Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-02
STEPHARDO'S STORY,
A Doctor With a History
Found Dying in an Attic.
BORN ON CAPE GOOD HOPE.
BE Was Finally Reduced to Beg on
PittSburg's Streets.
A LEARNED AND CLASSIC SCHOLAR

Up in a dark cupboard in the attic OF a
IO-ceut lodginghouse at 5S Diamond street
Yesterday afternoon lay man "a years of
age, whose hollow cheeks, weak voice and
struggling white beard proclaimed that his
race OF life was nearly run. His bed, If bed
it could be called, stratum of rags on the
floor, was behind partition under stair,
such as is generally used for closets In dwell
ing houses So dark was it in the evening
about 6 o'clock that the visitors had to light
matches to see the form of Bernard Step
hardo, chemical scholar, philologlst and
doctor. and vet for years a beggar on the
streets of Pittsburg.
The discovery of his condition was made
bv a man. himselflthe victim Of adverse for
tune, who formerly did a large drug busI-
ness out Penn avenue, but was reduced to
the lO-cent lodging scale of entertainment.
He saw the condition of the old man, and
Judging, as all did who saw him, that he
had not long to live, notified the police.
DR.. Meyer was sent for, and advised his I'M
mediate removal to the hospital, which,
however, could not be done until THIS
morning.
HE WONT LIVE LONG.
DR.. Never thought that with care and
nourishment his life might be prolonged,
but that he would scarcely live a week.
For several weeks he has been subsisting on
the charity of those who almost as poor as
himself sought lodgings. and divided their
crustS when they had them with the old
man, and his lodging was supplied some
how.
When asked for his story, he related in
quavering voice, frequently broken down,
an astonishing tale. HIS name was Bernard
Stephardo, he said, and he was born on the
Cape of Good Hope in 1SO5 OF Spanish
parents, and received very liberal educa-
ton, speaking and writing six different
languages. He studied medicine making
special subject of lung and liver diseases,
and remained all his life unmarried, which
is explained BY a most romantic story. He
came to Pittsburg 35 years ago and practlced
medicine as a specialist, with an office on
Cecil alley for many wears, but stunning
society and being naturally very reserved
and taciturn, he made but few acqualnt-
ances and fewer friends. Business dropped
of more and more, and at last starvation or
begging stared him in the face, and he chose
the latter.
HE BECAME A BEGGAR.
For several years he stood in the down.
town streets, stopped old man with gray
hair and beard, holding his hat out for the
stray coins of the passers by, and, although
his lips moved, no sound could be heard
from him. For several weeks the familiar
figure has been missed from the streets, until
discovered yesterday by one nearly as pow
erty stricken as himself.
Several stories are current concerning the
old man, one that he was mlser, his evl-
dent learning leading all to suppose that he
could not fail to make living suitable to
his antecedents. Frequently, especially of
late since his illness, he has heard and felt
people in the darkness of night cropping
among the rags in his cubby hole for his
supposed concealed treasure, while tales of
fabulous sums, concealed in most outlandish
places, were current among all who knew
him.
The story of his early life, partly drawn
from his own disjointed sentences and part
lv from the tales of people who said they
had seen some of his correspondence, is
most romantic one. He had fallen in love
with young lady in about his own social
position, some say, with native African
blood in heir veins, and others that she was
of Spanish descent.
LOVED HER FROM CHILDHOOD.
He was student when she was a mere
child, and he watched her growth, and his
pet as a little girl, he found he loved her
when she budded into womanhood. She
was rather Indifferent at first, probably on
account of their disparity in age, but after
ward seemed to reciprocate his attachment.
Stillshe was coy, and passed off the happy day
from time to time, until one day, attracted
by the manner and appearance Of a young
prospector, then on his way to seek fortune
on what has since developed into the Kim
berly diamond mines, the largest in the
world, she left her old love and took on with
the new.
The doctor. Droken-hearted, left his home
and wandered all over the world, writing
many valuable scientific papers for the
various high-class medical journals of Paris,
London and New York. Drifting from one
place to another, seeking forgetfulness, he
at length reached Pittsburg, where his story
has been related above. He has not friend
or relation in the world, he SAYS, and takes
his isolated misery with the calm of stoi-
cism or OF despair.
He will probably be removed to the
Homeopathic or Mercy Hospital to-day,
and cared for until his sorrow and misfor-
tune end with his life.