The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-05
HOPKINS A VICTIM OF RUM.
HIS MISERABLE DEATH FOLLOWS THE
BICHLORIDE TREA TMENT

He Went from White Plain. to Atlantic
City on an Invitation OF HIS Friend. Mrs.
Hoiden-He Once Proposed Marriage to
Daughter OF George Francis Train.
The full story OF the death OF ex-Congress-
man stephen +. Hopkins will never be known.
His body was found Thursday in pool OF
| tide water along the tracks OF the West Jersey
Railroad. about mile from Peasantville He
had been great drinker. Where he was 60
| ing at the time he died. how he came to be
wandering over the meadows In that deserted
region. and how he died. can only be oonjec-
| tured
He was born in Catskill on March %. 1s4a
| When in 1858. he fell in love with Miss Mary
| Mum. her father objected to their marriage
on account Of Hopkins's drinking habits and
when finally she took the step against his
wishes and without his consent he declared
that he would disnherit her He did not carry
out his threat. however. and when he died
Mrs. Hopkins inherited a fortune.
In 1880 Mr. Hopkins was elected to the As
seEbly from Greene county. and year later
went TO Congress. Toward the end OF his term
his vito died. He then took to drink with q
fury that destroyed all his friends hopes. In
April. 1890 he was appointed Waterman in the
Custom House stores in LaiEht street but
nfter four months he gave up the place and
IcSlSueu 10 NTlnklUe. sSOou HIS Hilu
began to weaken. and his friends placed him
in an insane asylum in Binghap'ton.
On New Years Day he went to the Keeley
Institute in White Plains and asked to be
treated for alcoholism. He was intoxicated.
and when he recovered his senses he told
Superintendent Persons that he had been dis
charged from an insane asylum ten days be-
fore. and had been drinking ever since. Mr..
Persons said yesterday:
We hesitated to accept him as q patient.
He was so feeble both mentally and physically
that we We're afraid he would die on our hands.
His mind was shattered and his body was
wreck. The treatment lasted three weeks.
and at the end of that time he was n changed
man. He was still physically weak and his
mind was far from being perfectly healthy. but
he was nothing like the wreck that had ar
piled for treatment He walked straight. held
his head erect. and talk ed nationally and pleas
antly He had troubles of recent origin which
weighed on his mind. but of that | cannot
SPEAK.
During his stay il, White Plains. Mr.. Hop
Therrs, he became acquainted with Mr.: an;
OF Mrs. Holden. who is an accomplished
woman Of 80 years, and they wSTTs 2'ien TO.
took a fancy to him. Mr.: Holden is a. printer
Sa eonlan y'r ssend"d f by man
Iackey WI" had i,T ,a hssn nurse in the
employed at the Kelley Institute. Luckey
looked after Hoakins's financial alta RS TO some
extent. for Hopkins was unable to do it him
In Mr.. Hi!debrand. the boarding house keep
er. Mr.. HOPKINS conilded plans for ma king an
hers ~ WIEN ys@F ap
Sln 1 Gould haze signed cheek Tor $4,000.
had run upa bill OF over 500. Mr. Hopkins
had great many delusiions. OF wealth; and.
right and left. Many Of them were protested
some # them; it is said we're endorsed enc by MI
the endorser paid some OF them. but this could
net tn hi rs faF:: aG and Mrs Holden left White
Plains and went 10 Atlantic City. where Mrs.
ho!den,s father fsesny,eriam G!STsyman
late after they had left and his talk became
Mild"r naG ey"r Week ;nt%r on isn 10
ion. At!unt, 'ity with Lucky. his, a,ten,tant.
hsi"Te ITayinE ths sGave Mr. sI ij!an1
White Plains that Mr.. .Hork MSS services had
been engaged hy the kc"ley Institute in view
OF TIE inyy,ti:ntlon 10y thr S"natn commit;
Persons gave him Sl'J on account. ! this is
not true. then no one can an lmaEine whSr" he
City. for he was known to be Practically penni-
On Feb. 90 Nurse I.ucI:ey returned to White
which haA taken HoI,; ms T. Atlantic city was
49, Gy tb4nna s"il MI NJ nt 2"n to visit her
check c Tor s. " and t." Sir Hopkins that they S
The nurse did SO and returned in fcw DAYS
with SO in money. which he gave To- Mr.. Hill
going back to MidIIetown. N Y.
At Atlantic city he stopped at the Hotel
crnrs in crncsrv fn, m to
directn by the shortest way to the turnpike.
The clerk who gave him the information says
Stated in tn" direction OF the turnpike, and
after that no one saw him unit! the engineer
of n freight train noticed the body il pool of
water on" mil" south OF Pleasantvile and five
miles from Atlantic CITY.
his nocket. aud it is uossitle that he intended
70 tax" = train from l'leasanty!le to New York.
The bodyi now in cnnrGe Of c9 Td rhy,r,fn
death was caused by heart failure or aporleXy.
nar s v Mun i ws fjetn Street % M
this, city. II. said yesterday: -
Il have not seen Mr.. HOPKINS for 10 or u
years. but from what ! know OF him don't
thirk it i possible TINT he committed suicide
Of hia deat the n'FHH NY oSnnn was r and
nothing else but rum. Ills whole system was
rum soaked and his nerves and his c2nstitu-
right condtl ion to have an aitaeE Of Heart fall
After going without alcohol at the Kelley |
Institute for 50 Tonga time. when he took 10 |
drinking again it had worse effect on him |
than ever. His nerves Were probably in q ter;
rible state. and he went out and walked and |
walked. aS many a man has done. in "A vain at |
tempt to quiet them. He probably had no idea
where no was going, and was standing by the |
spot when the attack seized him and he fell
over"
The idea of insanity. Dr. Mum thought WIS
out of the question. There was not the slight
est trace of insanity in tho family and DR..
Hopkins had never given any Indication Of
mental trouble. 1t was not necessary. DR..
Mum said. to look any further for tho cause
than drink
Mr.: HOPKINS was. confirmed drlnker even
when first knew MIN as II young man. Ny |
father was bitterly o,pposod to him as q son-in-
law for that reason. hut my sister insisted on
marrying him. He was only about 20 years
cd. but on the day set for ,hewedding ne went
Off on a prolonged spree. and il was three days
aft rwnrd TINT we found him in Philadelphia
stupidity drunk.
My futhcr would have nothing to do with
him ~ TO The time he died. But after my
upon my sisters to give him charge OF tho e--
tate lie combined with them fist to cheat
my brother and myself ont Of our share of the
ertate; and then he de.rapied them ate ward.