The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-18

MOURNINGIN HUDSON
Several of the Dead Seamen
and Engineers Have
Homes Here.
PRACTICAL SYMPATHY AROUSED
Necleus of a Fund Sept to Mayor
Hoos by an Unknown Patriotic
Citizen.
PRACTICAL SYMPATHY AROUSED

Citizen.
A middle-aged man, n,~wearing dark
overcoat and black derby hat, entered the
reception room of the Mayors Office date
yesterday afternoon and handed Mayors
Messenger Peter Gold a large white en-
velope addressed to Mayor Hoos. The
letter was Immediately handed to the
Mayor, who, on opening it, found the fol-
lowing letter, enclosing crisp bank notes
to the extent of s25
Jersey City, N. j., Feb. II. 1888.
Hon. Edward Hoos, Mayor \
Dear Sir-Enclosed please find S25, which
please use as a nucleus of a fund for the
distressed families of the brave sailors
and marines who perished at the post Of
duty on board the battleship Maine.
Be the cause of the disaster what it
may, accident or design, the simple fact
that these lives were lost in the service
of the Republic in time of peace, leaving
behind them loving hearts dependent up
on other sources of support, should call
forth from every patriotic citizen quick
response in accordance with his means to
meet the emergency
Very respectfully yours,
JERSEY CITY
The Mayor directed Messenger Golden
to show the gentlemen into his Office but
before he reached the reception room the
bearer of the letter had departed. The
Mayor is still in ignorance as to who the
patriotic donor is. He wished to person
ally thank him. He said this morning
donations that patriotic citizens may feel
disposed to make for the purpose set forth
in the letter.
From the tops and fronts of many pri-
waite residences in lower Jersey City to-
day are displayed the national colors at
half-mast in respect to the memory of
the dead victims of the battleship Maine
disaster, but in no one particular thor
oughfare is this more noticeable than in
Clark place, a narrow little street, lined
with humble two-story brick homes, run
ming west for a block off Jersey avenue.
The big flag of No. 8 Engine Company
floats at half-mast in front of the COM
panys house in Mercer street
1t was learned this morning that Jacob
Becker a machinist on the Maine, who
was killed by the blowing up of the YES
sel has a wife and one child living in
neatly furnished fiat at No. $50 First
street, Hoboken.
Becker came to this country from Ger
many some years ago, and entered the.
To, bo hat In, Co,
Francisco when she made her voyage to
China and later when she took part in
the celebrations attending the opening of
the Kiel Canal. He retired from the navy
after his term had expired and opened a
locksmith's shop in Avenue B, New York.
1t was while he was at Kiel that he Wis
when a. boy. On returning to this coun-
try he sent for her and as soon. as she
reached New York they were married
The. couple lived happily, but Becker
longed for the sea and a few months ago
he re-enlisted in the navy. He was as
signed to duty on the Maine
Mrs. Becker said that she received a let
ter some weeks ago from New Orleans
containing $50, which her husband had
sent her before leaving for Havana. She
stated that she dreamed that her hus-
band was dead on the night the accident
occurred. When the news of the disaster
was announced and her husbands name
appeared on the death list she was over
come With grief. The neighbors believe
that the shock deranged her mind
Another victim of the disaster is Will
lam Hamburger, whose nome was at No.
PAT Wayne street. Jersey City, where his
parents, John and Mary Hamberger, live.
He was born in Jersey City twenty-four
years ago, and was educated at the par
ish school of St. Boniface's Roman Cath
olic Church, German church: He was
Industrious, and, despairing of securing
low,
ust, 1885, as landsman, and was assigned
to the Maine. His term would have ex-
pired in August next His parents re-
ceived a cheerful letter from him two
weeks ago.
prentice on the Inflated warship, was
years d old He was ,n3 born hia IN
home was broken up by the death of his
mother. He was friend of Hamburger,
and they decided to enter the navy to-
gether. Marsden'S father and brother oc-
cupy a furnished room in the rear of No.
142 Wayne street, Jersey City. They had
gone to the navy yard when
to to te learn m from Official sources whether the
sad intelligence that his son had perished
is true.
Frederick F. Butler, % years old, of No:
Thomas Butler, janitor of the East New
ark Public School. was among those who
perished in the explosion of the battle
ship Maine, Butter was well hiluWH III
East Newark and Harrison, where he
spent nearly all his life. He enlisted on
December H. 1896, as second class ma
chinist and was assigned to the ram
Katahdin, and was afterwards trans
ferred to the gunboat Wilmington, and
later shipped on the Maine Besides be
ing a good machinist he was an excellent
William Noble, fireman, who is among
the dead, lived in Arlington. He was
twenty-five years old and enlisted in the
Navy two and a half years ago, and has
always served on the Maine. Noble has
two married sisters, one living in New