New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-13
LOCAL. MISCELLANY.
DEspoNDFNCY ENDING IN DEATH.


A hat and o coat were found yesterday morning
on the bank of the river at the foot OF West Thirty
seyenth-st by passing policeman On the lapel
wac pinned badge with tho name and address OF
Otto Keller, an insurance agent at NO. 446 west
Thirty-eighth-st, and upon inquiry it was found
Sy trade but had long been doing business as agent
for different insurance companies until recently
he was in the employ Of German Religious weekly
pager as collector. Kellerhad become considerably
involved and had acted strangely.
In pocket of his coat was found among other
papers very long letter written in German v ana
directed to his friends Wendelin Becker and ErtZ
Breiyosel at No. oil West Thirty frst-st. II bore
evidence of having been written Mt different tunes
end set forth the writer's motives for seeking dea'h
aThe lawyers have robbed me of my money, my
earnings and my good name" he wrote, ana tne
and children were sick If should, pay all my
debts, nearly 81 900, must own gold mine when
h He TAKE my BY sly S Viii
from the societies to which belong. to pay all my
debts. even if over $1,000, As for me. | cannot
people point at me any say See this man who
studied, who wrote for the papers and yet now
has more;debts than an army officer .,.o :;
rections concerning his funeral and requested the
Coroner to preserve his brain, lungs and stomach
singing. and plain coffin painted red, constituted
his idea Of funeral among aa tine sOSs
in the Jura Maennerchor, Cecilia Maennerchor,
Hildise Bund, Deutsche Eichcn Veren, Franz Hav-
erin Verein, Young Mems Society F1dehs verein'
Central Park Lodge o. M. A., Knights OF Honor;
A careful search of the river near the spot where
the hat and coat were found failed to discover MT
Kellers body. and the police do not feel at all ceI
tain that it is there The theory ls at pres
ent unsupported by evidence, that Keller may nave
initiated the example of a. former neighbor VINO
disappearel and was thought to have committed
suicide until recently when it was learned that he
was living comfortably in California MIS-. keiler;
however felt sure from his previous actions that
tracted with grief A clause in Mr. Kellers letter
bade her and his little daughter tender farewell,
and asked them to pray for his soul $3.50
An old Frenchinan, named Thomas Drew. was
rear house at No, 367 West Thirty -ifth-st. He
had made two attempts to cut his throat with
razor but finding his hand unsteady or MS courage
failing, had tied a cord TO the d0or-k1oD anu
his neck and stranded M Ts % S aea fonnd
him So Thomas Drew, when he first came to this
country had been clerk in the French Consulate,
firm Of Salisbury q Co., in Greenwich-st. OF late
he had been i'll and unable to work, ana was cor
TespOndingly, dispirited. He had threatened sui
Three letters that lay on his table were addressed
to his son, his pastor and the Coroner. 10 ms
West Thirty -fourth-st. he wrote about his suffer
ings and pleaded for forgiveness for his act; ne
asked him to bring up his son good CHRISTIAN anu la
to see that he the writer. was decently buried lie
arsnd poetSr Of cRrssnty and IDOL
hSa that f the n %Ster 70 haS fSd himself the
blame should fall on no one else. That to his son
Joseph Drew of ~ 2S9 W fao%s
''a1 death is sweeter than the suffering 1 have
stood for the last two months, though l am
ashamed to commit the rash act. pray that You
will not trouble yourself about my funeral, but let
the corporation, who is rich enough, put me u'lHer
I'D the SS csaSy nnder y roo you may find
there something that you would judge proper TO
take away hope that you may ION the &c chH1e so
by letter before l wrote this Do not trouble
your mind about my leaving YOU The lands where
nn n fSans cold old woTId Keep your children
school. and also to Sunday school. In my Bible
you will find two pawn ckets IL for ~ r as t fop
Tedeemng them Kiss your family for he, with
NV house this afternoon to lend me one clean shirt
TO 90 home in. Please do me that favor. Cood-by.
to quit this world in f few 9iHuf nsrw Y3"r
Nv order of the Coroner the old mans body was
removed to the house Of his son.
INVESTIGATING THE POLICE BOAT FIRE.
The inquest in the case of Charles Berry, the
co!ored steward who was burned to death at the
recent fire on the Police Boat Seneca was hnshed
Yesterday, The only witness who had anything
new to tell was Martin Britton, an employe OF the
Street Cleaning Department He said that he was
in the Department building on the pier when
'Thonas Moffatt came in and called fire. He ran
out and shouted himself hoarse, but no one heard
him on the burning boat. Then he, went to look
one had yet stirred Oh the Seneca.
The witness became much excited and said that
should S alay It upS against him. The captain had
spoken to him about IT. he said, and limited that
BONE one would get sick before TINS 1tng %aS
Britton, saying that Commissioner voorhees, had
told him that BrittOn had admitted being asleep
the witness replied, shut don't believe he did y
The Jury brought in verdict of death by fire, .
and added "and from the evidence we feel satisfied
that Officer Harvey derelict in the performance
of his duty in not discovering the fire and thereby
giving Charles Berry opportunity to escape"
The case will next he investigated by the Police
Commissioners
MEETING OF THE NETWORK PRESBYTERY.
A semi -annual meeting Of the New;York Presby-
terry was held at the Scotch Church Foqrteentl-st.
T nS as McSerasST Ts following and
ssd 1 Ma Rs@sn wis; s ss'p %te4 TaS5sdfT a
gs stOdda HII sa Lewis sHG T Scnes
James Riddle, Geo. w. Lane and McBurry; alter
mates John Is. Cumming, B. F. Atterbnry, James
Frazer, J c. Cady, James c. Barnes and James f.
AT the afternoon session, reports from the minis
tiers and chaplans to the financial and religious
condition the several ehapels under their charge
were heard. resolution. of sympathy for the
family of the late Rev. DR.. NJ. S. Hutton was passed
The sixth resolution in the last report i'll regard TIC
the apointment of an agent who should supern
tend the planting of new churches and the fostering
of ones now existing" was then brought up. After
somc debate il was put in the hands of committee
of seven to report in detail at the earliest possible
moment. The Presbytery then adjourned to meet
IN May.
CENTRE OF STEAMSHIP BUSINESS.
The Compagnie Generate Transatlantique Steam
ship line has removed its offices from No. So Broad
way, 70 more cOmm0di0us quarters at No. Bowl
ing Green formerly occupied by William p. Clyde
&Co.. The seven buildings now ON Bowling Greer
with the exception of one are occupied by steam
shin lines. This row of brick buildings was once
occupied by the wealthiest citizens of New York
From the front the houses have little OF the old
Dutch look with their sloping roofs and dOrmel
srindnws In the centre of the inclOsure known q.