The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-20
LIES VICISsITUDES.
An Existence Begun in Luxury Ends in the
Bitterest Poverty-A Man Who Never
Went to Bed Nor Ate az a Table.

An Existence Begun in Luxury Ends in the
Bitterest Poverty-A Man Who Never
Went to Bed Nor Ate az a Table.
Louisville Commercial, Yesterday.
AT o'clock, yesterday afternoon, Judge"
Richard Anderson Logan died sitting in
chair in the hallway on the second floor OF
building 531 West Green street. He had
probably been dead in the chair three hours
before the discovery was made. The coro-
ners jury pronounced the cause exhaustion
His death closes the life of one of the most
remarkable men in Kentucky Throughout
the eastern portion of the State he was
known to almost everybody. In Louisville
the name Judge Logan" was on almost
every tongue. His great delight was to
commingle with the members of the bar
and in the closing years of his life he visited
from office to Office, reading law books and
talking learnedly of Greek and Latin.
Twenty-three years ago for cause which
he never cared to make public, he separated
from his wife. According to the statements
of his best friends, his life commencing
short time after that period, was that of
different man. His former studious habits
were broken and his life became in one
sense that of a nomad. He is known among
his friends as the man who has not occupied
bed nor sat down to meal for two years.
He had friends and relatives in the city who
would have been glad to have welcomed him
to their homes, but he cared not for their
hospitality. During the pleasant days of the
summer just passed. a queer-looking little
| man, with SOFT dark brown eyes, regular
features and a thick suit of hair, slightly
sprinkled with gray, could be seen plod-
| ding along the streets in the direction OF
Baxter-square Park. Sometimes he was
barefooted and wore an overcoat.
At other times he was in his
shirt-sleeves and had his feet dressed, He
always carried a bundle of paper under his
arm and several time-worn books. His visits
-
and usually he fingered until the twilight
hours. In the most secluded spot in the
park he would sit and make translations from
the Latin and Greek. He never tired of his
task and never allowed his attention to be
attracted by what was taking place around
him. His translations were always trans
mitted to paper which he folded neatly after
his days task was done and carried it away
with him. When it rained he remained about
Court Place and read to his friends from
Greek and Latin authors. Colonel Brent
Hopkins, the veteran attorney, was his par
ticular friend, and the two remained together
for hours and entered into lengthy dis
cussions on subjects found in mythol-
ogy and the characters OF Homer's
Illiad and Virgips Kneid. Judge Logan
considered Col. Hopkinss office, in Court
Place, his headquarters, and in dingy corner
in the rear room are slowed the few books,
exclusively Latin and Greek, which occupied
his attention for the most part in late years.
At night his habits were most peculiar. He
lost all appreciation of a snug bed, and slept
exclusively in halls and on stairways. His
haunts were on Court Place. in the old Sara
toga Hotel, or the building where he died.
At the latter place he has been sleeping for
more than three months His custom is to
place a newspaper upon the floor, double up
his coat for a pillow, and lie down. If
awakened by any one passing in or out, he
would become very angry and want to fight.
hn HrSf obi MD fxr,O
years ago, he made the hallway on
the second floor of the old Saratoga
Hotel his headquarters. Complaints were
made to the police, and Judge Logan was
notified that he would no longer be per-
mitted to sleep in his accustomed haunt.
He refused to desist until he was arrested
and presented to the Police Court on five
occasions After that he lodged on the stair
ways of Court Place. The coolest nights
that blew last winter found him either in a
hall or on the stairs, snoring sweetly, on a
newspaper. AS for eating, he used to say
that there was no use in it. The only food
his stomach knew were the bits of lunch he
gathered from the counter when some kind
friend invited him into a saloon to take a
drink.
Wednesday night he slept in the hallway
of 531 West Green street In the morning.
when he arose, he folded up his bed and
placed it in his pocket. He complained to
H. Maxwell, who has a room in the same
building, of feeling i'll. He left the place
and returned about 9 O'clock, and asked
Maxwell for a chair, saying that he desired
to sit in the hall. 1t was noticed that his
thirst was great and three or four times he
was noticed to visit the water-cooler, He sat
down in the chair and the next time he was
seen his head was hanging to one side and
his face pallid in death. Mr. B. F. Orr, the
proprietor of the house. was notified, and
Coroner Miller was summoned.
The news of his dpa th was received with
widespread grief. Everybody had known
Judge Logan, and regretted to know that his
familiar form would be seen no longer on
the streets.
L ndias Can 20 NIad1a TalIor