The evening world., 1891-03-30
DATRGATE SKELETON AGAIN.
The Death of Alexander and DR.,
James Revives It.
Probability of n Fight Over the Old
Homestead.

The deaths by pm eumonia within three weeks
of Margaret Ann Ba'hgate, DR.. James Bath
gate AMI AleXan Ter Bathgate, and the immi-
nent exiermin tlon OF this famous fam ly =.
owing to the dangerous illness OF Mrs. Jane
Beck. the last survivor, recalls the story known
three years ago as the "Batngatc Skeleton"
The Bdthgate skeleton revealed itself In the
form OF a young woman VINO called herself
Matilda Bathgate, claiming TO be the un-
recognized daughter OF Bachelor Alexander
Bathgatc and an lrshwoman who. many
years ago. was q servant In the home of these
famous people.
The death Of the Bathgaets leaves an estate
valued at half a million dollars, aud the young
woman, though she abandoned her efforts to
obtain recognition in lSss, will now revive her
claim and demand a share in the estate.
The Bathgates lived for half a century. each
In single blessedhess, In the great, old-fash-
ioned homestepd At One Hundred and Seventy
first street and Third avenue, In what Is known
as Central Morrisania
Miss Margaret Ann BathRate died OF pneu-
monia March S, and her two brothers, Alexan-
der Bathgate and DR.. James Bathgate, who
were in apparently good health then, died
Friday last only few minutes apart, after an
illness OF ouly nine days.
Jane Bathpate Beck the widow Of W.
j. Beck, who had come over from her
home in Boston avenue. West Farms.
10 nurse her brothers, was stricken down last
week and was 30 very III that the knowledge
of the death OF her brothers was kept from her,
and they were buried yest erday IN the old St.
AIMS Cnurcnyard, ST. Ann's avenue and One
Hundred and fortieth street.
The widow Beck's life ia also despaired OF,
and her death would complD te the history OF
the family, which sprung from a worthy Scotch
Presbyterian couple. Charles and Mary Bath
gate. who came to this country early In the
century and became tenants Of Gouverneur
Morris on the Morris Patent, West Farms.
Batngate avenue was named after them.
They had six children, John and Charles, long
since dead; DR.. James, Alexander. Jane. now
Mrs. Beck, and Margaret Ann, who died
March s.
In ls4s these children bought the four hun
dred-acre farm, which for nearly half II GEN.
tury has been known as the Bathgate Home
stead. The farm was bounded by the Morris
patent line on the east, by Millbrook on the
west, the Jordan l. Mott property on the
south and One Hundred and Seventy-siSth
street on the north.
Pieces have been sold from the Baihgate es-
tate from time TO time, but about seventy
acres OF very valuable land remains, and 1t is
worth $500, 600.
The house Is great, old fashioned broad
domeI, big-wtndowed mansion at Third ave.
nue. and One Hundred and Seventy-first street,
surrounded by a solid stone wall. Its Inhab-
itants have lived like English gentlefolk.
Charles BAthgate, before his death, was
known as "the Squire" James had q large
me dIcal practice among the neighbors, but the
Bathgates were retiring and never social.
Botn Alexander and James liked blooded
norses and were enthusiasts on the subject OF
rare breeds OF cattle, boin OF which fancies
they cultivated ia their own quiet way at the
Homes cad, which Is LANDMARK Of the an
neGed district.
Dr. James BtthRa,e vas oorn about 1928.
lie attended school In Harlem, graduated at
MOuOt Pleasant Academy at Sing Sing, studied
medicine with Prof Joseph NJ. Smith and was
graduated IN lSi7. lie vas for three yeAts
cal def artment At New York Hospital, aud
aiterward al the New York Qispenssry. He
was memDer OF the State Medical Associa-
ton ana Republican.
Alexander, who ued a few minutes before
his pro ner, was farmer al MS life. The
brothers and sisters lived In quiet sec.uson at
the homestead for many years.
II was in November, lSsS, that the young
woman callnL herself Matlda Bathgate hrst
assAIte her claim as the daughter OF Alex
auder Batngatc. She applied to Ju suee Law
renee and gol writ of habt ds corpus addressed
- Dr. Bat gaze and directing MIN TO produce
his brother IN Suprr me Court.
The "octor appeared at the appointed hour
and stated tnat his LrOlher was very III with
pne nmonia, md the writ was dsInssed.
Then II came out that "a woman VINO had
called herself Tor many ars Mrs. Alexander
halhgaIe, VIE OF A'exanuer Ba'hgate aud
mOh Il Matilda aud an Ithrr daughter, h ad
AT one lime tarty years ago been servant 10
ihr Bslhgates.
she had been dismissed from their service
anu Tor quarter OF century had lived IN a
shabby little stone louise IN one hundred ana
seventeen street, ar Third avenue. y Xt
door was a saloon and the whole neign Dorh ood
was squad.
In lsS6 the Bathgares desired to sell a II iece
Of property, and the pu chasers would not
compete the contract uniesH release OF ell
her rights AMI cliims was signed Uy this wo-
man. Whe.vuppn Alexander Blthgate got
her TO sign sucn u tlea e aud quit claim on
the payment Of f2U, 900 TO her and SO, 100 TO
each OF her daughters
With this money Mrs. Bathgate purchased
the bit OF land where she has lived so long, TO-
gether with little grocery anu the saloon.