BEGGARS WITH FORTUNES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XVIII, 6 May 1899, Page 605

BEGGARS WITH FORTUNES.

When Tori, a well-known Italian professional beggar, died last year, there were found hidden away in his rooms bank books, securities, gold and silver, amounting collectively to the value of upwards of 2,000,000 francs. His heirs were two nephews, who for years had been existing in a state of pitiable poverty. In 1895 a beggar who died in Auxerre, France, was found to have 1,000,000 francs in bonds in a trunk, and in his cellar 400 bottles of wine of the vintage of 1790. In the same year an old beggar woman, named Marie Dufour, who occupied a wretched garret at a house in the Rue de Sevres, Paris, was found dead in her bed. In a bundle belonging to her were found a deposit receipt for 30,000 francs in the name of the deceased, and Government securities representing an annual income of 9,530 francs. A man named Gustave Marceiin, a professional beggar, was found dead in his room in the Rue Puy Guillaume, Avignon, in November, 1892. A search led to the discovery of French Government bonds and various securities to the value of £20,000. He left a paper requesting that his savings might be divided equally between the city and the Bureau detjlienfaisance. The wealthiest living professional beggar, Simon Oppasich, was in 1893 sentenced to seven years’ hard labour for perjury. He was born without feet or arms, and his physical defects brought him exceptional sympathy and eash. In 1880, at the age of 47, he had saved £ 12,000, and in 1888 he had by speculation increased his fortune to £25,000 in cash and some £40,000 in Trieste and Parenzo real estate. Since then he has quadrupled bis wealth by trading on the Bourse.