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Show A NEW YORK MILLIONAIRE, In front of the St. Nicholas hotel be went shambling along, with bis eyes cast down, enyg a New York correspondent corres-pondent of the St. Louis Globs-Democrat, a dirty brier-wood pipe in his mouth, a raed coat on his back, an old slouched lint on his head, pan la sadly the wone for wear, rolled up over dirty brogaua. His whole get-up was strikingly suggestive. "How much would you give for what is on that old fellow?" I asked my companion. com-panion. After ho hud surveyed him from head to foot, the answer came, "Well, his old clothes might bring $3 at a second-hand shop; but why do you ask that question?" "Because," I responded, "that old specimen of humanity U worth three or four millions, and ho usually carries car-ries in tho59 old clotucB from $25,000 to $-10,000 in United Stales, securities." securi-ties." And such arc the facts. This man is named Connors. Many years ago he landed in Halifax from Ireland with but $1S in bis pockets. Strolling along Water street he saw, in a junk shop, a largo quantity of old brass. . An idea struck him. Would he not make a successful dealer in old brass? l-Tn .itfl..,,,! ;; i i,, ,,,, CIA lllllUliVJ liU" UIUV-U per pound would be accepted lor the junk. His next move was in the direction of the piers on the river front. Ho found a vessel about to sail for Uoston and sought an interview inter-view with the captain, who proved to be a countryman of his. From him ho ascertained the price oi brass in Boston, and after a little calculation they found that they could clear about $4U0 by buying out the junkman.' The skipper advanced the monay, the brass was transferred to the schooner. They set sail lor the Hub, where they arrived in duo time, and stilling their cargo cleared $-150 by the transaction, which they divided between them. Connors remained in Boston, where he made a few more lucky speculations specula-tions ol this nnlure, and then came to this cit v. He lived the life of a miser, in a dilapidated tenement-house, cooking cook-ing his own meals, and having as his 1 only companion a little do, with whom ho divided his frugal meals. Every speculation he entered into yielded him cold, and tinaly when he hud accumulated about J5,00J, ho began lo operate in teal estate. He was remarkably shrewd, and everything every-thing he touched seemed to turn into gold as if by magic. All this time his wife and children remained in Ireland, and rarely would ho condescend to write to them, owing to the necessity of purchasing postage stamps that would be involved. His wealth doubled dou-bled nearly every year; lots purchased for a mere song enchanced in value rapidly; and as he prospered he placed much in tenement houses, that gave handrcme profits, tiome yea re ago ho purchased the iJark hotel, corner ol Beeknian and Nassau streets, later the Central l'ark hottl was erecttd by him, and still later the Astor Place hotel. He now owns, it is said, five or six hotels and other real estate, valued in the aggregate at between $3,000,000 and $4,000,000. Connors is a miser in very sense ol tne word. A few years ago he sent to Ireland and brought out uis eldest son, to aid him in the management of his largo estate. The young man toikd diligently; but the old felluw did not give him euthcient to pay hl board, and Hie young mau left him, and is now running a real estate oflico in Brooklyn on his own account. During all this lime Connors carefully care-fully guarded lrom every one, including includ-ing his Bon, hit place of aboJe. None uf his servants know where lo find him exespt on rent day, when he calls promptly to the hour and de-i de-i mauds the uttermost farthing. Connors Con-nors is but one of many fantastic characters that are met every day in the busy walks of life in this cily. |