Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-22

AN ECCENTRIC CAREER ENDED.

For several years past there has resided
in Brooklyn, n. T., a man by the name
of Thomas Connors, who has attracted
considerable local attention by his eccen-
tricities, and who had come to be famil-
iarly known to the frequenters Of City
Hall as the twelve o'clock man." Every
day as regularly as the sun rose, Summer
and Winter, Connors was in the habit of
coming to the City Hall, between 3 and 10
O'Clock in the morning, and taking up q
position on the sidewalk, on the Fulton
street side Of the building he would re-
main leaning up against the iron railing
until the large clock in the tower of the
City Hall struck the hour of IL O'Clock,
noon, and as the last stroke OF the ham
mer ceased. without uttering a word or
pausing to look behind him, The man
would walk slowly away, and soon disap-
pear up Fulton avenue on his way home-
ward. He kept that up for years, always
standing in the same spot and leaning
against the fence in precisely the same at
titude, until his coat would be worn to
rags where it had come in contact with
the iron railing; then he would appear
with patch to cover the hole. Finally
he became sick and enfeebled BY con-
stant exposure to all sorts of weather,
and about year ago he forsook his ac-
customed place on the sidewalk, and took
up position inside the building, and up
one flight of stairs, where he stood for
two or three hours each day, leaning up
against post which stands in the cOrri-
dor just opposite the entrance to the of.
fee Of the Commissioners of Public
Works. There he was to be found dur
ing the last half of the forenoon, and from
there he would never move until the
last stroke OF the ~ o'clock bell had
been sounded, when he would walk quiet
ly and sadly down the stairs, with look
OF stolld disappointment on his couRte-
nance. he always dressed very shabbi-
ly, and looked very disconsolate and
woe-begone, as though he had not
friend in the world. He never spoke to
any one unless he was spoken TO, and
then he would reply only in monOsylla-
bles, in Grabbed manner, which soon
gave people to understand that he did
not desire to prolong the conversation.
He often used to excite the sympathy of
those who witnessed his daily vigils, and
one day a benevolent gentleman, who
thought perhaps he might be in want Of
pecuniary assistance, offered him some
money. but he spurned the offer with in
dignation, and gave the gentleman frank
y to understand that he was no beGgar.
Sometimes he would mutter incohefent
sentences to himself, as though brooding
over some disappointment, and, AZ the
hour OF noon approached, he would in
crease perceptibly until the clock struck
the hour. when with q heavy sigh, be
would assume his wonted appearance of
calm despair and walk silently awapl
As an explanation Of this strange freak
of Mr.. COnnors, it is said that he was
once in comfortable circumstances, and
that he in some way lost all his money
and became quite poor. Some man With
whom he had business transactions be-
came indebted to him for large amount
of money, which Mr.. Connors tried for
a long time to collect. but without avail.
Finally to get rid OF him, the man promised
to meet Connors on certain day, at
the City Hall and pay him the money.
Connors was there at the appointed
hour. but the other man never came.
and every day since that poor man was
always at the City Hall at II O'Clock,
hoping to meet the faithless creditor
there, and to receive the money which
he claimed to be due him. But he final
~ made bis last visit. At IL Al O'Clock
recent morning, a dispatch was re-
ceived at the Brooklyn Police Headquar-
ters, stating that Thomas Connors, aged
about so years, died at the residence of
his sister, who lived in a shanty in War
rem street. near Washington avenue;
and the dispatch closed with the an
nouncement that Connors was the
"Twelve O'Clock man." His death seems
to be sudden and mysterious one, as
the Coroner was notified to hold an in
quest. He had been missed from his ac-
customed place in the City Hall for sew
eral weeks past.