The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-30
DIED CURsING GOD.
Because His HanGs We're Cramped
and He Could No Longer Count His
Hoarded Gold.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

From, the Cincinnati Enquirer.
CHICAGO, ILL, May 24-In miser's
hovel-dark, grimy and full of junk-Mar-
tin Eliason lay at dawn Sunday morning,
cursing God and dying. For three years
he had lived in two basement rooms at 16S
West Indiana street They were rear rooms,
reached from the street by descending a
flight of dark and narrow stairs, then fol-
lowing a walk between two buildings, which
turned at the rear of one to descend another
fight, which landed at ricketty old door,
Beyond the door were double halls,
one opening into the other Within
the smaller one, low, narrow, pas
sage led into Ehason's large room. His
other room, which bedstead crowded full,
was mere box in the larger room. There
had been four windows in the larger room,
but he had covered them with paper In
the larger room were piles of old carpets,
broken chairs, a bureau from which the
mirror had been taken, two stoves, one as
in storage, with its pipe lying loose; some
tubs and big tin boilers, cooking utensils
and table. He had eaten his last meal,
and the remnants of it had not been cleared
away. The walls were stained and sooty.
The furniture was piled in heaps. The floor
was thick with filth. The bed clothing,
only tick and some rags, was black and
foul. A nauseating odor filled the room.
Seven years before this Eliason had left
his family to worship an inheritance re-
ceived from his father. at Bergen, Norway.
He was a sailor, having graduated from
the Norwegian School of Navigation. Since
the great fire he had sailed only one or two
trips. After he and his family separated he
WORKED as a Waterman for the Northwest
ern road The money he made he loaned at
interest or hid it, where no one knows. For
two years he had done nothing. An old
Norwegian woman who lived above him
went to see him Saturday. He lay on his
sofa, with a coat for covering. There was
a strange light in his eye He said he
needed doctor, and that one would come
that night. He said he wanted nothing
else, and cursed when food was offered him.
That night Mrs. Totzein, tenant in the
building, took lamp to the old mans ROOM
1t was 10 O'Clock. His room was damp and
chilly. He had fallen asleep. She placed
the lamp on the little table and stole out,
that his slumber might not be disturbed.
Dark shadows rose behind the piles of rub
blsh, and darker ones showed over the chilly
brow of the dying man. At dawn on Sun
dav morning Mrs Totzein fastened to his
room. He had awakened and complained
of thirst. She took him some food,
and when he raised his hand to eat it
he saw the. lamp. He swore at her
because she had allowed the oil to burn. His
hands were drawn with cramp. He cursed
his Creator for this affection, and muttered
that he could not count his money. When
Mrs Totzein returned again his face was
CHASTITY. There was pallor on his brow, a
cold, CLASSY haze in his .protruding eyes He
was dead She shrieked and called a neigh
Dor woman; they found canvas belt O.
side him. It was filled with gold ($4S0) and
the coin was black with age. His wife, who
lives at No 81 Carroll avenue, called soon
after his death. She said there ought to be
$4,000 somewhere in the room but it could
not be found.