The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-06-09
A Blind Beggar's Strange Life.

On the night of the 4th of January
policeman was called to rear tenement
at No. 16 Roosevelt street, where a man
was reported to be dying in destitution.
He found James Collins, blind beg
gar, speechless and all but insensibIe
from want and exposure, shivering
under heap of filthy rags, in a room
without fire or food. A wrinkled old
woman, who covered beside him, was
nearly stone deaf as we'll as blind. The
sole means of communication with the
life about them which the couple pos
sessed was a creature about as miserable
rs themselves, a woman. bent, haggard
and half witted. As the old man was
apparently dying, an ambulance was
telegraphed for and he was sent direct
ly to the Chambers Street Hospital,
where he lay three days before he
showed any signs of recovery. In due
season he was transferred to the Charity
Hospital on Blackwell's Island, where
he lies at present, slowly rallying. His
age was ascertained, by the police to be
about sixty-tve years. The woman
whom he called his wife was left in the
den in Roosevelt street, but her wants
have since been supplied by charity.
Some remarks which were made in
the neighborhoOd, and also by the old
man when he began to recover, aroused
a curious inquiry, which has now led to
the revelation of facts in his history
which are well vouched for. 1t is said
that James Collins, then vigorous and
clear-sighted, came to this country from
Ireland fifty years ago or more and
found home in the South. where he
made his way by Intelligent industry.
Having accumulated a little capital, he
engaged in the construction of the Bal
timore d Ohio Road as contractor
for bridges and stone work. He accu-
mulated fortune rapidly, and con-
tracted for the work OF whole sections
of the road in the South and West.
Michael Riordan, liquor dealer in
Roosevelt Street, who in those days was
working in Western Virginia, remem-
bers Mr.. Collins well as handsome,
TAN man, galloping about to his gangs
of workmen on a fine horse and es-
teemed in all the State as wealthy
| and prosperous man. Mr.. Collins
wife and two grown sons then lived in
Baltimore in handsome style. AS the
| railroad was extended westward,
Collins followed, and the scene of his
| labors changed from Virginia to Penn
SJifdAldp OuiO anu duJOluluS otdCCS.
In the height Of his prosperity the civil
war broke out. Collins sympathies
were with the South, where his home
was. His sons joined the rebel army
and were both killed in battle. Their
mother soon died, and James Collins
was nearly ruined by the war in for
tune. Attempting to re-establish him
self, he accepted contract for the
erection of some monumental stone
work at White Sulphur Springs, Vir-
ginia. While engaged in superintend-
ing the work a premature explosion or
similar accident threw quantity of
granite chips into his face and injured
his eyes to such an extent that he had
to abandon active work and seek sur
gical aid in Philadelphia. After years
of suffering, during which he spent al
most all of the little he owned, in vain
efforts to obtain relief he became hope
lessly blind. Thus wreck physically
and mentally he drifted to this city,
and here sank into poverty and wretch
edness. He fell in with band of pro-
fessional beggars, and became the hus-
band of the blind and deaf old woman
with whom he was found.-N. Y. Eves-
| inQ Post.