anOtneT,
tragedy Of the street of which he has
so often written in bitter terms. 1t
had been known that he was up
against it" for ready cash. but always
there has been the understanding that
he had safeguarded his estate so that
come what might, he would retain it's
Title. and the announcement that it
Is to be sold to the highest bidder
was real shock to most of his ac-
quaintances.
Lawson himself is missing. He left
his sisters home at Southwest Har-
bor. Me.. last Monday. Where he went
nobody seems to know. At least one
man. however. claims to have seen
HIM on the streets of this city last
Wednesday.
Lawson in Poor Health.
His health has not been the best for
some time. His children all are mar
ried and he has been more or less of
Il recluse from society. secluding him
self At Dreamwold in recent months.
While fe kept up occasional appear
ances at his offices on State street
- this city. his intimates have been
compelled to comment on the fact he
no longer was the slashing. fearless
crusader of the days of "Frenzied
Finance"
Claims against Dreamwold total
S225,OO0. mostly in the form of mort
cages by local banks and bills owed
10 local merchants and storekeepers.
There has been strong pressure on
Mr.. Lawson. who. after all. was rated
as slow pay" in the credit books.
He purchased the initial part of the
estate twenty-five years ago and
gradually added to it until it contains
2lO acres. 1t is said that one million
dollars was spent on the grounds be-
fore single building was erected
and that it represents today an in
Eestment of S2.250OOO, although only
assessed for s292.O00.
"Love Nest" Also Doomed.
Dreamwold Hall. with it's twenty
fve rooms, contains many valuable
art treasures, including his famous
collection Of some several hundred
able sort of material. The Love
Nest, a small home. constructed early
in Mr.. Lawson's proprietorship as a
place where he and his wife could re-
tire for quiet when the children were
Young. also Is to be sold. Mrs. Law
son died in 1906 and her tomb is near
the Love Nest in the sshrubbery. 1t is
TO be removed before the sale.
Although dead sixteen years there
always has been a place set at table
for Mrs. Lawson and her grave has
been adorned daily with fresh cut
flowers. tenderly laid on the green
sward. while the shrubbery has been
very carefully kept. 1t was Mr.
IA
whenever he came home to say
prayer for the dead, his first and
only love.
The entire estate was the culmina
tion of Lawson's dreams. He rose
from a poor boy to commanding
figure in national finance. but always
he was happy in his home life. He
lavished his wealth on his wife and
children. He adorned his home with
old masters. sculpture<of the rarest
Sype. wonderful rugs and almost
priceless bric-a-brac.
Had Tired Of Estate.
The upkeep of the place was tre-
mendous and friends say that in recent
years the owner seemed to tire of it
and that this may be the real reason
why he has transferred it to trustees
to be sold. Floating to the breeze an
American flag has been most conspicu-
Gus for miles attached to the top of the
great steel mast Of the famous schooner
Independence. which he built with the
hope that the yacht would be selected
To defend the Americas cup years ago.
Picturesque statuary elephants pre-
dominating. dotted the landscape about
the buildings.
Lawson also was great book collec-
tor and some of the rarest first edi-
tons in existence are in the houses. AT
one time his glorious horses were the
talk Of the entire country: winning
private riding academy seating 5000
people and a barn so feet long. In the
former annually he gave a horse show
10 which the elite of society were glad
10 he invited. On the estate was half
mile track. with grandstand and all of
the fixings His kennels also We're little
Jess famous while his herd of thorough
bred cattle was the best that money
could buy.
Special Bank for Employees.
For the employees. there was a club.
gymnasium and recreation rooms. while
he maintained private bank in which
they could invest their savings. But
with the sale next week the end will
come to his dream and already it is
believed that the great establishment
will be cut up into smaller places for
less ambitious millionaires.
No one knows what his future plans
are There is natural speculation
whether he will attempt to stage a
comeback But he is now an old man.
the fires Of youth have died down. and
It is doubtful whether he could now
command the resources that would be
Cequired to re-establish himself as a
market operator on a national scale.
Copyright 1927