The Searchlight (Guthrie, Okla.), No. 530, Ed. 1 Friday, June 19, 1908 Page: 3 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
THE SEARCHLIGHT
\
\Y
/
v
A PATHETIC STORY.
A pathetic story of the pranks that
the fickle jade Fortune plays in her
most heartless moods came to its cli-
max yesterday when Charles J. L.
Meyer, erstwhile a millionaire and
prominent lumberman and railroad
magnate of Wisconsin, sought admis-
sion to the Milwaukee poorhouse.
Stripped of wealth, of social position
of business standing, Meyer a patri-
arch of 77 years of age, knocked at
the door of the Associated Charities,
which was established, years and years
ago in part: through his lavish contri-
butions to charity, and—
He was told that by his removal o
Chicago two years since, he had for-
feited all right to enter the Milwaukee
County poorhouse.
Being offered money by Gustav Frel-
ison, the agent, the septuagenarian
drew himself erect, saying that he had
money enough to pay his board until
Friday and for his return to Chicago,
where for two years he has lived in a
small room at 93 Aberdeen tsreet.
Asks lights as Citizen.
"1 merely was seeking my rights as
a citizen reduced to penury," he said:
"but I am not asking for personal
alms."
"I will write letters to your two son-
in-laws, who are men of wealth, and
will try to bring them to a sense of
duty toward you," said Frelison, as
his aged visitor with a sweeping bow
left the office.
Verily a story of Fortune in its
most prankish form—one of the sort
that Balzac would have delighted :o
weave into his Comedie Humaine.
Years ago, when the lumbering in-
dustry in Wisconsin was at its heignt,
Meyer, who yesterday was reduced 'o
the point where he sougin a place :n
the poorhouse was owner of a big sasix,
door, blind and wholesale lumber bus-
iness in Fond du Lac. He was associ-
ated in business with the late Senator
Sawyer of Oskosh, and was counted
one of the big men of the state.
He was a prominent figure in the
councils of the Republican party, and
twice was a delegate from Wisconsin
to national conventions.
As Railroad Financier.
Apart from his big station as a biy
lumberman, Mr. Meyer was a pioneer
in the building of railroads in the
Badger state. He helped to finance a
line connecting Fond du Lac with Mil-
waukee in the '30s, and for years was
president of what was known as the
Northwestern Union Railroad. When
the present Northwestern Road began
to expand into a system by assimilat-
ing twenty or thirty other lines, Mr.
Meyer was president of the line that
was considered the nucleus of the pres-
ent system in Wisconsin, and, in conse-
quence, was known to an older gener-
ation as "first president of the Chic-
ago aifli Northwestern Railroad."
This title came through tue fact that
he was president of the Northwestern
Union Road.
When the saw mills and the shingle
mills made Fond du Lac one of the
most prosperous communities in the
Fox River Valley, Mr. Meyer owned
a palatial home with extensive grounds
The natives traveled for miles to see
the beauties of his palace, which was
known far and wide as one of the
sights of the state.
A large conservatory supplied plants
that kept the. mansion perpetually
blooming. Artificial lakes and rustic
bridges dotted the demense of the lum-
ber lord, while wide terraces gave the
mansion itself a setting of greensward
of several acres n extent.
Hedgerows and avenues of elms and
oaks gave a vista from the roadway to
the mansion, while as to the closed
garden in the rear of the building, it
abounded in rare and costly trees and
plants and was adorned with marble
statutes of nymphs and fauns.
Beautiful buildings in renaissance
style, the perfection of the architct's
art, were built in the rear. They would
have been palaces for an ordinary
citizen, but the millionaire lumberman
erected them to house his horses, his
stable being the finest in the country.
During the period )f success, Mr.
Meyer was known as one of the most
liberal of men. No tramp knocked «.t
his door without receiving a response,
and the wealthy lumberman gave un-
sparingly to charitable causes in all
parts of the state.
When the movement for associated
charities first took root Mr. Meyer
was greatly interested, and whenever
the new idea sprouted he gave it nour-
ishment.
The sash, door and bliad factory
grew to be the largest of its kind In
the world, and Meyer's fortune in-
creased correspondingly. Twenty-five
years ago he was rated as worth $1,-
500,000. He was elected mayor of
Fond du Lac a quarter of a century
ago in recognition of his enterprise
in building the railroad between his
home city and Milwaukee by way of
Jonesville.
His business expended until he wjs
and besides, once in the long ago I
was interested in it in another way.'.
"I regret that we cannot admit you
to the poorhouse," said Mr. Frelison;
"but permit me to advance a little—"
"No, thank you," rejoined the pat-
riarah, with a courtly bow. "I came
here to ask for admission to the poor-
house as a citizen who is in poverty,
but 1 will never take personal charity.
I have money enough to last me until
Friday and to take me back to Chic-
ago. After that—well, who knows?"
Powell Pleads For Time.
Yesterday Powell was Informed ' y
his wife and her father that she and
the child were going to leave immedi-
ately. He demurred at first, but fin-
ally consented not to make a rumpus
it no action was taken against him m
tue courts looking to divorce before
tomorrow.
This was-agreed to and a big auto-
mobile conveyed mother and child ami
baggage to St. Clara's.
Sir. Lippincott said- this morning.
son, as Mr. Meyer left the offfice.
According to Mr. Meyer, he has two
daughters who are marled to men of
wealth. One of his sons-in-law is Dr.
Henry Earl of Hermansville and the
forced to build another factory in Chic- i other is Henry Moore, a lumberman
ago. He was one of the big men ->f of Fond duLac.
Wisconsin. j
Alas for tue fleeting riches! SLEUTHS GUARD WOMEN.
"1 will write t your sons-in-law and "j am niuch averse to the notoriety of
try to bring them to a sense of their ! all li1is ..jve been here three weeks,
obligations to you," remarked Frell-! trying to find some other way out of
the difficulty, but there seems no til-
ing else to do. Our daughter married
without our knowledge, but we have
done everything to help them since.
Powell has never done any real work
since the marriage, and has not con-
tributed a dollar to the support of
Emily.
"1 was, however, willing to pay their
expenses rather than to have a dl-
Fortunes Frown Begins ^ __ _
Fortune took a reef in prosperity, j Denver, Colo., June 12.—There is a Vorce, but he did not even treat her
Meyer sold out his sash, door and very disconsolate young man named weji and she positively refused to live
blind factory and it became the plant Edward Powell sitting in an elegantly
of the Winnebago Furniture Manufac- i furnished flat in the Kensington at ^
luring Company. Its former owner, Seventeenth and Logan avenues won- come anci a|,i her the best! could in
who had found his Eldorado in the for-
with him longer. Under the circum-
stances I could do nothing else but
dering whether it pays in the end to her difficulties, i shall remain until
marry a very rich girl because she is she can secure a divorce and then tako
rich and then quit work, spend father-1 her home with me.
Has Little Money of Own.
in law's liberal allowance, have a gay 1
ests of Wisconsin, went to Hermans-
ville, Mich., where he owned great
hard wood forests. He assisted in
forming the Wisconsin Land and Lu n- time and cause the wife who is the
ber Company, now one of the largest source of all his income to leave him.
of its kind in the state. It lasted three years, but it is over
Once reverses set in, however, they now. Charles CI. Lippincott, million-
came in a steady stream. Meyer lost aire and head of one of the oldest and
money here and there. He lost first most exclusive families of Philadel-! man (0 taik )0_ hut he is not an ideal
in one direction and then in another, j phia, sent his daughter, Emily, to Col- j son-in-law."
"She is but a young and inexperi-
enced girl. I suppose Powell thought
she had more money than she actually
had. She has very little in her own
right. Powell is a very sociable youn-t
He was tied up in so many ventures
that he was forced to sacrifice one to
save another, losing both in the oper-
ation.
Great inroads were made upon his
fortune, which dwindled so rapidly th it
fifteen years ago Meyer failed in bus-
iness.
orado Springs three years ago with Mr> Lippincott is a retired wholesa'e
a maid and trained nurse because the t grocer and a cousin of the Lippln-
tuberculosls experts of the East had cotts who are publishers. His family
ordered her to Colorado to save her I jg one 0j> the oldest and weallhiest in
life.
On a trip to Denver she met Edward
Powell, college graduate, without oc-
cupation, and son of a mother who
He went to Milwaukee and tried to I conducts a fashionable boarding house
recoup, but by this time uie weight at 1100 Colfax avenue.
of years was beginning to press upon it was love at first sight and an
his shoulders, and in whacking away elopement in an automobile to Lit-
at his adversary, ill-fortune, he found | tleton, where the marriage ceremony
it hard to make his blows tell. j was performed. The parents of tho
By this time the once wealthy lum- girl were then told of their new son-
berman was almost on the verge of | in-law. It wasn't very pleasing news,
poverty. His million and a half had but Mr. Lippincott, accepted the inev-
shrunk until barely a few hundred dol- itable and paid all expenses.
lars remained. Then Meyer came to The result is that he is here now
Chicago. This was two years ago, and stopping at the Denver club. His
he was 75 years of age. daughter and her 2-year-old child are
Rents a Small Room. at St. Clara's orphanage, a Catholic
He rented a small room in Aberdeen institution at 952 Tenth street, and to-
Phlladelphla and leaders in the most
exclusive social circles.
BANDITS OUTWIT PURSUERS.
Hartshorne, Okla., June 12.—The
last of the posse which was pursuing
the band of outlaws and horse thieves
who resisted the officers near here
early last week returned empty hand-
ed after spending a week in the heart
of the Kiamichi mountains. Sheriffs
from five counties of this section,
headed by Bob Nester, a veteran out-
law chaser from Ada, led the raiders
and it is estimated that the posse rode
over 150 miles in the roughest coun-
try in the state. The posse numbered
street and learned the location of the morrow Attorneys Elliott and Bard _ ^
10-cent restaurants. It was a case of well will file in the district court a j twenty-nine mounted men, all armed
scrimp and pare every penny to make suit for divorce on the ground of non-1 with Winchesters.
it count the most, and by dint of
rigorous frugality, Meyer made his
hundred dollars or two last through
two years.
Last week his small hoard had got-
ten to the point where it consisted
of less tihan one $10 dollar bill, so the
septuagenarian took the train for Mil.
waukee and sought admission to the
county almshouse.
When the old gentleman, erect, with
little gray in his hair, neatly clothed,
clean of linen, and with an old-fashion-
ed courtesy of manner, walked into the
offices of the Associated Charities at
Milwaukee and introduced himself to
support and ask the court for an in- j The men underwent a great many
junction restraining Powell from en- privations on account of the secrecy
deavoring to kidnap the child. That. Qf their mission and their desire 10
is, providing a satisfactory money set- I avoid the settlements of the region,
tlement cannot be made with Powell an^ went for a period of thirty hours
today. If he will agree to divorce, giv- without any food except huckleberries
ing his wife custody of the baby, it is \ which they gathered in the mountains,
quite likely he will be able to get a They learned that the desperadoes
rather large sum of money from Mr. were headed by the Johnston brothers,
Lippincott. j who formerly lived in the heart of the
Powell a High-Roller. Kiamachi mountains near Little river,
Matters have not come to this crisis ' an<^ who had terrified that section lor
Without ,« sensational do,„ss. Fo„. j Tea,"
eli has been a high-roller about town ^ within the past year. One of the broth
and the dmerences with his wife ha/e ers was kiIled by ine sheriff of Le-
Frelison, the agent, he broached his been becoming more acute during the pi0re and Fushmahata counties abo,it
mission simply but with dignity. jlast. year. ; a month ago while resisting arrest
"I have come to you, an ordinary Slx months ago she wrote to her anci one 0f them was arrested. One
pauper, to ask admission to your poor- father begging him to come and take , escaped and with two other brothers
house," he said. "Once I was wealthy I her home with him. Mr. Lippincott! is
now on tne war path and swearing
and was one of the rich men of Wis- j has old-fashioned Quaker ideas about vengeance on the officers.
consin, but I met with failure in bus- ' marriage and divorce. He counseled Another raid is being planned for
insess, I met with loss after loss, un- his daughter not to act hastily and the near future, but the camp of the
til finally, I am left almost penlless. that so long as she had married Pow- bandits will have to be learned before
ell she should do her best to get alons j wm he possible to accomplish any-
with him, especially as a child had thing.. The stealing of eight horses,
been born. the robbery of four stores and the
Finally, though, the differences be-; cracking of two safes, and the rob-
came so serious between the couple )jery of two postoffices is credited to
that Mr. Lippincott came on to Den- this gang within the past three weeks.
ver. He has been here three weeks ,
trying to settle things. Powell was Seattle, Wash., June 13.—Guy G.
obstreperous and threatened to kidnap stratton, a prominent clubman and
I have two daughters, both of whom
are married to wealthy men, but
neither of them reply to my requests
for aid."
Barred by Residence.
"Where do you live now?" queried
Frelison.
"I have lived in Chicago for two
years past," was the respense.
"I am sorry," said Frelison, "but by
your removal you have forfeited your
right to admission to the county poor-
house."
• "I am greatly surprised," said Mey-
er; "I thought I would rather go to
your poorhouse in Milwaukee than to
any other institution, because I have
always heard good reports about it,
the child. To prevent this the Burlew
Detective agency was employed for
two weeks and are still shadowing
every move of Powell or any one con-
nected with him. This has caused a
good deal of comment among the peo-
ple who live at the Kensington, who
noticed at times a half dozen or more
detectives about.
lumberman, charged with manslaught-
er, who run over and killed 7-year-old
Henrietta Johnson while speeding his
automobile, was sentenced to ar. in-
determinate term of from one to twr.
ty years in the penitentiary, and pay
a fine of $500. It is the first convic-
tion for manslaughter under the state
automobile law.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Searchlight (Guthrie, Okla.), No. 530, Ed. 1 Friday, June 19, 1908, newspaper, June 19, 1908; Guthrie, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc284806/m1/3/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.