STORY OF A FORTUNE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 185, 23 December 1912, Page 5

STORY OF A FORTUNE.

MILLIONAIRE'S DAUGHTER RESCUED. TEA TRAVELLER'S REWARD. Sydney, December 1,4. A strange story as to how he has become possessed of a fortune has been narrated by Mr. David Kidd Byrne, a Canadian, who is at present in Sydney for the purpose of legally proving his claim, and who will pass through Auckland on his way home, probably hi the v. next Vancouver boat: Four or five years ago, Mr. Kidd—it will be explainer why he 'has tacked , Byrne on to his surname —while hawking tea from house to house in Toronto,. visited a place that he found later had • an evil reputation. He had not th» . least suspicion when he knockd at the . door and entered that he was in a house of evil repute. He wag soon surprised > and shocked. To the question of a girl, "Are you going to buy me a drink?" Mr. Kidd, who never lost an opportunity of spreading the glad tidings, said, "I am drinking at the fountain of life," and quoted to her the words used by Christ to the woman of Samaria: "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but iwhosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life." Then he left the house, but had no* gone far when the girl, who was sobbing, caught up to him. She told him her story. Her name, she explained, was Mary Byrne. Mr. Kidd comforted her, and finally obtained a promise of reform. She said she would not return to the house.

. Three months later Mr. Kidd had a surprise. Letters came to him both from Mary Byrne and her father, expressing the deepest gratitude for hit kindness to her, and declaring that it would never be forgotten by either of them. It then transpired that during 12 years of estrangement between father and daughter, the former, whose nam* was Wellington George Byrne, had become a millionaire. He had acquired large interests in mining properties and railroads in the United' States and Mexico, and also had become the owner of real estate in Australia, in addition to having inherited properties from his father. He was in Australia at the time his daughter was reclaimed, and when he shortly afterwards returned to America he found her in a serious condition of health. He took her to an estate he owned in Florida, hoping that there she might regain her strength. In this he was doomed to disappointment, as she died shortly afterwards, A few months later he left America for Australia; b»t died on the voyage. That was in September, 1908. When the contents of Mr. Byrnn'i will were made public, it was found fchf had left £85,000 to Mr. Kidd as a personal legacy, and also, by a codicil to the will, had bequeathed him £200,000, which would have gone to his daugWwr had she not predeceased him. In addition, the deceased left £115,000 to be spent on the erection of a home for fallen women at Toronto, Canada, to be known as the Byrne Memorial Star of Hops Tabernacle, and £26,000 for the purchase of the necessary land for the institution. There are several other bequests, Mr. Kidd being named as sole trustee and treasurer.

It was stipulated by the testator that Mr. Kidd should adopt the name Bryne as his own, and he hag gone through all the necessary formalities to comply with this.