New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-03
A STRANGERS FATE.

.,UpDER discovered SIN MoNihS M INV
,rn,,,xrxT MASON OF NASSAU NJ Pr koDnhp M
,upnrRrp THE DAY AFTER HIS Ai'''i' NJ ~
.,s,s CITY AND SUBSEQUENTLY Bofifp ~ io
vp,s FrrIp-IINKs IN THE CHAIN of E' iDh'O
n,,r;ng the past few days mysterious oi,'"'
-. n.en brought TO light without 'ne anu VI VI. "
n'' ~aa,v ak months Right Worshipiul Brother Ma
' -, s,.,,cb the Deputy Provincial Grand Master U.
t"s' =, .he Rermudas and Representative "rahu
- a.. ,be.Crand Lodge of England mas oeo" ~
g., bis then last known appearance al'o oo'DA ~,
80 ,.,del in tbis city from the steamship ivy VI
- hut indefatigable efforts have al last leu " -"
- ,,a, within a hours after his arriVai ne was
d'oo''' r,,oI,r heoieD while IN the First Ward OF
I n, he subsequently died In one Oh the nos
vi" 80 his body was buried in the Potters flelu'
", rho unknown and uncared for FROM inc loi
h'''"H -. which have been carefully traced out'
-. "a aver, reason 10 believe that no leH victim "
50, ,obt,,rv and murderons vlolchoe'
o. .t ,,.h day OF July. 1878. the steamship CITY OF
- rived IN this port from Cuba and Nassau n
-, among tho passengers from the latter
- Nathaniel French. a record Of whose arrival ap-
80 q, TIE TRIBUNE o: July 26. He had ieft Nassau
.h, c,tv with he intention OF taking steamshlpioT
v,-,nc bis ultimate destination being C"h"i"' va"
when he eft the steamship he gave directions :" 49,
',,,os,,nan to take his trunk 20 hotei winch "
~ ,.,, received from tho expressman check
-, ,, a blank FORM which was 20 be returned ="
,,,dclivrry OF the trunk. Mr.. French thcu i'1' w
ws,rf AMI vas never again seem anu 40 '"'s
r oo,pon occurrence with passengers no no'oe vas
-, of ,he fact. Gao of the steamship hanuS' "o"
- NAT ,ed that he Jewciry' ahd' from INC
o'''' w. - ho was under the impression that ne
o" ,-sor NJ importance. The expreSsmap sooh
-. ,-ert with the trunk 10 'no vi
80, r,vcn him by the Stranger ou' -
io. to and him. returned WIN " -, arv
s,or,b.,se. where no deposited IT, W "" 49,,
which might be made for the properly
:, ,.,,,,, about 1t within q rea'oh'pie 'iuo' NV NAV
a his attention until q 10" uaSS aso
=" 80, ,ddle Of November . sister OF Mr. ffehcn
-, ,bis city received letter from the iamhy III
-, y 1,,r,,s in which it was stated that since MI
t,-.,c,,s tcDarturc from Nassau, NJ ho'hnE hau
Re, hoard from him. The writer also requested her 70
,ke SONS INQUIRIES into the matter ana 10 ascertain" "
,rc yer, not some means by which 1t could DC asce'
,,,net shat had become OF him. knowing that heI
,,,.r VS. Freemason, and having learned that A. ID
p,lsy ,,e of her friendly acqualntances was also d
Mason she directed her first inquiries to h' anu s'"eu
MIL the circumstances, among others 'uc loC' '"'' ~
brother had been the Master OF Lodge MI baui'''
who is q member Of Acacia Lodge. NO 49, OIL ""Snins
To-, Cfty ID c. at began his inyeStigduohs az 'n'
Office If the steamship company, and learned denhite!
,h,. MIR French left the vessel on July o. MI Brsde1
then yisd the officers OF the various European steam
ora and after a very persistent search which look
long tns became convinced That Mt french hdu hoFei
LEFT She city by any OF the steamship routes.
SDpoN NJ naturally, that s0mo accident hao occuilo"
10 the mssing nan. Mr.. Bradley next directed HIS
scps 10 me various hospitals for the purpose Vi cAa
lining The books Knowing that 1.-THE Morgue, where inc
unknown dead generally placed until recognized
WAS Al Bellevue Hospital the first inquiries were maze
a. that place aud the hooks carefully examined After
very tong search and when about 20 give the matter
IN an entry was found on tho hospital books OF
Nathaniel French AZ. planter, Wales" who had been
brought on July &c from tho Receiving Hospital IN
tne Uity Hal PARK, supposed then to be suffering from
the affects OF inemperaDce. On inquiry being made as
TO property which might have been on that mans per
son. and winch might lead TO his Identification Mr.
Bradley was informed that nothing OF value
WAS found upon him at all. and that 1t was
suppos,j in the hospital that the unfortunate
man was stanser in the city and without friends or
means Mr. Bradley also informed that after re-
naming the hospital two days in insensble con
di0p the unfortunate transferred 10 the hos
pital on Biackwers Island. Further inquiries elected
the .atoman. that marks Of violence had been found
on the mans head and body showing other that he had
been bldy beaten that he had mot with his injuries
through falling about As be had been brought in under
the sappos,On Of suffering from ntemperance the nju
attributed TO the latter cause and less notice
was taken OF them than might otherwise have been
tho case
Mr. Bradley next visited the hospital BlacSwelfs
Island aud having clue 70 the date Of the transfer
nore easily found record OF the missing man. Here
81 appeared that after remaining In the hospital hve
days, nv French died without giving any particulars
which might have led 20 his identity. and, apparently
having 10 friends was buried among the unknown and
uucared Tor in the Potters Field Fortunately, record
was KEEP; AS to the spot the body inferred
that at proper time the remains may be raised from
the tgnobe Tomb and deposited N more sacred ground.
Dit Bradley then communicated the facts which he had
scertaluei the and also to the Lodge in Mas
sau Of which Nathaniel French had been member and
nAc al thaf 20 in lett tn
NASSAU, N. p. Dec. IL, 1873.
DEAR SIR AND BROTHER with feelings OF regret
have to acknowledge the receipt OF yours OF the 80 inst
containing the mOurnful news o. the death OF my
brother Nathaniel French You Will please accept the
thanks Of his wife, children and myself for the
when found. he had nothing him What 90 YOU
think has become OF mis- trunk Is opinion that
carried to some bOardiD house. and thence
tioed out 20 the place where tho deed committed
on hims II so, Is there means OF 1uding out what
house he stopped at, that his trunk might II
possibs bs recovered This would be great satisfsc-
hon b hs family. Besides his wearing apparel he had
in bis trunk (Which is marked N. Fcenob) tin
txiRnc hs Masonic regalia, Past Masters and Royal
Arch sun's Jewels made OF silver. his diploma Past
mssteI certificate signod by myself Master of the
UnIOo Lodge. and his warrant Deputy Provincial
Hrsnd Master Tor the Bahamas Perhaps Of these
Of this Tie must be known to some OF the members OF
tne George Washington Lodge, no had told me that
Pc had visited that Lodge on his former visits 10 New
York. Can you inform whether not 1t ia possible
10 have has body removed from Potters Field and
placed ~ Greenwood Cemetery III so, what IL would
DO likely 10 cost Also the cost OF decent headstone
20 mark ms grave Trusting am not putting you 10
thing further by return OF steamer am dear SIR and
brotoer yours trsternay. JULIUS FRENCH
A. II Bradley.
Upon receiving this letter Mr. Bradley then made
further inquiries at the Office Of the Havana Steamship
Company where he ascerained the address Of the ex
prcossan. aud found the missing trunk In the store
house. where 1t had been deposited before stated
HAVING given directions for its safekeepng until again
communicated with, Mr.. Bradley left the trunk in
Of fua