New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-10
FORTUNES CAME TOO LATE.
SUICIDE WHEN WEALTH WAS AT HAND.
INTERESTING STORIES WHERE MIN ENDED
THEIR LIVES JUST WHEN THY WERE


great problem OF aerial navigation would have been
solved. The circumstances surrounding his death are
most interesting. and are encouraging 10 despohucht
people TO hang on TO life AS long rs possible.
Kruger was an inventor Of flying machine, on
which he had spent many years OF ardent thonsht
and restless toll lie had fine scientific attannenis
which had received some little public recognition
That there was something original. II not entirely
practicable in his ship was atcsted oy ms
fact that It had been secured patent on January
81 preceding the inventors death Kruger had lived
for some time in Washington at No. 80 Nih'h-s'
Northwest and in san Francisco where he han de-
vered a series Of lectures. before the Academy OF
Natural Sciences. on aerial Navigation
Aaron Harris and his family lived In the honse
where the suicide took place. Kruger went to them
rs stranger early in APRIL 1882 and rented a room
on the second floor. II WINS soon discovered by MT
Harris that his Iodgcr did not have much money
He represented 10 them that he was In da'iy eN-
pectation OF receiving first nsalnent Of pension
due him from the Government fle was naive Oh
Western Prussia and had been In the country aoo"'
twenty three years At the beginning Of the CIVIL war
he enlisted in tho I'd Regiment of Volunteers OF
Missouri and had been promoted TO be first lieutenant
before the close Of the war. He had suffered I'M
prsonment I'm Confederate stronghold, ana u''s i"''
was the basis Of his claim for n pension. fof nicen
wears before going to the In Forsythst 10 live
lie had been entirely absorbed In studying Out t"e
problem of his flying machine, permitting IL 10 CON
sumo everything which he posscssed-healt intellect
ond money II Is probable that he had some little
savings when he left the military service. Ills only
known OccnpaOn beside that Of inventor had hceh
the writing Of occasional contributions 10 the news.
papers particularly satirc sketches, for those pTnted
in the German language.
On Sunday evening. April 80. 1882, Kruger was
chatting cheerfully with his host and hostess beside
the family hearth The topic the usual one-io-
comotion In the air
GAN | want" said Kruger, as two men
with $4,000 each to back me- ana Elk
months from tonight i will cross the husnho !"
twenty four hOnrs IL that pension money oi n''c
would only come along Saould be able 10 get
few things l want and after that should soon DC
able To prove To men OF capital That tlc so'u''ou
Of aerial navigation has been reached am a'ia'a
tho Government never intends to give mo anything
It was 10 O'Clock when the Inventor u'oc MI
and Mrs. Harris good night and soon aitT~a'a u'o
whole household quiet, every Hight IN us pmoe
being extingmished. Between and O'CLOCK III ire
morning several bcated sunday Breakers whcn arr'V
ing At their homes In the neighborhood. heard
u,stoI shot Iours passed by and daylight returned
Tho Harris family arose early. and about 40 O'CLOCK
the postman came. There WAS Il large omola' en-
velope for Kruger. II bore the Washington post
mark and in one corner were the words fe'Ai"n
ONCE
at has come at last exclaimed Mrs. Rhr1s' VITA
smile her lace. lUcl sHc t"iH'u W - 49,
daughter Hannah and said. AGO TO Mr.. Kruegcr's
,o,ro and tell him the good news. lie will be so
glad
The little girl had learned 10 love the quiet, o'd
OK soldier. aud with a light heart and u Snir 81"
ran gayly up the stairway TO impart the 5000 n'"s'
She soon returned to her mamma with rsh'enen
look her face.
could only see HIS hand she said but 1t looked
ca white and am afraid hr Is dead. He's got all his
cloths on, and he lies 70 stih!"
Mrs Harris fastened 10 the bedroom She "und
on trying the door at the usual en'rrnoe that some
thing large and heavy had been placed against u'e
inside. II was the bed. But she saw moro than her
little Child had She saw blood AMI, Win
scream she ran TO call her husband. Tho latter found
stretched across the bed fully dressed, and even wear
ing his spcctaces the body Of Kruger. His face was
covered with splashes Of blood There WINS large
hole In his light temple and another Corresponding ia
the opposite one The pillows and bed coverings were
dyed red Tho night hand Of tho corpse graspcd a
large A-calibrc revolver. hfe had been gone 80
many hours that tho flesh, where II happened To be
free from blocistalns, looked white and wax-iik".
The room was I'm confusion. a table piled with
papers pamphlets, books and fimsy bits OF mechanism
Parts Of different models Of the alrship were suc"n
about lie had spoiled the model lcfore Killing HIN
Golf Search was made for some final message. but
none was found The inventors secret was rs safe 10
the last as the Of life and death. and the tady
helm which had come 10 him from Uncle Sans treasure
chest had arrived too late.
The poor flying machine Inventor was not the Only
self destroyer to whom fortune came In m0ckcry IN
New. York In 1870 there was lodging house IN
Fleventhst near Fourthave, occupied by few Amer
leans chiefly artists and literary men, ana number
~ cubans who had been driven from the ever faithful
isle, in the revolution there. They lived. some on
small and irregular allowances from Cuba, others BY
working in cigar stores and factories, and Others s
on charity Among these was n yonng man named
Antonio Martinez. He had not been In NETWORK
long could not speak a word OF English. and lived In
great mi cry, He n refugee and could not return
To Cuba
He had arrived I'm the beginning ~ winter. with only
n summer suit, such as 10 customary In the tropics
and having no money 10 actually spent Ncw-York
winter without an overcoat, and dressed as If for
tropical summer day In nankccn and straw Never
tlelcss he was pleasant young fellow, and being pop
uar among his compatrots they did their best 10 help
him along lie occupied wrctched little room, with
only a mattress and washstand In H. After a fruit
less search for work he endcavored Ia make enough
10 I've on by carving out fans and other articles from
soft pieces of wood. At this occupation he spent most
OF his time in his room, where he never
had a fire lie lived chiefly on bread and
cheese lie would stink out after dark 10 buy 1t at
the corner grocery. on sundays he was always
taken out by his friends and treated TO u dinner at
ono OF their favorito restaurants.
III MATCH young MdIiluch WIS Ho9b u'SP''"'"''
Tho misery Of the winter had told on him severely.
and he spoke gloomily and In despair OF his future
Ills friends, however, encouraged him by telling him
that better times would surely come In the summer.
and thus strovc 10 cheer him. sunday came around
nc usual but not usual did Martinez appear among
his friends to go out with them. Then II WAS re-
mcmbcred that no ono had seen him for q couple
Of days, and tho man who had lodged next TO him
recalled that he had not heard him either Ills
room was found he locked. When It was forced
the young found hanging from II nail In the
wall dead.
Ills only property the miserable clothes he
wore and a few papers on which he had written
English exercises. When in his room he had also
tried learn something about tho English language.
The landlady was about 10 throw all the papers IN
the waste barrel when one Of the dodgers noticed
printed paper among them and pulled IL out. 1t
,voc ticket.