The evening world., 1894-10-06
DID OLD BRANN|GAN STARVE L?
The Wealthy Miser Found Uncon-
scieus in His Wretched Home.
Taken to st. Peters Hospital, Where
He Died Soon Afterwards.

Thomas Brannigan, a wealthy recluse
and miser, who was a very well-known
character to old Brooklynites living in
the First and Fifth wards. and who was
known to the children OF that locality
as Lemons Brannigan, died in ST.
Peters Hospital In Brooklyn late last
night. To-day Coroner Kene ordered
County Physician Shepard to make an
autopsy on the body to determine the
cause of death.
Brannigan had frequently figured in
the newspapers. He was eighty-two years
old, but strong and active for his age
He came to America from Ireland when
very young and settled in the lower part
of New York. Then he moved over to
Brooklyn, and had lived in the vicinity
of his last residence for over sixty years.
years ago. when he retired to look after
his real estate. His wife died many
years ago. leaving one child, a daugh-
ter. She had lost her husband, and with
her two children went to live with the
old man, as his housekeeper, in his
stuffy apartments In the basement of
an old frame house at 1870 Pearl street.
The old man had invested his savings
WAS, WAS very Stingy, and II is said that the
time had no other food than a loaf OF
refused even to buy that.
One night, about eighteen months ago,
Brannigan came home and scolded his
daughter for being extravagant. Angry
words were exchanged, and the old man
ended the quarrel by ordering her to
leave the house. She begged him to
allow her to remain: she had been in
room. but her father was obdurate.
The following morning he drove his only
child and his two grandchildren out into
the street, during a. heavy storm:
Eeighbors took them in and sheltered
them until she could provide them with
a home. 1t was said at the time that
the old man then owned property worth
Mrs. Kate Kavanagh his daughter.
who now lives at 4 Jacksons court.
said this morning that she had never
exchanged word with her father since
he turned her out Only once did she
meet him, as he was coming out of a
store. Then she looked him in the face.
He returned the stare and passed on.
Several months after she had been
came before the public as a victim of
burglars; They supposed that the old
man had large sum OF money in the
they We're searching his pockets the
old fellow suddenly awoke and grabbed
one of the intruders. Both men pounced
upon him with clubs and beat him on
the. head. cutting several deep gashes
in his scalp and rendering him uncon-
scious. The burglars got away. rBan-
nigan was laid up in the hospital for
several months.
AS recently as Thursday night Bran
igan was seen going into his home, ap-
parently in good health. He did not ap-
pear on the street yesterday, and the
neighbors began talking about his alb
sence. They thought he might be i'll.
Nothing was done, however, until Z
o'clock last night, when the matter was
brought to the attention of Sergt. Col
gan. of the lower Fulton street sta
ton.
By breaking a window, he effected an
entrance and found the old man lying
upon a dirty. threadbare mat, close to
the front door. He was still alive but
unconscious. An ambulance was called
and the doctor, on making an examina-
ton, said Brannigan would probably
die very shortly. He was removed to
st. Peters Hospital, where he died
within an hour after being admitted.
Sergt. Colyan, recalling the burglary,
thought that the old man might have
been visited again. He examined all the
entrances carefully, but found them all
securely fastened. What caused the old
mans death only an autopsy will dis
close. The doctors think that he had an
attack of heart trouble, but the neigh
bors express the belief that he was
starved to DEATH
AS Branigan left no other relatives,
his estate, unless he left q, will will now
go to his daughter, whom he elected
from his home.