The morning call., 1891-05-14
SEPARATED BY DEATH.
Singular Devotion Of Aged Couple
Who Tramped for a Living.

Singular Devotion of an Aged Couple
Who Tramped for a Living.
Remorseless death. in the shape of a rail-
road train, has separated one of the most
picturesque and widely known couples in
the State of Connecticut. Next to the Old
Leather Man, no one was better known
here than cold Bill" Dean and his wife
Margery, or maggie as he called her.
For twenty-five years the aged couple
have tramped from the New York State
line to the Rhode Island boundary, and
from the Berkshire Hills 10 Long Island
Sound. They carried with them a stock
of soap, pins and needles, combs and other
small wares, which they peddied from door
to door. They were gTay-haired and de-
crepit, but they clung together and are not
known to have been separated for more than
an hour or two at time since they first
started out together on the road. They had
but one good eye between them and that be-
lOnged to Bill. Maggie's sight had nearly
gone and Bill lost one of his eyes several
years ago in defending his partner from a
vicious bull they encountered up IN Litch-
field County. Every city station house
knew them, says an AnSOnia (COnn.) dis
patch TO the New York Sun, and in every
jail in the State they have served time for
drunkenness. That, in fact, was their one
beSetting sin. They have never been known
to steal unless it was corn from the farmers
field, or turhipS from the roadside patch, or
fruit from the orchard, and there were few
farmers who begrudged the old couple these
few Chings.
II was generally Bill who fell the victim
to the stale-Oeer keg, and Bill was gener-
ally arrested when he was found intOxi-
Gated, for in his cups he turned upon his
aged wife and beat her. But Maggie's love
for her "old man" was stronger than her
anger, and often has she pleaded with the
officers when they were arreStlng Bill to be
taken along with him. They refused, but
soon one of them was sent out TO arrest an
old woman for breaking window, and
they always found Maggie to be the culprit.
Sometimes she would be the first 10 be
pulled in, ana then Bill would straightway
get drunk in order TO join his idol in the
cooler. When they were brought before the
court they would plead for the same SEN
tence in jail, that they might resume their
journey together. They generally got it.
In the summer they carried their food
with them, Maggie acting as cOmmisssry
and cook. while Bill carried their stock in
trade. They built little fires In the woods
and cooked their meals, sleeping outdoors
wherever uight overlook them. In the
winter they sought the statiOn-hOuses in the
cities and the barns in the country.
But their journey through the highways Of
Connecticut is now ended. Thursday morn
ing they left Milford bright and early TO
walk TO Bradford. They reached New
Haven in the afternoon, and at about
o'clock left that city for the last stage OF
their journey. They took the Shore
Line Railroad track On the outskirts
of the city they were oyertaken by an
express train on a highway bridge. Bill
tried to pull Maggie off the track, but he
was not quick enough. The engine struck
her, cutting her body in two. Bill was also
hit and thrown down to the road below,
where he was found unconscious. He was
taken to the hospital. where 1t was found
that he had sustained severe internal inju-
ries. Maggie's body was taken care of and
buried by the authorities. In the pack which
they had was found loaf Of bread, large
piece of bologna sausage, a package of tea
spoons, knives, forks and several pairs of
stockings. Old Bill doesn't know of his
wife's death, nor will he until he RECEIVERS.