The Press: Death in Denver

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Upon his $800,000 Lottery stake Bonfils pyramided fat profits from the Post, from the coal business, mining schemes, oil, real estate, Denver's Empress Theatre (burlesque). He used to tell friends that he was worth $60,000,000. Most Denverites think the correct figure was nearer $10,000,000. Bulk of the fortune was tied up in a family corporation, Boma Investment Co. Bonfils, who had visited Africa, named it for the thorn bomas built by natives "to keep beasts out." The Bonfils will, opened last week, left practically the whole estate (amount unspecified) to "The Fred G. Bonfils Foundation for the Advancement of the Welfare of Mankind."

Fat Harry Tammen had tongue in cheek when he chose the inscription for the Post's building: "O, Justice! When Expelled From All Other Habitations, Make This Thy Dwelling Place." Fred Bonfils thus expressed the aim of his Foundation: "Better homes . . . better schools . . . greater morality and more widespread regard for the love of God and the Gospel of Christ."

The Foundation has a $100, 000 fund to send 100 boys & girls to college. Highly publicized have been its standing offers of $250,000 for a cancer cure, $25,000 for an influenza cure.