A Miser's Accumulations.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XX, Issue 6331, 12 August 1895, Page 1

A Miser's Accumulations.

A fire broke out on the 14th June at a house in Croydon, near London, the residence of Mr R. F. Jones, an Independent gentleman. The police experienced great difficult in getting Mr Jones to leave the burning dwelling, a large villa of 12 rooms, and he had to be dragged away, his hair and beard being scorched. Superintendent Thompson succeeded in entering the rear of the house, where he and his men came across vast hoards of silver, gold, and copper, the accumulations of years' savings. The money was tied up in stockings, in coal-scuttles, and jars, and was placed in the firemen's helmets and taken charge of by the police and the owner, who was removed to an adjoining house. Mr Jones was the picture of abject despair, but his joy on seeing the money was inconceivable. The money discovered filled the helmets of 10 firemen. Other valuables were also saved from the fire. The firemen prevented the flames extending to adjacent premises, but Mr Jones's house was burnt out. About 40 firemen were engaged in fighting the flames, and, at the suggestion of a friend, Mr Jones presented them with 4s to be divided among them for their exertions. Mr Jones, although living in a large house, is said to be a well-known miser, and is in the habit of- rising at 4 o'clock in the morning and perambulating the street in search of flotsam and jetsam, and on the premises the firemen came aqpss a curious collection of rubbish, from hairpins to skeletons, beertottles, and-skins. It is believed a large quantity of money still remains under the debris.