New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-16
THE OLD MAN WAS DEAD.
HIS BODY FOUND BY THE wINDow-sILL.

FOR MORE THAN TWO DAYS IT HAD BEEN THERE
IN FULL VIEW OF THE ELEVATED TRAINS.
Deputy-Corone Donlin left his home In West
Houston-st. at 9 o'clock yesterday afternoon
TO 20 to Roosevelt Hospital on bus ness connected
with the Coroner's office. At the Houston-st.
station Of the Ninth Avenue Elevated Rail-
road, he took train for West Fifty
ninth-st AS DIR. Donlin entered the car, the
gateman, with whom he was acquainted, stopped
him, saying Doctor, there is something strange
in one Of the tenement houses in this street, and
I'd like to show it to you
The train had gone scarcely two blocks up
Grcenwich-st when the gateman seized the doctor
by the arm and said, Look, look At an open
window on the top floor of one Of the houses was
an old man. Something in the street had ap-
psrently attracted his attention Seated In an
armchair drawn close to the window. he leaned
forward with both elbows the window-silI
and, his chin resting on his bands. he was gazing
steadily at the pavement below. From the fingers
of his right band dangled a newspaper
The old man has sat at the window like that
for two whole days. He was there on Sunday,
he was there yesterday, he was there this morning.
and he hasn't stirred in the whole Of the time"
said the gateman Even Dr.. Donlin was startled
OuO Oh MS PROFESSIONAL StOiluity. Wnen ue
train stopped at Christophcr-st. he got
of and hurried down GrecnwichSt 10
the house, where he had seen the old man. On
the way there he met Policeman Broderick, Of
the Ninth Precinct, and asked him whether he
had noticed an old man looking out of an open
window on the top floor Of one of the houses at
any time during the last two days Policeman
l5roderick shook his head. There is such man."
said DIR. Donlin, land believe something is
wrong with him" Brodericll hurried with the
doctor to the house which the gateman had
pointed out, and which proved to be No. Gas
Greenwch-st Policeman Farley who patrols the
post, had not noticed the old mans singular fond
ness for open window cold night, and he
did not know that anybody else had.
The three men mounted the stairs to the room
and knocked at the door, which was locked. Tyere
was no reply. Then Farley and Broderick bHOke
into the roOm There sat the old man, still
gazing into the street. calm and undsturbed, the
night breeze every now and again blowing his
scanty gray hair across bis forehead. DR.. Donlin
went up to the STOPPING figure and put his hand
on the shoulder. One look at the pallid face
and at the staring eyes told him that the man was
dead. For two days he had sat at the open
window under the eyes of thousands OF men and
women riding up and down the elevated railroad.
Few had noticed that the old man never moved.
and wondered why it was.
The people who lived in the house stared
stupidity when asked about him. They seemed to
remember indistinctly that there was such
lonely old man who lived in the top floor, but
they didn't know much about him. Could they
remember his name or what he was? No. they
hardly thought they could remember his name
it was Hardy or Harding, or something like that.
Could they tell when he had last been seen alive?
Well, they couldn't exactly say. Somebody had
seen him on the stairs on Sunday-or perhaps on
Saturday He had spoken of feeling sick, they
thought No one troubled himself about any one
else in those houses anyhow. w.---.----s-s.. 80. 49,
Death came to the old man with the quickpess
Of fash Apoplexy had stricken him down as he
sat reading by the window. He had leant slowly
forward until his head rested on his arm. Then
he moved no more. Not until his effects had
been examined was the dead mans name positively
known 1t was Richard E. Harvey. He was fifty
seven years old, and followed the trade Of tin
roofer Several months ago he had come to the
house with his wife and children, and the COM
fortably furnished rooms showed that he had at
least been free from want. Some weeks ago his
wife and daughters left the house and went to
Reading, Ohio, and he had since lived alone.
In his pockets were found SIS in money, and
two letters. The first of these, dated September
25, and addressed to his wife, shows that he had
long dreaded the fate that overlook him. 1t ran
as follows: ~
Ny Dear Wife: feel very bad and afraid on
verge Of another apoplecdc stroke There will be
found my person hundred and nifty dollars $780,
There is 800 due from the Tin Roofers Association.
No. 1S9 Bowery. Good-by. Your loving husblnd,
RICHARD f. HARVEY.
The second letter, addressed to no one in par.
ticular, and with no signature appended, says:
Sir: You will find $50 my person, which you will
my wife and children, living ct present in
Reading Hamilton County, Ohio, with her father Charles
F.. Lemann There Is 800 due burial fund from
the Tin Roofers Association, No. 1872 Bowery.
The police, finding only Sl5 in the dead mans
pockets were at first inclined to suspect robbery
Two bank books, however, showed that after
writing these letters he had deposited $3.50 and
81 Respectively in the Blocker Street and Bowery
Savings Banks. In drawer was found card of
membership of the United Tin and Sheet Roofers'
Union, No. 1s9 Bowery, while a certificate of dis
charge showed that he had served for three years
in the United States Navy. In Dr. Donlins
opinion, Harvey had been dead at least forty-eght
hours The evening paper in his hand, boro
Saturdays date. Mrs. Harvey's absence was ac-
counted for by the fact that she was attending
on her father, who is eighty years old. a wdower.
and feeble. Ilarveys body was carried 10 .
Chares-st. undertaker's to await the action Of bis
relatives.