The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-18
BARBARA ALLEN.
What Was Found in the Misery
Woman's Twelve Trunks.
THREE MORE BANK BOOKS.
An important Legacy for the Society
for Destitute Seamen.


for Destitute Seamen.
By degrees the LIE history and resources Of Barbara
Allen, the old died In apparent frsndess-
ness and penury few days ago. have been ascer-
snued. Tho developments touching her extreme
sbscurty nomadic existence, misery disposition ana
nonomaniacal love OF money, coupled with an all
absorbing passion for boarding portable property OF
miscellaneous Characterization an old oil lamp TO .
superbly npished gold time piecc-al point to ex-
septonaiy eccentric character and go TO illustrate
phase Of human nature happily seldom presented for
public contemplation.
An incongruous party OF eight or ten persons pre-
sented themselves Monday forenoon a. the store
house OF the Pubnc Administrator, No. Ito Centre
street, for the purpose of Witnessing formal nvsst-
cation of Barbara Aliens effects, which comprised
twelve ordinary sized trunks and few other pack
ages. These people, with perhaps one exception,
were understood TO BIO present as dear friends Of the
departed, ana, Of course, In that capacity regarded
with tenderness tempered by grief tho many trunks
smSng whose contents they all believed was will, In
which the deceased had rewarded each and every
Of them Tor any little act OF friendship they may have
shown her In nfe Indeed, the quizzicay cheerful
looks OF OF the impecunious expectants plainly
told that each had been induiging rosy hopes Among
the party was sprghtly, good looking young woman
ri about seventeen dressed IN the extreme Of fashion
and sporting array OF Irs and furbelows at which
her less fortunate sisters gazed long and often This
young person had accompanied ner mother, elderly
ma,ron whose lines OF lie did not appear have
been cast in very pleasant places, but who had
casonaly shared her scanty with the deceased
and accordingly hoped that her name might be
mentioned in the Will. The exception to this
fxpcctant coterie was Rev. Mr. Crapsey,
OF st. Pauls iEpiseopaD Church, Of which
old Barbara considered . member. and
from whose fund she had latterly been receiving
pension Of 81 per week. To Mr.. Crapsey the do
ceased had conAdsd Tor sale keeping book on the
Blocker Street Savings Bank containing over $4,000
10 her credit This book was turned over 70 the
Public Administrator last Saturday. The clergyman
having waited long enough 10 SEQ female wearing APP
parel and other articles sufficient 10 ssock small
DRY goods store unpacked from the trunks OF the
dead woman addition 10 three bank books other
than those previously discovered lett with express
SION akin TO disgust upon his lace, Influenced doubt
II was now apparent was ruling trait IN the char
acter Of the deceased.
CURIOUS COLLECTION.
The examination o the multifarous effects which
Barbara Alien had evidently devoted lifetime to
SIMULATE was conducted by Mr. Wilson watson, agent
Tor the Pubic Administrator, and revealed SUCH
curiosity shop OF odds ana ends has, perhaps never
before been acquired ny an ostensible pauper There
were several SILK dresses. ono Two Doing almost
new, while others presented evidences Of oapidaton
Bhawis OF various patterns and bright colors elected
soto voce EXPLANATIONS OF delight from the female
pendsges OF similar material caused their eyes to
fairly snap with hungry anticpations. Plies OF hose
oil both ancient aud modern manufacture, together
with more than twenty pairs Of new shoes and
CATERS, attested the old womans notions IN regard to
The welfare OF her understandings. A soed caico bag
which looked as though might have done service
, bustlo Tor the deceased during At least quarter Of
q century, was found 10 contain several large SOLID
silver spoons and Sl2 IN ereenbacks the latter nav
Ing PROBABLY been overlooked forgotten by the
aged User, as all tho rest OF her funds had been
securely tucked away in savings banks. OF UNDER
wear there was a most extensive assortment, much
OF u being OF nne material and elaborate
make make IN morocco case lined win oiaS
aud cham the former bearing the nsme OF
London manufacturer, and apparently having never
been worn framed portrait OF Barbara's mother,
handsome old lady OF about seventy, was found care
fully laid away. A massive coral neckace ana ABOUT
day ON examining bundle Of papers Of them
was found TO be certificate setting orth that Barbara
Hicks, At the Parrish Church OF st. Andrew, HoiDorn
London. on May 20, 1872. further search revealed
S,ysmSsr o n' 1ssS usaonr snrbsys aa Az
loo an absolute divorce from Phihp Hicks.
on the ground Of adultery Three additional
bank books were discovcred-one on the Seaman's
Bank for Savings, showing credit In the jscsAsea's
favor Of 800; another on The Broadway savings In
sttution, crsditng her with deposits amounting to
81 1877, and on tho Bowery SAVINGS Bank, In
which sho had accumulated ST. SS6-making total In
Mi tue books found VI s12 56S. In the Inning OF the
bosom OF one OF her dresses was discovered paper
containing The names OF lns bank books which sho
had and me correct number ., sas length w
pl the friends Of tho deceased. This pa
per, which bore the imprn. Of ., time
Visions could not DO ascertained, as Lemusi H. Ar.
Fold, attorney Tor the Public Administrator 70 used
H. The attorney said. however, that the will
was COVERED with scratches and erasurcs, which, Ia
vokod nearly all the provisions made therein He
also said seemed 10 have leit untouched bequcst
70 emss friend EnsaGd ana ina, .ns ,esauo 81
declined 10 give the name OF either OF these probable
legatees.
AcouAlSrASoEs.
Deceased, aurng her lifetime, was In the habit Of
OCCASIONALLY visiting an acquaintance named Mrs.
Marion St. The writer called there and ascertained
that although Barbara had often slept there little was
younger days s,swardess OF an ocean steamship ana
later In lie followed the business Of dressmaking
sways carried a basket. in which 81. would iao pu,
broken bread and meat This, IL was SAID she
would take when offered IL. but she was not q
beggar On her last visit there, about two
weeks ago. she said that when she died
she wanted 10 be buried deceaty, but her disposition
wished 10 be buried or 10 iac anything slse reatiIg
10 her past future. Mrs. Weimsr says that shs
was close friend oil the deceased and that as soon AZ
she heard Of her death she went over 20 Brooklyn and
tired to get the BODY intending 10 carry out Barbara
expressed WISH TO her that sne would IKE 70 70 buried
pner had gwen The remainsto the county underakor
before she got there. Mrs. Wemar also
sad:-"l always knew that the old lady
had money enough to bury her respect
ably aud TO pay Tor any trouble ner burial might
incur. she was no Oeggar; she would take anything
offered In kindness She was very old aud eccentric
In ner ways. She would often say she was regular
John Bull, or JACK Blunt In her conversations she
never dattcred or praised any one. never heard her
Say she AFRAID VI being buried In Fotters Fieu.
! never knew vi her receiving help from ST. Pauls
Church or any other place. One OF the ladies' used TO
give her work to do and once or twice she gave her
muslin TO mako unuercothIng; she also gave her a
shawl, but that was some years ago; iatoy she ro-
ceived nothing"
WILL
The will alluded 10 submitted for probate, yes
terJsy, Nv tue Public AdmInistraior, 10 Surrogate
CALVIN. IL Is dated blank Gay IN January, 1851.
The third, fourth and hfth clauses Of the will have
been erased by drawing a black Ink mark over every