The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-04
LEFT TO DIE In A GARRET.
oLD MAN sTEGER FOUND NAKED AND
STARTING TO DEATH.

Ne Mad Been Two Days without Food or
water Aio,e In the HOUSE He Formerly
Owned In Jersey City-Hs Says ne Was
LEFT There to Die By the Persons 60
whom Ho Had Decided the House-Tho
Doctors Fear that ne Will Not Recover
The two-story frame house at Al Paterson
street. Jersey City Heights was occupied by
Ernst wittie and his wife until last Tuesday.
whom they moved to Brooklyn. The neiRhbors
had noticed that there was also an old man
living In the house. but they did not see him
going away when the WittiRs left.
Awoman who lived next door told Policeman
John Whaen on Thursday night that she had
heard strange noises in the house. and the
children in the n eig borhood thought the place
was haunted. Policeman Whalen climbed In
through an open window In the rear and made
n search Of the house. In o small room on tho
top floor he found an old man lying naked on
the floor.
The rooms were destitute OF furniture. and
there was no food In the house. There was
water in the kitchen down stairs. but the old
man was too weak to leave the room. He had
been thore since Tuesday without food or
drink and was almost dead from exhaustion.
The policeman searched through the house
for the mans clothing. but could not Hnd it
He went to ono OF the neiRhbors aud bor-
rowed suit, and then summoned an ambu-
lance from tho City Hospital While waiting
for the ambulance Policeman Whalen learned
that the man was Frederick w. Steger, 70
years old and that he formerly lived In
Hoboken. where he owned property worth
about 100000.
Stegers condition was such that DR.. Law.
the ambulance surgeon. found 1t necessary to
give him stimulants before he deemed It safe
to remove him. When the patient reach ed
the hospital Dr.. cooney took special charge Of
lie. but thinks Il doubtful ' on account q The
man ago and extremely weak condition
S q viz AZ the s sn fsns ~
Paterson street 70 Ernst Wittis ara ~ VIC
his clothing, ne, believes they TOOK his CLOTH.
Of the house and make his condition knoYp.
steger's liie has been peculiar one; When
des h
T5sS he ysd IL ana
Jersey city; His entire estate was estima! cd
to to-, be worth $50, 200; Alter the death q MS
with Mrs Barslott bis hoasek eeper s 'Haff'A10
A daughter was born to them: who is now
4esd witt MRS. BsTsot Ss
gagged another housekeeper. Mra Hansell:
tn The new n honsekeeper psrsIs,dsd steger to let
them, In about year afterward Mrs Hanseil
had steger arrested. charging that he was the
.steger alleged that the child was not his nor
Mrs: Hnnsers either. and that Mrs. Hnnsel had
ns tsS %
thony Eneeibreeht. to defend the suit The
lawyer, after n while. suggested rs compro- !
mis- shnt Steger should marry Mrs Hansel
They ilTst went to Justice Seymour. but he.
who was presumably stessr's Wi!e, refused t TO
perform er I'm n the ceremony; They then went to
'hs 81 r ia.
pes 81 Ee
MONEY! . .1r ss services rendered ana LOT
the Ground that he was "f iunne arf IFS w Ss
ommitted to the county jail to await exami.
by hs Il wss sad
Il. Mrs, SSIton; Interested herself IN
Vent to Iawyer Max ga ssllnss5, and ste w's1
ss DEsSHSTs 9 SSy
Is x saSRsssE sd M9 as1psD hss
he house at Al Paterson street which is
worth, So 400. to Ernst Wittig aud his wife. The
for that was an agreement that
he Wittigs should take care OF Steger for the
rest Of his life.
When Mrs. sexton learned OF ell the transfers.
u property her father was making she en-
Jagged Senator William 2. DAILY to look after
Of a comm mission in lunacy;, It CON
cha bert, and LAWYER William y. Doreherty.
They heard testimony and decided that
,teger had been insane for three years. and
hat all the transfers Of property he had made
In was Hppoin.ed guardian for, steger, but
VII len he learned the fntrieactes OF the case he
Ippointed In his stead.
While the proceedings in lunacy were pend
ng Mrs. Pauline Gerlaeh OF " Charles street. |
ersey City Heights. got her finger IN tho pie.
The bMEushHt the Property n Willow
rson street from the Wittiga- Having no
urther interest In the property. the Wittias
moved away and abandoned Steeer, whom |
hey had agreed TO care for.
When Mrs: Gerlach was buying the property
he was told that she was buying a lawsuit
mt she said sbe would take the ehances.
teger was persuaded to sign Thorn. Senator
laly says he proposes to lay the case before