A PAUPER MILLIONAIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6063, 23 April 1881, Page 7

A PAUPER MILLIONAIRE.

A recent dispatch from New Haven, Conn., says —Reollof Von Baren, a Hollander, who has lived in New Haven with his wife and child for six months, has fallen heir to an immense fortune by the death of a great uncle, Heinrich Spier, of Rotterdam, who bequeaths him His property. Last week Heiurich Von Baren, a half-brother of itoellof, came to this city direct from Rotterdam, accompanied by SVillinm A. Beach, the _ New York lawyer, and, Roellof says, told him of his good fortune, and offered him 25,000 dols. in cash:if he would make Heinrich manager of his estates, Heinrich to pay Roellof 25,000 dol.. weekly. This offer was refused, and Roellof has since received letters from ' the mayor of Rotterdom and two notaries who drew up the will informing him that the estate left him is estimated at between 25 and 40 millions of dollars: It is-said that the property is the accumulation of several generations, .and includes an, immense amount of real and personal property, two ship yards, and a fleet of 70 vessels. Von Baren goes ito New York to; meet the: mayor and i 'notaries who are said to have come-, there to consult with him. Von Baren is about. S3 i years old, and says that he was formerly a ! Catholic priest, entering upon that calling at the wish of his father and other relatives, but after serving three years renounced the religion against their wishes. He further says that in aii altercation with a half-brother over the matter he was stabbed, and drawing his own knife,-killed his halfrbrother in self-de-fence; • -Acting on the advice of the authorities he went to London.- There he married an English woman aud lived under the name of John Spier, a name he has retained in tiiis country. When he arrived in New Haven he was penniless, and-his appeals for aid to his relatives being disregarded, and unable to get work, ho has lived mainly on chanty.