The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-11-03

laborer for forty years and had never
received more than $40 a week. The
cause Of his death was asphyxlafion b.
gas. He was a native Of County Tip
perary. ireland. He came 10 this coun-
try when he was twenty years old and
worked for some years as q farm hand
In Ulster County. Then he came TO live
In Brooklyn and was employed as a
stableman by the City Railroad Com
pany. Next he got a Job as common
laborer IN Greenwood cemetery.
For the past nineteen years he had
boarded with Mrs. Michael McNally.
whose husband IL an undertaken. Cum
mings occupied a room on the second
door Of No. 100 Fifth avenue. He was
a methodical man and reserved about
his Affairs. Although be had boarded for
80 many years with the McNaliys and
was OF a genial nature. they knew very
little about his family or history. lie
had never married and he told them
that the only living relatives he had
we're a widowed niece and her two
children. living near saugerties.
He also told the McNallys that he had
saved considerable money. He apDar-
entity had had a quarrel With his rela-
tives. FOR he did not visit his niece. end
said that be would not leave her cny
Of hts m0Eey. but would viii Il all to
charitable institutions
Cummings took his supper as usual
with the McNallys on Thursday night
and later in the evening sat In the par
Tor talking with a friend. The last seen
Of him alive was about p. m, when he
went to his bedroom. Early Friday
morning his landlady knocked al his
door. as was her custom. but got no
reply. Then she opened the door. and
the odor Of escaping gas almost over
powered her. She hurried downstirs
and called her husband and son.
They ran up TO Cummings' bedroom
and found him dead. Beneath the nil
ow was the pair Of trousers he had
worn the day before On a chair BY the
side Of his bed was the rest OF his
clothing.
Coroner Coombs was notified. He de-
cided that asphyxiatinn was the cause
Of death. and. IN his opinion. II was ac-
cidental. Il Is believed that IN moving
about the room after the had exiin-
guished the gas. Cummingsin some way
partly turned Il on again. The flow was
20 light as to escape his notice. and yet
enough TO XIII him. na both his dooE
and the only window In the room "
closed.
Il was when Coroner Coombs bea
his search for papers that the discov'
u his wealth was made. Only seyentstn
cents had been found In the clothing
be had worn the day before.
In the room was an old-fashloncd tin
trunk. which contained the dead mans
wardrobe. which consisted OF several
worn suits and underwear. Among the
latter were hali a dozen pairs OF wi1ler
socks. and In the toe Of each sock vas
found stuffed s.. $40 and $50 bills.
When these had an been taken olt and
counted they were found 10 amount
altogether 10 Sass.
The next End was a bank book be-
tween the folds OF a pair Of trous RS.
A second one was found in the folds Of
a vest. third in a coat. and fourth
inside OF a white shirt. The books were
those Of the South Brooklyn Savings
Institution. Brooklyn Savings Bank.
Brooklyn Dime Savings Bank and the
Sangerties Savings Bank. There was a
balance IN each Of 5000. except the
Brooklyn Dime Savings Bank, whose
balance was $500.
Coroner COMBS turned the money
and bank books over 10 the p-hllc ad-
minlstrator. A telegram was sent 10
the Saugertles Savings Bank ofae'ala,
asking them 10 try and locate the dead
mans nleee.-New York Journal.