New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-04
: MIsER sTARvES HERSELF
nyrye. WITH GOLD ALL AROUND HER.
arm woMAN's DEGRADATIoN-sHE HAD TWO
BANK ACCOUNTS AND DID NOT TASTE
FOOD FOR FIVE DAYS.


FOOD FOR FIVE DAYS
ss,. oToole the janitress Of the tenement
yo so James-st about IL 80 a. m. yester
AZ called on the Italian family living on the
..s,rd floor front 20 clean the halls and stair
-.rs as she supposed 1t their turn to do
.h;s duty, the tenants taking turns at this work.
,shukinp them at the same time for having al
lived the work to run over for two days. With
,anv ccsticulations the Italians intimated that
A. was the turn of an old woman named Catherine
pocbe. who lived in the two back rooms OF their
soor Further inquiry revealed the fact that her
,oom had been locked for the last few days. The
;snitress looked through the keyhole and saw
y. head and shoulders Of " Kerry Kate" she
Gas familiarity known having come from County
v.nv Ireland, on the n00r almost under the
stove.
Word was Immediately sent to Sergeant Meagan,
:, the Oak-st station, who detailed Policemen
walker and Distler to investigate the case. These
officers knocked on the woman's door, but could get
No answer They then endeavored to break 1t In.
hut again failed for they afterward learned the
door was strongly barred with heavy bars from
,he inside, besides being locked. They then made
their way to the back window by means Of the fire.
escape and lifted the SASH Entering the room they
found the woman still alive, but almost uncon-
scious from starvation She was lying near the
stoye on her right side with her right arm twisted
under her body, and her left arm was thrown
across her face. Her lower limbs were drawn up
10 her chest, as il in convusions. In turning her
over and in endeavoring to straighten her out 1T
xas found that her muscles had become fixed and
rigid from being in that position for so long time,
and IL was some time before they were sufficiently
relaxed to permit her removal
When taken to the Chambers Street Hospital
the woman was found to be greatly emaciated
rom starvation. Whiskey and milk were given
hr At first she refused to say anything lying
in her cot and moaning or muttering incoherently
Finally she admitted that she had eaten nothing
for five days. and said that she wanted to die.
When asked if she had any money or means Of
support she suddenly became agitated. and put
ting her hands to her head, piteously noaned,
aNot now, not nowl Go away. will tell you
laterl'
Immediately on the removal of the woman to
Che hospital, Captain O'Connor made an investiga-
tiop of the room. The "two rooms" consisted
pf one small room with single window and q dark
closet. which was called the second room, or bed
room They were in filthy condition. In the closet
q straw mattress was spread on the floor. The
furniture of the kitchen was limited to stove.
three-legged table, broken chair and tin
nail. Hung on the walls and piled up in the
corner were quantities of old clothing and old
rags.
As the woman was reputed miser. careful
search was begun. First the straw Of the bed
was taken out by the handful and examined.
Soon dirty handkerchief tightly knotted. was
found On opening it. it was found to contain
two bankbooks. one No. 65,469 on the Emigrant
Industrial Savings Bank. at No. 81 Chambers-st
It showed balance of 81 l.312 in favor of Daniel
Roache "or niece" The first deposit was for SOS
made on June 23. 1868. The first money drawn
was on February :. 1874. the amount being S12
On july IL. 1871 the sum of $500 was deposited
on the Joint aeconrt' .ile the last amount drawn
was on Febrasry Il. 1891. the amount being sos.
The book showed that in all S1.677 So had been
deposited. against which 1865 50 had been drawn,
leaving balance to date of Sl.312.
The second bank-book was No. 226,949 Of the
Beecks Stre, Savings Bank 1t was in the name
Of Catsarne Roaehe. This account was opened on
January 81, 1882, with deposit of $4oo. Sub
sequcnt deposits were on January 90, 1856, 800;
Febrpsrc IS, 1868. $50 and Febr Try IL, 1874.
Sf total credit side Of look was
q. The last amount drawn ae inst this
account was S55 so on March IL last. The total
amount drawn since 1862 up to date was $3.50 90,
having at present balance of 81 ,sba.
: This was all the straw mattress ~~t ned in the
way of money. While moving the heap Z rags in
sone corner of the room the policemen heard the
clinking Of metal Cunningly sewed up in the
waistband of an old skirt which AZ one time might
have been white but now looked az If it had been
dragged in quit IT for several months, were found
number of English gold soyereigns. Under
another heap of rags was found a narrow piece of
flannel about five feet long Thi. strip of cloth
was astonishingly heavy. On examination it was
found to contain $40 in American gold eagles.
They had been sewed in this fanIel evidently so
that they could be wrapped arouna the body next
to the skin as old-time travellers frequently car
red money. An old tomato car was found con-
tanning gold coin and greenbscks Across the
womans feet had been piece old yellow satin.
1t was found to contain gold overeigns of 1862.
Tucked away in the heaps If clothes and rags
were found rolls of bills neary all of large denomi
nations. golden eagles and double eagles Nearly
ell of the dated oack far $50. Some
Of thea re 4, the forties. On counting the
money ie OalS-s1 station IL was found that
sses tota lount of cash hidden away in the
Room wa. 80 %. This. together with the bank
Deposits. makes over $500.
Catherine Roache has long been known in
sanesst. as an odd person. She was never mar
neo, and has lived in her present quarters for
hrfy or forty years. Mr.. Cunningham of No
Is9 Monroe-st.. the owner of the house No. GO
Jamesst., said that he had known her ever
since he bought the property in 1872. She paid
"a month for the room. For number of years
she held the place Of janitress, but resigned
some time ago and paid rent. Although miserly
IN the extreme. she never would take her turn
at cleaning the halls and stairs which the tenants
were obliged TO do in turn. but always hired
Some one else TO do it, She never allowed any,
body within her door, and she kept it securely
boted and barred.
1t was said that her living, outside Of rent,
cost her less than $50 a year. This statement is
borne ont by a man who keeps liquor-store
Just opposite, where Miss R0ache always got her
q o.. 4lo A.r4 cnid