The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-22
Observation-Disclosures
THE STORY OF JOHN BAER, A
BOWERY hermit.
Dying, He Intrusts a Fortune TO q
Chance Acouaintsnce-Beq to
Long-Neglected Relatives.

Not many men VINO lOQge IN the bOWeTy
are burdensd with a pa kage con;ai i z
S24. 500 in bank notes. But there was a
Bowery hermit, a morbid man, with the
misery instinct developed 10 a highidegree.
who for a decade or more led a wretch ed
existence and all the while kept within
reach parcel done up In brown wrapping
paper which ntained the sum named 10
good America cur ency. Just before his
death he ok into his confidence a lodging
house friend, q chance acquaintance, and in
trusted him with the precious package.
The executor was equal to the trust. Yes
uerday he had the satisfaction of a clear
conscience and substantial bank acc unit
as the result of his honesty. The i'll Of the
miser was admitted to probate, the money
was equally divided between the brothers
Of the deceased and the executor not only
got his reg liar fees. but received a substan-
tial gift for his services ON the heirs
In the Bowery the hermit was only known
as Leonard Coe His true name was John
=. Baer. For twelve or fiitee ears his
time was generally passei in the New Eng
land hotel, a cheap lodging house. He was
sloveniy in MS dress and secretive in habit
He was prematui ely old when he lined
the Bowery brigade, and ne mad RIP Van
Wrinkle aspect when he died. There was
mystery about him which no one coula
solve, tn, ugh many had curiosity euous b
to try their level best.
He had many peculiarities, yet no one
ever called HIM insane. He always paid
his board bill pr mptly and brought the
exact amount to the Office of the hotel. He
was never known to 90 any work, and it
was always a mystery where he got his
means. he generally carried pennies and
small coin in his pockets, and lie had
tramp like way of wandering along The
streets and picking up oids and ends.
These be carried to his room
at the hotel and stored aw Y, I'M
til, when his fatal illness came
and be wss emoved to he hospital the
apartment looked like curiosity shop.
There " a literarary bent to the old
mans mind. He was an omuivorous reader,
but bis taste did not run in any special line.
He read anything a d everything that he
could find. He vas ever clippin extracts,
and these we're carefully treasured and
formed large pa of the old collection in
hls room. For days at a stretch he would
remain IL the hotel, absorbed in his read
ing. Coe was not gutton. His diet was
largely vegetarian. One in a while he would
pay visit to some restaurant in the Bow
cry, but Is or go cents was the mysterious
miser's limit. No one ever saw him ente a
tailors o. a ready-made clothing store, and
us ClOtnlUR was hlWhys composed OF more
patches an orig al fabric.
No matter " here he was The brown paper
parcel was in his hand, on his lap, or under
his arm. In his room it was sometimes on
the bed or under it, but alwa within
range of his eye Now and then the hermit
would be in pleasa mood while loung-
ing about the hotel office, and then he could
be made t. talk. Intelligent men who
talked with Coe found him well informed
Cfla ,lar
law and medicine. Not "A word, however,
did he utter about his past.
II Coe had hobby beyond disproving
the truth of the saying that "none but
the wealthy enjoy thi, life," it was is an
tipathy to the fair sex. To be sure, lie pos
sessed no charms, but even if he had been
neat and uatty susceptible wome would
have found no encouragement. His heart
was Of stone. ere are recolectons of
many bitter and eloquent speeches by Coe,
she wing HIM to have been a pronounced
woman halter. What pr duced this feeling
In the old mart's b east is matter of con-
lecture, as even hi relatives declare he was
always an enigma to them. Never did Coe.
go far as Is known here, utter kind word
about women, and little children made no
impression on him. He was not humans
tartan il any sense. and charity was an un-
known factor in his composition.
During Goes re idence at the New Eng
land hotel, comparatively short time be-
fore his death, he became friendly with
John A. Halter, " no also led led in the
house He used to practice medicine after
the eclectic school in another state. but
s1nce comil 6 to New York has been en-
gagged in various C, numerical purs hts. He
Is now dol & commission business Ha.-
Ter took fancy to old Coe. and they got
along together without jarring. But it
was a long time before the hermit I'M
bosomed himself. He was taken Ill
IN April and felt so bad that
De feared his end was drawing
near. Coe intrusted the brown paper
parcel to his friend and adjured him not to
open it until given permission He did not
explain what the package contained. but
taller prom sed to guard it relgiously
This be did while the miser was in the
hospital. Coe, alth ugh he was "a years
old, recovered from the attack and re-
turned to his hau t., the package was re-
stored, and after that he manifested his ap-
probation cf Halle g Kindness in various
ways. Still, I did not u seal his lips on
the past, remained as much of a curl
osity to Haler until the early part of June.
Then, being { ke i'll ain, aud fearing it
was bis last sickness, Coe summoned his
friend and made al a peal.
he told Halter that death was near and
he wished to make dying request my
name, ne Sdlu, Is not Zoe, but John A,
Baer, and have two brot, ers in Lancaster
Penn, who do t know where | am, and
what Is m re | gue~s they don't care. l
want you to be my executor and whoa am
dead to take charge OF my estate and COM
municate with them" Halter was aston
ished and il eli ed to doubt the old mans
sanity. He didn't think the estate would be
a burden to him and laughed at the idea of
being asked TO become Baer's executor.
Baer again placed the brown paper pa eel in
Haller's hands and tod nim that it must be
held for his brothers. LIS contents were of
value but it should not be opened until
after he vas dead. Baer did not tell Halter
what was in the package, and he supposed
the CONTENTS were papers, possibly deeds and
bonds.
On June 10, few days after Baer was
admitted to Bellevue hospital he dictated
an instrument in writing, his last Will and
testament, and signed 1T. 1t was written
on half a sheet of note paper, and merely
stated that he appointed Haler his sole ex-
ecutor, and that he was to be paid for
friendly services out of the estate The
form and value Of the estate were not men
toned, but it was provided that 1t was to
be equally divided between the legitimate
heirs, tine les; ator's twS Drc others, Christian
and ReubAn. The JniSas's tremonitlou of
x----; w1= --r-aod the next Gay, June l6.
Halter obeyed il structions TO the letter
When informed of Baer's death he opened
the mysterious parcel and fouId that it
contained s24, 500 in bills. They were in