New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-04
MAKING HIS DEATH SURE.

Several companies of fTemen were summoned by
an alarm at q. H. yesterday to the three-story
brick dwelling ut No. 232 West Thirty thrd-st
Smoke and the odor of burning straw had been
noticed coming from the second floor. occupied by
Moses Hrrzog, retired old Hebrew tradesman, who
owned the building The tiTemen broke INTO a
small sitting room III the rear, and saw that the
room was in flames. They soon eXtingushed the
fire, which hau not galned much Roadway. AS
the smoke cleared the hTemen discovered
the dead body of She old Hebrew hanging by the
neck to The transom OF door between the sitting
room and Il rear bed-ChambeI. Tho body had been
sc0rcheA SO badly by the flames that ITS appearance
was shocking. It was cut down ana carried INTO
the bedch mber. The old man evidently had
set fire to he room aud tnem hem ma
middle of the NCOr, where the carpet had been torn
up and the furniture III the room was hfaped aDout
tne straw Il clear that ierlog had intended TO
make the house his funeral pyIc.
The police took charge of the place until Coroner
Herman he'd been summoned. The COTOneTs il
vcstlgation established the fact that Ilerzog was
insane. lie was a native Of W ormS, Germany, and
was about SIXty-hve years old. lie came TO ms
country thiTtY-fye years ago, and was married IN
this city 10 German women whom he met 'irst
on board the shiO which brought him 10 America.
HIS wife had some money and IltizCg opened a
small dry goods store in BrOOme-St. lie WIS most
peuuIiOus person. and when he tired iTom business
"A lew years ago he was worth about $4,000. He
honght hr mouse West Tnirty-'hlrO-st.. and an
other house in brooklyn, from which no derived far
zog then then became q dunkard and a slave 10 the
nae OF tobacco lin, habits OF dissipation affected
Ia. brain, and abou' three months ago 4 became
evident t. his friends that ne vas
insane. lie roycd about money mat
tcIs much OF c time, and at night
he - ten paced t NJ floor for hours AT time. hree
weeks ago he formed a habit of walking the street
in front of his home without ms coat or hat.
Robert Price PHOTOGRAPHERS who lives Oh the hrst
floor of the house and of the ne ghbOIS several
jllne, prevailed upon the old man return to his
rooms, which were kept IN order by Mrs Stern,
widow vino had been his hOu,rkcrprI since his
wlie's death MIX BerZ3g the old mans nephew.
who Is employed ia tine liquor store OF +. Robitscher
and hr consulted DR. Jacoh Oh West Thirty
tourth-s, The retired trddosmdu exam
iucd and Bronou cCd insaae. Instead of being taken
to tIuatIc ASYLUM IcrZog Was placed Ia "a private
been Obliged to leave bis house on account OF his
violence toward her. Hrrz0g was seen wandering
in West PROFESSIONALISM on cdBtSday and vas
taken 10 his old home by a k,nG-heartcd man who
stopped 10 speak 60 hlm.
on Thursday evening Iieizog appeared TO be quite
rational On that night lac was restless and walked
the floor until late hour. AbOGt a. IN. Yesterday
Mr Price heard him leave the house and later come
i'm ngaln. few minutes attcrward Mrs. Price
was awakened by HcTog. who was
stamping aud pounding the floor above. She
GOT sut of hed and called To HIM to bt still Nothing
more was heard OF him until four hours later, when
Mrs Price WAS dressing. Sine theG noticed the smell
of burning straw. and Weakened her husband Nh
Prirs vent mp stairs, hut ne found tuo door locked.
Uotbcn summoned he tcemcu. Il not known yes
..r.iav Whether HrrIog had left any will lie hsd
several relatives jU Germany. Has nephew, Max,
WIS gwen charged tn body yesterday, 3nN coroner
Herman issded "a permit 10 an undertaken 10 re-
move IT. TIC body was placed IN a col1n last even
caused by the ire had been repaired IN part during
fine afternoon.