A "Millionaire" Bankrupt

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 97, 17 March 1888, Page 3

A "Millionaire" Bankrupt

■ . " -♦ ■ •" - In the last issue of the London Gazette appears the notice—" Receiving orders (to surrender in London), Burke, Thomas Fitmaurice, Adelphi Hotel, Strand." And thereby hangs a tale. A few months back Mr" Thomas Fitmaurice Burkes friends were congratulating him on a startling windfall of two millions sterling, and tradesmen were placing everything that fancy could imagine at his disposal. He accepted the goods and the congratulations with equal complacency, but with such ample resources to draw upon his friends were amazed at his moderation. However, horses, carriages, jewellery, hotel bills, and advances of ready money soon ran up to a pretty score, and as tradesman in these days of cash transactions like prompt payments, they gave sundry hints that something on account would be. acceptable. But somehow, for a 'two-, milfion man, there: was a strange reluctance to sign cheques, a circumstance, which with other developments after a while raised doubts as to the very existence of the fortune, and so they began to make enquiries. Mr T. F. Burke is the son of a deceased general in the British army, and the fortune was said to htvve been left by a foster brother who died in Auckland New Zealand. The evidence which Mr Burke produced to show that this fortune had come to him was not convincing, and the farther the investigations were carried the greater the doubt grew; until at last, to save the property; which had accumulated in the pseudo-inillionaite's hands, a petition in bankruptcy was presented and the :«>iu«l is the notice in the Gazette^ Biirke still professes an implicit faith In his coming millions, but his creditors are not so sanguine.— Pall Mall Gazette.