MILLIONS FOR A CLERK.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 242, 9 October 1920, Page 19

MILLIONS FOR A CLERK.

l EICH MAN'S LABOtFRER^OUKTIERS. By a stroke of the pen In the will of the millionaire, Mr. Edward Francis Searles, of Methuen, 'Macs., n modest office employee may be raised to be one of the richest men in the United .States. Mr. Searles, who was of humble origin htmflelf, married years ago the enormously rich wifiow of Mark Hopkins, one «f the "Forty Miners'' who ruled California like 1 kings. I In his -will lie leaves his nephew, Mr. Albert Victor Searlee, a Boston artist, only £.1000, bequeathing "all the rest and remain- ' Ing residue" to ihls managing clerk, Mr. Arthur T. Wfllker, "a efficient business man, but modest and rihunning th« limelight." Experts put the "rest" at anything from £10.000.000 to £15.000,000. i Soon after his marrinjre the late Mr. Searles adopted -the title of "Txird Metnnen." and engaged scores of labourers in 'Methuen as courtiers, who bowed and scraped, addressing him always as "your lordship." Mr. Searles spent vast sume duplicating Blnrnp.v Castle on Ms estate, and when his wife died he erected a greet nmnsolenm, to wTilch he wished to be transferred in his coffin with a torcWlght procession at midnight.