The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-19

WAS JOY A SUICIDE |?
Rnmors That Morphine
Ended the Leper's In.
tense Sufferings,
FUNERAL SERVICES YESTERDAY
The Body Exposed in a Room
Crowded to sufocatisn-
Trouble Over Death
Benefit.
FUNERAL SERVICES YESTERDAY

The body of Jasper Joy, leper, was
taken to Kingston, N T., his birthplace
and the home of his relatives, on the 11:N
train from the Hoboken depot of the
West Shore Railroad this morning. The
body was taken TO the depot IN hearse,
accompanied by three carriages, contain
ing Mrs. Joy, joys brother from Kings
ton, and delegations from Alpine Lodge.
No. 2lA, of Odd Fellows, and Rathbons
Lodge. No. 1s, Knights of Pythfas. Joy
was a member of both organizations.
Funeral services were held at his late
home. No. 1913 Palisade avenue. yesterday
afternoon at four o'clock. Friends of the
family and members of the two lodges
were admitted, but all other persons, in
cluding reporters, were excluded. The
body, dressed in a suit of black broad
cloth, lay in state in the upper front
room, where JOY had lived a prisoner
from Thanksgiving Day until death merci-
fully ended his suffering on Friday last
A glass plate in the coffin exposed to.
view his face, which the disease had left
scarcely recognizable. and the upper part
of his body. The undertaken had done.
his work well and rendered the features
less repulsive than in life, yet the sight
was sickening. In spite, of this fact
nearly one hundred and fifty persons filed
past the coffin and viewed the remains.
Many women were among the number
and some of them had children in their
arms or by their sides. While the services
were in progress nearly seyenty-fiye per-
sons were crowded into the room in
which the body lay and the one adjoin-
ing il. The crowd and the humidity
made the atmosphere almost unbearable.
Many people wondered that the health
authorities did not interpose an objection
to this overcrowding of the room in which
the leper had lived so long, especially as
DR.. Converse holds that the disease is
contagious. If it is contagious instead OF
merely infectious, as some doctors hold,
ana as the lodge members present yester-
day believe, there was every opportunity
offered at the funeral for the spreading
broadcast of possible germs.
The religious services were conducted
by the Rev. Mr.. Case. a Baptist preacher
from Rutherford, who was formerly
pastor of the church in this city which
Mrs. Joy attended. He was assisted by
the Rev. James Parker, pastor of the
Second United Presbyterian Church on
Hancock avenue. The Rev. Mr.. Case
said he had known JOY long and favor
ably. He had known him personally for
many years.
He suffered through life said the
preacher, 'as few men suffer, and it is
Joy to his friends and loved ones to know
that he is now relieved of his pain and
suffering
A young lady sang a hymn Mrs. Joy
was visibly affected by the services and
especially by the singing. Shortly before
four o'clock forty members of Rathbone
Lodge. No 19, K. of p, marched from
the lodge rooms and lined up IN front or
the house, where they remained until the
other services were over 1t was more
than an hour before they were able TO
enter the house. Alpine Lodge. of Odd
Fellows arrived thirty strong a rev MN MN,
clusion of the religious service the Odo
Fellows marched into the room where
the body lay The rituai f was as, rea1 r,nsr ey
comrades made short, remarks ana
Nearer My God to Thee was sung; All
After the Odd Fellows had filed out the
knights of Pythias held brtef service.
The ritual was read by Past Chancellor
Now that Joy is buried a sensational
story about his last days and the manner
in which he died is being whispered
ab9u5 There een5 saaa f4 be own Hasue fe FSom
the time the history OF his case was pup
lished on July until he died ne was N
constant terror OF the pest mousse y
said that he grew excited every time
wagon stopped near the house. fearing IL
was the ambulance that had come 70 re-
move him. There seems to oe 10 qnes-
ton but that overtures of some kind
were made to him with view OF getting
him to Snake Hill. He read every news
paper report of his case. The publicity
brood over it more and more every day
why must live like this?'' he is re-
ported to have complained to his VIE the
and in this condition they would shoot
me Why must l suffer on?''
The fear OF the pest house. his intense
weeks he had been able to take no solid
food. and had been barely kept alive with
small quantities of liquid food and large
Quantities of whiskey, are assigned as the
causes for his alleged suicide
For months past he had been obliged TO
use morphine to induce sleep He was
tablets They were given him in boxes
containing two dozen. Four would put
him 10 sleep. The whole box taken by a.
man in his WeaR conqtaon NO; M0ptn vnnd Yh
reach of worldly pain or suffering The
manner of his death, however, seems to
completely nMega@figs neg @ the d iaea o5 In maorpaine r
fully On Friday morning shortly after
eight O'Clock Mrs. Joy entered the room
and asked her husband if he was ready
for his breakfast. He replied in the neg
atiye AS she was leaving the room joy
called her back and asked her If she
would not sing the Twenty-third Psalm
with him. She started the beautiful
words. 'aThe Lord is My Shepard; Shall
Not Want. and he joined in singing
them with her Before he had finished
the last verse the leper dropped back
dead.
night that Mrs. Joy is having trouble
with Alpine Lodge No. 214 of Odd Fellows.
over the collection of her husbands death
benefit of 500. The Odd Fellows rules
regarding sick benefits are that during
the first thirteen weeks member is sick
he shall receive IS week for the next
thirteen weeks So a week and every week
thereafter the sum of 81. When the S. .
week had been paid Joy the specified time
ard it was found that he would need
help permanently, Alpine Lodge agreed
TO continue paying S. week. 1t is al
legged however that before coming to this
agreement the officers forced Mrs. Joy, in
consideration of the additional help, to
sign a waiver of her right to her hus-
hands death claim. Among the Knights
of pythias a rule similar to that in the
Odd Fellows prevails, but Rathbone Lodge
continued to pay Mrs. Joy Sc a week from
the time her husband was taken i'll until
his DEATH They never questioned the
widows right to the death benefit of Slo0-
IT is said on excellent authority that Mrs.
Tow will CONTEST the document she Waa