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Former Banker Asks Alms at Mobile. AGED AND BROKEN IN HEALTH He Applies to Salvation Army for Aid; His Story Reads Like a Romance. mobile, Ala., Dec. --Weakening now with the pressure of years, his body ben beneath the heavy weight of cares that have been his, the wreck of one who was a mighty man before the financial storm of the early nineties, floating adrift the world, but pointed home. ward in the far northwest as the sun of is setting. rived several days ago life here James Billings from Hon- arduras, and is asking for aid to return to Duluth. Minn. is a novel in real life. A battle of the a romance in realms. He is a The financial story strong, of vertable kings "Man who was," over one who the years, seeing gazing himself in retrospect before his fellow men the among stood mightiest, giving and mighty taking the fortunes of the world. the the United Picked Fruit up company's by Captain steamer of Suldal at of Puerto was to this of Too proud to a sympathy. the brought port city Cortez, free, be Billings out street he went to the army, which makes it a after beggar. duty Salvation to look the forsaken humanity. Although arrived in steamer ago Suldal Mobile he several days with this passenger, only made the of the corps the yesterday commander himself local known of to Salvation Captain W. A. WidBeing feeble, and not tell what at gery. modestly army, fearing he wished he could the time. Billings wrote note which he gave to caplowing right the the foltain: "Dear Sir: A long, severe sickness while in Honduras the past year has ruined hence method of I was a approach. my hearing, resident this twenty-five of Duluth. for the past For eight years was urer of Harlan years. Minn., county, prior. Nebraska, I treas- three From I was and times extensively re-elected. engaged and 1881 in banking also to 1893 in the trust business sota. of great company iron The industry panic business 1893 ,completely in Minnel me from the and to that and wiped prior time, financial both from world. Dunn $300,000 At Bradstreet rated me at to $500.000. I owned one bank entirely while also president of a national bank and secretary and treasurer of a $600.000 loan and trust company. Bank re ports of both Dunn and Bradstreet of that time corroboratest my statements. I have ever since been struggling to honorably recover my lost position among men. T have just arrived here from Puerto Cortez, Honduras, without cash, and a total stranger in your city, sixty years old last April. I. very much deto Duluth as am broken in The cost sire health. to return of In such I distress transportation is about $40. my I am to as be to to you obliged may willing appeal for contribute such aid help me along and shall as soon as possible pav it back. Very respectfully, James Billings. Captain Widgery stated that he will at once start a subscription for the unfortunate man. Duluth. Dec. 17.-Mr. Billings was leaders in Duluth's finasial world time and was not the but the one president of of the his organizer of only the Marine bank of was started and This National bank which about the he 1889. financial speaks. was unable to weather erisis, as was the American Loan and Trust company of which he was the secretary and treasurer. was the last in his stage financial Banking undertook development, it as before he he had sums he came to business. however. made When large in the the mining northwest from New York state he started out in the copper country and it was there that the largest part of his fortune was amassed. He married twice, bringing his first wife with him. She died here and he married again. he had two children when he left Duluth. They and his second wife have been lost sight of by Duluthians since their departure for new fields.