Evening journal., 1889-07-20
THE OLD B0WERY TRAMP.
A Strange Story of a Stranger
Man.
HIS OLD BROWN PAPER PARCEL.

II Was Plebeian Looking object, but re
Contained s2A, 800 in wen Worn Green
backs--A Bowery miser who Hated
Women.
NEW YoRK, July 20--A valuable scrap Of
paper is on file in the registers office Half
sheet OF common note paper, signed John
A. Baer,n contained the testamentary dis
position Of his estate by an Old man who
died m Bellevue hospital a month ago. For
fifteen years the New England hotel, a cheap
lodging house on the Bowery, has been the
home OF an old sloyenly tramp OF marked
individuality. He was hristling with pecu-
liarties. One Of them was for the seedy
looking old fellow, in suit made up Of a
iozen pieces, TO amble up to the clerk in the
hotel every Saturday night and hand him
the exact amount of his weeks board bill.
Work he did none. He was frugal to miser-
illness. Sometimes he would 20 into cheap
bash house and disburse a quarter for a
feast This was one of his most luxurious
sxtravagances
His strange brown Parcel
little for men, he hated women, he loved
money This is the gamut Of emotions which
the old recluse's soul was familiar with.
Relatives he seemed to have none. His ec-
'entricity was great enough TO merit for him
the appellation Of crank, but, strange to say,
there was nobody who called him insane He
bad one object in life. 1t was 10 guard
small brown paper parcel In his bare room
tNs4g fi4aH a
It, where his keen eye could cover il con-
stanty In the reading room and Office he
frequently sat nursing the mysterious pack
age on his lap
An Astonishing Display Of Learning.
He used TO carry pennies in his pocket and
they seemed his only wealth. AT times the
sloyenly old man was In softer mood than
usual and would talk with people. Those
who conversed with him were surprised at
the intelligence he displayed He showed
familiarity with the law and with medicine
that was astonishing. or relatives he never
spoke nor Of his past Simple, frugal TO
niggardliness, old and reticent, Leonard Coe
was mystery whom no one could fathom.
He Hated the Fair Sex.
He used to pick up odds and ends, strange
things, which he stored in his room till il
looked like an "Old Curiosity Snopn But
his one abiding solicitude was for bis small
parcel done up in whity-brown paper He
evinced a literary bent, and would deyour
omnivorously anything he could lay hold OF
70 read. One OF the strangest things about
him was his aversion 70 women. Many an
eloquent burst OF invective against the fair
sex escaped his withered lips His antipathy
70 the sex was intense, and the expression OF
his distaste bitter in the extreme He was
not one 20 stir a womans heart. and even in
the days OF his youth probably had little
that could appeal 70 feminine admiration or
affection.
His Name Was Not Coo.
This old creature died at Bellevue hospital
last month Before he breathed his last be
drew up this viii on halt a sheet Of common
note paper, and intrusted the precious brown
parcel TO the care Of John A. Haller Not
long before, when illness had Frustrated him,
he had consigned the precious package to
Haller's charge, and the fidelity with which
Haller had guarded and returned It won the
old mans confidence. Coe had become ac-
quainted with Haller, who also lodged at the
New England hotel, a few weeks before his
death. He used 70 enjoy talking to him and
they got ON well together. Coe told him,
when he saw death near, that his name was
not Coe, but John A. Baer He said he had
two brothers in Lancaster, Pa, who, as he
said, neither knew nor cared TO know where
he was.
SEA 500 in Worn Grecnbacks.
When Haller opened the package which
had been entrusted 10 him his eyes started
from his head TO find in well worn green
backs the sum Of S24, 500 He had been in
structed by Baer to hold this for his broth
ers, Christian and Reuben. He acquitted
himself faithfully Of his bond as executor,
and the brothers were notified Of the old
mans death and their Inheritance. They
said he had once been associated with them
in business, but that he left them twenty
years ago taking his share Of the capital and
disappearing He had received good edu-
cation
The viii was admitted to probate without
protest, and John Haller was the recipient Of
handsome sum from the two brothers II
is not often that Bowery tramp dies and
leaves S24, 500 to his relatives, employing
one who Is almost a stranger to him for the
transmission Of his riches to his heirs The
eccentric old man was buried at his brothers.
expense