A Miser’s Miserable End.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IX, Issue 429, 29 January 1878, Page 7

A Miser’s Miserable End.

The Home News of the 15th November says :—“ Thomas Farrell, adecrepid old man sixty-five years of age, a reputed miser, who led a wretched life of enforced poverty and seclusion in a top front room in Braithwaitestreet, Dublin, has just died. To his neighbors Farrell was a mystery. His occupation was unknown, and whither he repaired daily no one could tell. It was known that he lived alone in the top garret of the house, and rumor had spread great tales of his hidden wealth. The old man was found ill, and on the following day he died, without a friend by his side, leaving no less a sum than LIB,OOO. Suspicion was aroused by the nonappearance of the deceased, and after some time the wife of the landlord of the house in which he lived and her daughter entered his room. To their astonishment they found him lying on the floor, half starved and half naked. They sent him food, and under their care the old man appeared to rally, but his improvement was only temporary, and they despatched a messenger for a doctor, who only arrived to see him die. Then the police began a search. One of the first pieces of furniture which attracted attention was a table with a drawer, and in this w r as discovered, in silver, notes, copper, and gold, a sum of LB3 2s 6|-d. At first it was thought that this was the hidden treasure, the pile to increase which the old man had starved himself and lived a life of misery and want; but a glance at a small bundle of papers found at the back of the drawer disclosed the fact that he had invested in railway, bank, and mining stock no less a sum than L1T,735. Deceased had two sisters living in Dublin ; but it would seem that no friendship existed between them.”