by Laurel | August 25th, 2009
August 25, 1898, page 08
Joseph Irwin of 75 Newton street is either fortunate heir to a fortune of about a quarter of a million of dollars, or a victim of a confidence man, whose exact object does not yet appear. Mr. Irwin is employed at the Standard machine company, but as yet will, widely keep his job until he is certain of his possible good luck. The inheritance is said to come from the death of a rich uncle, one Samuel Irwin, who lived in the Klondike regions and who left him his sole heir. A stranger called upon Mr. Irwin yesterday, and after asking many questions of a personal nature, gave Mr. Irwin the information that he was a rich man. Mr. Irwin thought that he had a confidence man to deal with right away, and said so, inviting the man to leave forthwith in no gentle terms. The man only laughed, and said that he had money enough, showing some gold nuggets, and all that he wanted was to establish the fact that Mr. Irwin was the man in question. He then left for Elmwood where Mr. Irwin’s mother and sister lived, and made inquiries of them. He then left the city with the purpose, he stated, of looking up the records in Northampton concerning the Irwins. The man claimed he was one of two men appointed as executors of Samuel Irwin’s estate. Mr. Irwin formerly lived in Florence, and when there was visited by his uncle once. His uncle went to the Klondike some six years ago, it is said, but it had been longer that that since Mr. Irwin heard from him. The man stated that the sum left to him amounted to $242,000. While it is clear that M. Irwin thinks there may be something in it, he has seen too much of the world to be much troubled, and worked last night to 6:30 pm., just as though there was no fabled wealth waiting for him to claim. Mr. Irwin is married and has a number of small children, who have already planned for the whole expenditure of the money.
From The Springfield Republican.
