Jasper Republican, Volume 2, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1876 — A Wealthy Rag-Gatherer. [ARTICLE]

A Wealthy Rag-Gatherer.

Thebe recently died at Cannes, in the south of France, a chiffonier who has left a fortune of 400,000 francs. The Journal det Debate , in relating the story, says that on the day of his death this prince of rag-gatherers 'sent for a notary, who promptly appeared at the bedside of the dying man, and, with the assistance of some witnesses present, was in the act of drawing up a will for the disposition of the rag-merchant’s possessions, when, in the middle of his dictations, the sick man came to a sudden stop, and expired without divulging the names of his intended heirs. In the course of last week the relatives of the dead man, all very poor working people in the lowest class of life, and in the absence of a will the presumptive heirs to all his property, made their appearance at Cannes, when, at their request and in their presence, the authorities proceeded with the execution of an inventory of all the eti'ccts held by the late rag-merchant. The first day brought to light property in the shape of rent-lists, mortgage-titles, coupons payable to the bearer, shares of all sorts, bank-notes and gold and silver coin to the amount of 300,000 francs. The second day the relatives, who -could hardly realize or believe in? their good fortune, had some more surprises. Inside a very insignificant piece of furniture they found an earthenware pot filled to the brim with gold Louis d’ors to the amount of 5,000 francs. In a cupboard they also found a large quantity of cloth and packages of folded sheeting. On one of the inheritor’s calling on the notary to have them counted, he proceeded to unfold the packet of sheets, when out of one of them dropped some papers representing in rent-titles and shares another sum of 90,000 francs.

The right of publishing the official catalogue of the Centennial Exhibition has been captured for SIOO,OOO by John R. Nagle & Co., of Philadelphia. The catalogue will form four volumes of 300 pages each, to be sold for twenty-five cents each-part. The profits, it is supposed, will come from the forty-eight pages of advertisements which the publishers have the right to insert. - • w Fossil scorpions are extremely rare, but several have been recently found in the Sandwell Park colliery, England. The Rothschilds have $3,400,000,000, yet they are all trying as hard aa they can po “ get rich.*’