The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-18
A STATE POT POURRI.
EARDYREGRET ORA FARMER WHO
SOLD HIS LAND.

Brutal Assault by a Young Camden
Tough Upon His Aged Mother-Fix-
ing Valuations and Tax Rates-Pater-
sons Many Industries-Mr. Parker'
Runaway Team.
A quaint story m from Camden
about a Mt. Ephraim farmer who sold his
land, only to regret it bitterly. His name
is Frederick Hamsey, and he is an ener-
getic man, forty-five years old. He has
been raised to a life of toll, but was con-
tented with his ninety-acre lot, and was
never known to sigh for the glamour of
city life and luxury's contagion weak and
vile.
Among his neighbors he was regarded
as one of the most sensible of men; indus
trious, honest, unassuming and happy.
His farm was one of the best in the Mt.
Ephraim neighborhood, which is saying
considerable.
Last week a stranger drove up to his
hospitable door, and after admlrlng the
farm asked Hamsey it he would sell Ine
place. Hamsey allowed that he would II
he got his price, and in less time than IL
takes to write the fact, it was agreed that
the stranger should have the farm 1or
s16,5 500, of which sum Sc, 500 should be PAID
al COt0 CdSu. III SIuLlDllASJ uhN
Rnce in mortgage notes. The bargain
was carried out. n on Friday last Ham
Sey walked down Kaighn avenue with
5000 solid plunkers in his inside pocket.
But presently his spirits fell. He went
into the saloon of John Korn, on Front
street, and drank considerable to raise
them. The liquor only made him more
dismal. He Iamented his foolishness in
parting with a home where he had lived
in comfort for t~wenty-six years. He began
to talk Of suicide, and told Korn he ould
drown himself in just enough water
to cover his face. The saloon keeper tried
to console him by saying he could buy
another farm with the wealth in hand,
but Hamsey refused to be comforted. He
was inconsolable. Korn urged his I'M
ployees to keep an eye on Hamsey, but
the latter slipped away and went to the
Kaighn Point ferry, where Korn followed.
They crossed on the Walnut street boat,
and Korn had a desperate struggle with
the man to keep him from throwing HIM
self overheard. At one time he had got
on the railing n was pulled back by
Korn and the tavern keeper had great
trouble to get him back to Camden.
Yesterday morning he ate his breakfast,
and soon after leaving the table was
missed. He could not be found in his
room.
The bartender was in the sitting room
reading the papers when he came upon
this writing on the margin OF q news
paper:-"Good bye, John Korn. Good
bye, bartender. You will see me no
more"
The bartender ran into the street.
Hamsey was seen walking up Front
street. He turned in towards the river,
and just as he reached the wharf the bar
tender caught him. Hamsey said he was
only out for a walk, but when told that
his writing on the paper had been discov-
cred he admitted that he meant to do
way with himself. He was taken back
to the hotel, where he remained all day.
Hamsey continued to talk all day about
his farm and the loss of his old home and
pet stock. He called the various cattle
by pet names and bewailed the fact that
they were now given over to the care of a
stranger. In his talks with the bartender
Hamsey said that the man who purchased
his farm looked to him like a workman.
He was the last man, he said, he would
take to be able to buy a farm. He said
further that he had never paid his house
keeper any regular wages for twenty-one
years. When she came TO make a settle
ment last week she figured that Hamsey
owed her $1,768.66 {. This, he says, he paid
in cash.
Hamsey is worth about $25, 000. He is
said to lave a sum of money in bank be-
sides the $4,000 in cash and the $4,000
mortgage, which he said he deposited in
bank on Friday.