The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-02
SUPPOSED DEAD MAN ALIVE
HOLLOWAY GIVES HIS WIFE AND
CHILDREN A SURPRISE PARTT.

no Besy or Another negro Hurled as His and
the Insurance on His Life Coiiected-Tho
Money Has Been spent-A Mysterious
Longing Caused Him TO Go south.
After having been declared dead. and buried
with the usual ceremonies early last summer.
William Henry Holloway returned on Sunday
night TO his home. at 100 Greenwich street, and
gave his wife and his eight children the sur
prise party Of their lives. Having convinced his
wife and family that he was not n spirit, he went
to the Coroners' Office, where he had been duly
attcstod as a corpse, and got himself reestab-
iiLh.d as u live citizen. Everything is all right
now. except with the two insurance companies
that paid over several hundred dollars on tho
wrong body. The money has bcen spent.
william Henry Holloway is II negro. and Ia
about 40 years old. He and his wife came TO
this city eight years ago, and lived comfortably
enough on his wages, which wore always good,
MS he ia q hard. working man. His last place was
in n stable at q Gansevoort street. where he
went to work last May. Because OF some dis
puto with tho foreman OF the stable he was laid
OF after working there for three weeks, and for
three or four days he did nothing. On the morn
ing Of Juno / he left home. saying to his wife:
Reckon I'd better 40 back to the stable and
see 10 Ican't get my job again. Don't see any
thing siso in sight"
When he went to the stable, and the foreman
agreed to take him on in the morning. he went
away apparently much pleased. Instead OF
coming hack In the morning, Holloway got
aboard Of a coaster and sailed away. In a day
or two Mrs. Holloway went to the stable TO In
quirc for her husband. but nobody there could
tell her much. Not a trace Of him could she get,
and for q time she suspected that he might have
been killed in a fight with one OF the stablemcn
and his body concealed. Investigations were
made up to Juno 10, whom Mrs. Holloway
learned that the body OF a colorcd man had been
found In the North River near Pier 3. The body
was almost naked and the face much decom-
posed. but the woman identified 1t without
hesitation as that Of her husband. and II former
employer also identified the body. On the Cor
oner's certificate abe collected S49l life insurance
from the Metropolitan and Prudential companies
without any contest. At the funeral several per-
and nobody had any suspicion that there had
been a mistake. The body was buried in Ever
Before long the insurance money was gone.
Eight children are costly to support. even IN the
simplest style. and the rent had to be paid. Mrs.
Holloway took In washing and the eldest hoy
left school and went to work, so the family lived
through the winter. At l o'clock Sunday night
who was hard at work sewing the childrcn's
clothes. went to the door: 4 man who had
diseppesranee stood outside; 81,
What would you cay IL l told you news of
my husbands dead and buried since last
June" replied the woman. You've got tho
wrong place
Not II you're Mrs. Holloway" said the
stableman.
What do you mean T. she cried. What are
you trying to tell me T.
"Bill's alive and down below waiting. Shall
] have him come up T.
Almost fainting, the woman sank into u chair.
from which she was lifted a moment later by her
husband. When she had recovered he told her
that after leaving the stable on June | he had
experienced an irresistible desire to 90 south. and
had forgotten everything but that longing. He
went aboard an Old Dominion line steamer and.
after travel by land and sea, landed in Georgia.
When he came to himself after working several
months in tho. South he saved his money and
came back to New York again.
His wife took him yesterday morning TO Cor.
oner Hoeber's office to have him reinstatcd in
the land Of the living. and the old death c%ertit;
cate was changed so as to read unknown man."
IN place Of William Henry Holloway. Holloway
II going back to work at the stable.