New-York tribune., 1885-07-19
ASSIGNMENT BY JOHN ROACH.
THE PRECARIoUs STATE OF HIS HEALTH.
GEORGE W. .QUINrARD AND GEORGE y. WEED THu
AssiGNEEs-THE PBEFERrNCvA

IHE PRECARIOUs STATE OF HIS HEALTH
GEORGE W. .QUINTARD AND GEORGE y. WEED rHu
AssrGNEEs-THE PREFERENCEG
John Roach, Of the firm of John Roach & Sons.
tho famous shlpbulders. made an assignment re-.
terday to George w. QuintArd and George E. Weed.
The failure Is ascrbcd to the refusal of Secretary
Whitney to accept the dispatch boat Dolphin, con-
structed by direction of the United States Govern.
nent He assigns all his property to George w.
Quintard and George 4. Weed, with certain prefer.
enees. He first directs the payment of tho wsgos
and salaries of his laborers and other employees -
the law provides shall be DONE and prefers William
Rowland, of New-Brunswick, N. j.. to the amount
OF $82,2l7 98, for money loaned aud work done and
materials furnished for shipbullding operations
For portion Of this debt Mr.. Rowland holds four
promissory notes made by Mr. Roach He also pre-
fers promissory note made by him for $50 900 dis
counted by the Mechanics ind Traders National
Bank, dated June 10, 1888. and payable in three
months. P. w. Gallaudet & Company, Of No. q
Wall-st. is also preferred for moneys advanced as
follows: $4,000. loaned June "a, 1885 $4,000.
loaned July 2. 1885; $4,000, loaned July ii.
1885; total, $4,000.
He directs that all his other debts and liabilities
be paid including all lawful claims against him By
A. r. Whitney, Thomas 4. Rowland James E.
Ward, George w. Quintard and William Rowland
for indemnity against liability incurred by them by
reason of their having become sureties for and
having executed bonds at the instance of tho
assignor and for his benefit upon certain contracts
entered into by him in or about July, 1883, with
the United States Government. represented by tho
Secretary Of the Navy for the construction Of three
steel cruisers, the Boston, the Atlanta and tho
Chicago. and of the dispatch boat. Dolphin. He
directs the payment of lawful claims Of the estate
Of Levi Rerr. against him for and BY reason of tho
execution by Nh. Kerr tsnce dead of certain Of tho
bonds and contracts.
The real cause Of john Roachs assignment was
said by gentleman thoroughly conversant with
his affairs to be the precarious state Of his health,
which has alarmed his friends Of late. He is some
seventy years of age, yet until recently he has
tanned his vigorous step and the ruddy COM
pexion and the bright eye which werc
marked features in the man. Recently. however his
physical powers have been failing; his friends
observed this aud his sons, Garrett and Stephen
Roach, hsvo kept an anxious eye upon HIM. Mr.
Roaclfs trouble was heart disease. tand for that
reason his sons have not allowed him out Of their
sight for the last month. DR.. Ebcnezer B. BeIden,
Mr. Roach's physician. has been in attendance
twice daily, having visit ed him at bis Office In East
Ninth.st. Dr. Belden when asked yesterday il
the trouble was not heart disease. declined to ac-
sonal but he shook his head and
locked grave
There is no doubt that the Dolphin matter has
weighed heavily on Mr. Roachs mind. He be gan
life as poor boy and by industry. watchfulness,
and through mind unusually bright
and positive he had built up
o great business. In private. since the
recent orders resardng the Dolphin he dwss VIII
stake, and his reputation as business man In
great measure. Yet he kept up. brave appear.
ance and assumed o CHEEKY air which he did not
feel. His friends saw the mental struggle through
which he was passing aud observed that his health
was falling in the contest Within the last two weeks
he has lost twenty-five pOuads OF fesh. his rnddy
@ nms hore nas a6g tie OF man hasth
DR. Belden has been exceedingly anxious over his
patient and has tried his utmost TO induce him to
seek qnlct at his summer home at College Point on
sbipbuilder has Insisted on going to his
office as usual and has kept up determined front.
He believed that the Dolphin was being made 20.
because of the interest he had ut stake in other
Government contracts. -
Mr. Roach's friends. seeing the state Of his health.
the suggestion strepuously, and Ike an
Shoulder iGaff bis mnsHs Sss But ho fsun after a
that he was undertaking moro than he could exc.
cute and he at last, reluctantly and under protest
assented to the steps taken yesterday. Al day
long Mr.. Roach and his two sons were at the old
office at the foot Of East Niuth-st, aud with them
were Mr.. Quintard and Mr.; Weed. who has
fteeu Sfss 'gs years. S"ad Sr RossS preserved ea@
demeanor., while, his attorney, A Aaron ron J.
signees. Mr. Quintard left the Office early in the
afternoon after tho papers had been prepared. Mr.
Weed and Mr.. Vanderpoel stayed until o'clock.
At that hour Mr.. Roach and his sous took the boat
at Eighth-st. for College Point Mr.. Roach referred
all inquiries to Mr. Vanderpoc aud Mr.. Weed. lie
SIMPLY shook hands with his callers and
al% si%py @'s said I'' 1T has oo@e at last" TS
TRIBUNE reporter. Mr.. Vanderpoei said The
only statement which can make is hat from oil !
John Roach will lose cont by this present action:
He has simply placed his property in the hands of
trustees TIE contracts foT the other three naval
men at work in the Morgan Iron Works. They
extend to the l,7oo Others employed At Chester.
Penn. A friend of Mr. Roaohs, thoroughly m
formed as to his financial condition, salds ine
assets are undoubtedly far larger than the liabli'
ticS Mr. Roach has an extremely extensive prep
erty he has been Obliged to take tins step because
Of the condition of his health. iie Is
against disease unknown, to the world IN general.
| say he is q remarkable lan. Ex-secretary
Chandler has said that OF him and lie considcrod
Mr. Roach, although uneducated, man wonder
fully weIl-informed and possessing clear aud strong
ideas on all topics especially within the range OK
The relation Of the Dolphin Investigation to
Mr. Roachs health was naturally discussed BY hls
friends Yesterday, ono Of whom said: :" Mr.. Roach
has felt the matter kechly. Hc has not received
dire ct information of the action of Secretary Whit
ney. but has learned of 1t indirectly. Now. let me
say that | know from conversations with Mf. Whie-
nav that he has had no personal anlnus toward Slr.
Roach but has said that he was pcrformng simply
what he considered to be his duty l do not
doubt that. The letter Of May ~. re-
gaIding the twelve knots speed of the
Dolphin as being satisfactory was written by Con-
modore Harmony. In the absence OF MI. whitnoy'
who on his return Wasin gton expressed his DIS
satisfaction Still it is true that Mr.. Reach was
not dealt with directly, and he felt aggrieved over
that fact. 1 cannot say how far his health was
affected by the matter. ! only know that his sons
have watched him closely of latc'not leaving hua