The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-06
A STORY OF A BROKEN LIFE.
ENRICHED BY wan STREET.. AND RU-
MED ON BLICK FRIDAY.

tce Wandell nj TIE Special Sessions. on Friday
last. accused Nv Mrs Parsous. boarding house
keeper at IS Macdougnll street. " stealinga
wnistcoat and two shirts from n fellow lodger
Mr. Lawrence Jerome Jr. pleaded for the pris-
oncr. saying that hn had known him for twenty
years that formerly he had been prominent
member Of the Board OF Brokers. md worth
several hundred thousand dollars; that he had
ut divers times. made gifts Of thousands OF dol
lars to different churches; that he had been
widely known and respected. and that his mind
had become affected by adversties. or he never
would have committed the trfing larceny Of
which he was accused. The Justice passed
light sentence upon the prisoner. sending him
to the City Prison for five days
Many persons who had known Mr.. Martin
when be- WIS u wealthy man visited him in the
prison on Monday. The keepers said that they
had been kept busy with his visitors all day.
He walked about in the lower corridor. and
readily received everybody who came IL was
very plain that his mind WIS affected. Any
question that was nldr ssed TO him he would
answer. but In IN absent sort of way. When
ever money WAS alluded to. however. he be-
came at once wholly alert. Mr.. Theodore Moss
OF Wallack's Theatre. came to see him and asked
what he could do for him. The prisoner
promptly answered that he would like to bor-
row five dollars. Mr. Moss gave it TO him.
Shortly afterward another visitor was conyers-
ing with him. when Martin complained to him
TINT he didn't get enough to eat The visitor
expressed great sympathy. and asked what he
could DO to obtain him some good food. Martin
replied nromltly that u he had money he could
buy II. tn" visitor thereupon handed out
dollar Martin took Il. ANA drawing out the
five dollar bill that Mr.. Moss had given him,
wrapped the one up very carefully in the other.
and then. laughing sIyly at the puzzled visitor.
tucked hotn away in his pocket
The Rev. DR.. Ever WAS one Of those who Wis
received auout $50 in the course OF the day.
Two BROOKLYN ladies' who had known Martin
number oi years ngu. came TO see hum in the
afternoon, and one OF them asked him to come
20 her house MS soon MS he should be liberated.
DR.. Ever went out Martin walked into his cell.
looking greatly pleased. hut he had hardly
arrived and he came out again al the call OF
one Of the keepers. This visitor was stranger
other matters than the conversation all the time
he was heing talked TO- He answered Yes
and No" very politely and very mechanically,
and looked grave and weary as he leaned
against the wall 10y his cell door. But the in
slant the visitor turned on his heel nfter saying
good by. Martin made a hound toward one Of
the keepers. and Shaping him Justify on the
hack laughed aloud A. he cried out: I've got
S2l, old man; what do you think Of that ~
you can outside. Mr. M1rtin." the keeper re-
turned. That's a fact said the old man, Sc
riousy md he ran into his cell again. and fell
to-eeatins IN" prison dinner with good appetite
The prisoner looked sickly and very haggard.
He is about so years OF age. Of middle height.
and slender. HIS hair is thin and streaked with
gray. H. wears n long moustache. also par
tally gray. and yesterday his sharp chin was
covered with "A white stubbe beard a quarter
Mr. Theodore Moss knew Martin about thirty
years ago. The latter az that time WAS tho
treasurer Of the Aston Place Opera House.
subsequently, the seen" ot the Mncready riots.
now the Mercantile Library building. Later.
Martin was The TREASURER Of the Lyeeum.
corner corner " of Br BRINE street GS '"V% and Broad
way Later stu he went down among
with Ashly ( Norris. in Exchange place. II
was while hl!ne this position that Martin
OF which DR.. Gaetdct was and stu is the
rector. The young book keeper speedily recon-
AIMS and to Or, Gallnudet He was very fond
OF children. and became one Of the most sue
cesstul TEACHERS in the sunday school. II WAS
regular and welcome visitor in the family Of
DR.. GH!laudet. who took So warm m interest in
him a seat in the Board OF Brokers and in 1861.
through the Doctors int-rression Martin was
made member " that Board.
He was very successful rs a broker, and in a
few years lac WAS estimated 10 be worth $500 900.
He was an exceedingly liberal man. spending
his money as freely rs he made II. and he de-
ST. AIMS Church HIS assistan,e was wholly
spontaneous. He gave his money mostly b. tho
sunday school and 10 the entertainment Of the
children. H. spent hundreds OF dollars AT
time IL giving grand pl.nlcs. ana once lie or
ganzed number 81 the boys into a drum
eorps. which he uniformed and named the
%
tendrnt OF the Sunday school. He remained
with the church for ten years, until, in 1869, he
wholly severed his ~Onnerton with IT,
The prosperity OF the hrokrr was not very
long lived. He met with one great reverse
within five or six years after becoming a mem
Der az the Board. ami eNprrmucrd IN over
throw on the famous Bhrk Friday" OF 1863
~ which he lost everything. including hs seat.
Since that time he hns mad" out a living in
small ways sometimes doing temporary SER
vices rs bookkerprr ana sometimes efecting
minor transactions IN me street. H. was mar
ried when first coming 10 ST. AIMS Church. his
wife being Of good family and related to the
Hamiiou- and Frrris-s OF this city. They had
nochildr'n OF their own. but adopted girl,
who IS now married TO a el,knOwn lawyer
now living in White Plains. The wife died
three or tour years agO. when Martin married
again. lila second wife and child are now
living in Connecticut
some year. ago Martin borrowed 5000 Of his
lnndlndv, giving a bond therefor ana Mr.. Moss
hnd nno'hrr Grnt,nin WWrre ms suretcs. TINS
the pres urr brought upon him by the lender 10
make him pay. or whether II WIS general mis-
fortune and lnanliiy TO support his family.
Martin, Tor several months previous 10 his ar
rest had been verv much oppressed, ana showed
appeared ut the boarding house in Marlougnl
street and paid all the money he had. So for a
room that WAS already ha!f Jet 10 another
hourler. WHO was absent AT the time. Mrs.
Parsons. the lunGlady. noticed that Ire WIS alb
seht-hhdrd ana mrlhufholy AT table, he
would refuse "A DISH, then get up and 20 around
70 the Jisn, wherever It WIS. and help himself
70 H. On trlday he came down stars with a
pair OF shirts Uud WNstcout belonging % his
fellow lodg"r, over his arm. lie had hruughtno
baggage 81 all Of his own 10 the house. The
landudy stopped him. and he was arrested aud
tHkrn 10 tue police court, The garments that
lie WAS taking uway from the house We're old and
worthless. whereas There Was aquantty OF good
elutihuE IA tn' sam" ROOM
Mr.; Moss will pay for good accommodations
Tor Martin AZ Ludlow street jail, whore bee was
tkrn ON Tuesday to remain fortnight in
order O. become released from the 50 90 bond
that NHs been mentioned. Further than that
no pruN.s Oh hus been made !ur ann. II need,
medical, cIre and hInd attention. Mr.. Moss SAID
that lie " ud glSr so toward this. If others
Won, uld to u s. IS 10 maxi a result assured.
Tn following AIs b. 'rn r.c"Iyed from a member
oi the Culon League Cub;
10 TIA EDITOR TiiL SUS-Ntr ! saw to-day that r NJ
Martin AHu hitn utt ANA sent .cci Ia I'VE day, 1000
Ersuuurut Nr stealing coat ald SHIRT lls scutcice
being nominal 10 consideration co. tNr good character
Mhrli MI jerome gave him 900 defending him.
lr Martin some weeks a-u, aud Dee turH 90 cHl-
duun n uud or body tuU t-ud lHcffV" hu iurss
TACT iutu a-c ii uut ncc up.Iuu Wulth could sutUurt
him liz seemed tor affected boo hi. mind aud
Of .nuu.-lIi know NJ Nsruu tulNr been homes tud
s(.cty temperate 100 the pat and he.Nc that such %
lilac Of which he ~, been COM icrd could
not have been tie outcome VI his uud IN is normal con-
diu0n.
nav YORK. Marcia
The Glouerster Fishing Fleet In the Storm.