The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-08-28
A TRAGEDY OF OLD AGE.
The Chastity Situation Of
an Old Couple in
GreenVi11e.
WIFE DEAD, HUSBAND HELPLESS.
Neglected and Alone for Two Days
the Man May Die Of Exhaustion
---Were They Misers? /?

The discovery Of the dead body of Mrs.
Mary Hersche at her home ana of her
husband lying very i'll and helpless In
bed gave rise to report OF horrible
case of destitution, which investigation
proves to be untrue. Mrs. Mary Hersche
was the wife of Henry Hersche. She was
seventy-one years old and he was six
years her senior. The old couple
ived in rickety old rookery at No. 107
Pamrapo avenue which is near no other
house. They had lived there for six or
seven years and were well known to the
few neighbors. Hersche was by trade
carpenter, but age so enfeebled him that
for years he has done nothing to support
himself and wife.
The people in the neighborhood knew
of the hard time the old couple had to get
along and they daily sent Mr.. and Mrs.
Hersche food and frequently clothes
Hersche received from the governments
$50 every three months, which greatly
aided him and his wife, for it was their
only income. except from charity. He
was private in the Fifty-fourth Regi-
ment. New York Volunteers, during the
| rebellion and the pension was given him
because of wound received in battle.
SAD DISCOVERY.
| During the afternoon of yesterday Jo-
seph Dawson, the owner OF the ShantY
| where the Hersches live, met Chanceman
Merrity and told him he believed there
was something wrong in the house, for
| he had not seen the old woman about for
couple of days, and he knew that Mr..
Hersche had been confined to his bed by
| sickness for a couple of weeks. Merrity
and he went to the house and entered. Il
was miserable place and was filed with
an unpleasant odor. In the first room
they entered they saw lying on a heap of
rags Mrs. Hersche. She was dead and
| had been for considerable time--at
least two days-although there were no
| signs of decomposition.
| In another desolate room which con-
tanned only evidences of poverty Merrity
| found Hersche on filthy bed He was
SO i'll that he could not talk and SO weak
that he appeared to be suffering from
telephoned for at once and at
eight O'Clock last night Hersche
was taken to the City Hospital.
the body of his wife was removed to
| Speer's Morgue and County Physician
Converse was notified. He made an ex-
animation of the body this morning and
| learned that she had died from Bright's
disease and dropsy. DIR. Converse said
| there was not the slightest Indication
| that the woman had not had enough to
| eat.
THE OLD MANS STORY.
| Warden Osborne until noon today be-
| ii5ved that Hsrsche was suffering from
want of food. and this was partly true,
| for the sick man had been unable to get
mouthfnl since his wife had died, and
this naturally weakened his already very
| weak frame. 1t was noon today before he
could talk, and then only with the greatest
| difficulty. He only spoke German, and
he told the Warden that his wife died
two days ago. He had been sick fourteen
days and was so bad he could not inform
| the neighbors of his wife's death, HE said
that he and his wife had plenty to eat,
| and he was never hungry until his wife
! died
The aged man was q frightful object.
| His long gray hair fell down over his
| flowing gray beard, which grew unkempt
away back in his head, and his
which covered it. His long thin
| hands were horribly grimy. The finger
nails were like talons. He looked
| like man who had never seen or heard
of water much less used it. The warden
| said he had cleaned him some but no
| more could be done until he was stronger.
| With the good nursing he will receive at
! the Hospital, Hersche may recover, but
it is doubtful, he is so weak.
| In satchel in the house where Hersche
| lived the policemen found one dollar and
three cents and HerscEe's pension papers.
There is a trunk in the place which is
| locked. The police believe that when it
| is opened by the Coroner considerable
money will be found IN it, and that it will
show that the aged couple were misers.
| This, however, is only police gossip, and
the contents of the trunk are so far VA