The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-27
MISER LEACH'S HEIRS.
PEOPLE WHO CLAIM RELATIONSHIP TO THE
JERSEY CITY RAGPICKER

PEOPLE WHO CLAIM RELATIONSHIP TO THE
JERSEY CITY RAGPICKER.
About a OF claimants have sprung up to
fight over the estate of David Leach. the old rag,
picker and miser in Jersey City. who was found dead
in his His personal estate was sworn
at about $4,000. Among his rag heaps
found bank books showing deposits
in the Union Dino Savings Bank of New
York and the Provident Institution for Savings in
Jersey City. TO the amount Of about $4,000. The
deposit in the Union Dime withdrawn by the
administrator. Coroner Cannon. aud about $4,000 OF
it put in the Mechanics and Laborers' Savings
Bank. which has SINCE suspended with small assets.
The publication of these facts made stir among
such of the teaches as could boast of
a ragpicker among their relatives. and tho
administrator has been pestsred with letters from
all parts of tho world seeking information. The
Orphans Court in Jersey City. received Saturday.
from half dozen lawyers. pile Of afidayits that
would fill market basket. setting forth the
claims of teaches from the county Devon. teaches
from the county Donegal. Teaches from Ohio.
teaches from Indiana. teaches from New Jersey
and teaches from Brooklyn, all claiming exclusive
relationship with the dead miser. Lawyer Robert
Allen. Jr of Red Bank presented afdavits from Mary
Josephine Davis, of Shark River, Y. j., who
that her mothers maiden name was Rebecca Leach.
who with brother named Robert David
died leaving other ISIS ne. and she his heir;
that when her husband Durham T. Davis at
the war, she resided i'll Forsyth street, New York,
and visited there by David Leach; that she was
always recognized by him as his niece; that he
gave her number Oh tiIAsts; winch she
exhibits. one OF them babys ring. in
scriDed, present to j. q. by ID. Leach; :" that he
always called her by her middle name her
maiden name, Josie Curtis. which furnish these
initials: that he also gave her New Testament
Psaiter which she likewise produces. containing a
similar inscription i'll which he called her "my
niece" that told her he toand the trinkets
ragpicking tours; that she had received
u number Of letters from him addressing
her as his ace. which were burned with
o shanty in which she and her husband dwct while
he worked on the railroad. near Deal Beach, several
years ago; that at the time Bible burned
which contained the family records of the Leaches;
that when his wife died. while her husband at |
tor him, but she refused because he lived |
in such filthy dwelling. Mrs. Springsteen |
in Monmouth county, N. D.. confirm her story by |
swearing that they have letters received
by her some years ago from her uncle in Jersey |
Lawyer ]. Il. Hardenbergh. of Jersey City, pre-
scented the afidavts of William Leach, of Wooster.
Ohio, and John Leach OF New brunswick, Indiana.
William claims to be son OF David Leachs brother
William, and that the father, an Englishlnan,
left the north Ireland early in the century, set
tied in Oneida county, and died there; that David
bought rags in Oneida county before he moved to
New York CITY aud William went to Ohio where his
son William born, and where he had often
heard how well his uncle David was getting along in
Jersey City. John Leach swcars he is younger
David, when an infant, came from Ireland with his
father in 1902; that David bought rags for a paper
mill in kentucky down to 1SA3, when he came East,
and they lost sight Of him.
Lawyer Collins represents the teaches, Dough
ertys and Spears of the county Donegal. who claim
to be children OF brothers and sisters OF the mser
and swear that he came to this country about nifty
years ago with several brothers.
1t may have boon tor o daughter Of of these
that Lawyer Murheid filed afidavts. She resides
in Brooklyn, and is the daughter of James Leach
who died there Lawyer Parmelee put in afRdavts
frpm Gnrre
took the afidavts, and will aecide how many OF the
claimants have made out prima facie and will |
be let in take further testimony before referee
MIsER's "PEDIGREE."
The result of Administrator Gannon's investiga- |
tighten some OF the teaches who claim to be his |
heirs. When making his first deposit in the Union
that he born in 1914 that his fathers name was
John and his mothers name Elizabeth and that
he resided at No. 200 Railroad avenue Jersey City,
At that time he kept grocery store. which
he sold after that date aud went
into rags. He was dirty and penurious and for
on both of these reasons his wife left him. and
went to board with her sister. Mrs. Higgins in
Connecticut and died there. The miser never paid
either her board or her doctors bills and at his
death Mrs Higgins who now lives in New York.
sued the administrator for Sl,l0O but failed to re-
cover because the claim was outawed. Ho
ownd house and several lots on Railroad
avenue. which he sold some years ago to the Dixon
Crucible Company. and which are now occupied by
u daughter. whom he maze support herself as a
domestic. and who died in the Charity Hospital.
Some perOns III Jersey CITY, VINO knew him, aver
that he claimed to be from the county Down. others
that he hailed from Donegal. But. in 1867,
he p.id visit to England stayed
there for fifteen months He informed seve-
ral people that he had relatives living in
England. His real derivation is therefore still
mystery. Among the rags the administrator also
found David Leachs naturalization papers, showing
that he became citizen in New York city, where his
brother Hugh became witness for him. Hugh,
who acoachman in New York. died first and left
some money to David. David ran brick yard at
Matteawan, N Y, before he moved to New Jersey,
which was about twenty Years ago.