The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-30
DIED ON THE HOSPITAL BOAT.
An snecttns Scene ON n New York
Hcnlfh Department. Steamer.


New York. March so.-struggling vain
ly to hold fleeing life until he should
have reached "A sheltering home. cid
William J. Rooney discharged patient
from the BlackwelTs Island Hospital,
fen dead yesterday morning on the deck
OF the steamboat Thomas }. Brennan.
His rapidly-ehbing strength was used, it
is said. 10y the dying man to utter vain
protest against the cfacl decree which
turned him out OF the hospital AZ a time
when he was hardly strong enough 10
walk across the floor o. one Of the hos
p'tal wards
The scene was one that a Hugo would
have taken grim delight In depicting. 4
sullen morning sky was spread over the
southern end OF BlackwelTs Island,
where correction dwells so close 10 chari-
ty that one is often mistaken for the
other Among the crowds of physicians.
attendants and visitors who were hur-
rying to catch the steamer could be seen
an old man, gray-haired. bent and fee
bic. Age and toll and disease had ctch-
ed their deep lines on his hands and face.
With tottering and uncertain steps he
dragged himself toward the shore. Oh
tanning no better aid than that which
could be rendered him by a paralytic
fellow-patient.
Hardly had the couple reached the low
er deck Of the steamer. where horses.
patients and members Of the prison crew
are wont TO mix indiscriminately. when
the poised scythe Of the BlackhoOded
Mower moved gently. as carried by
chiid's hand. and the aged figure sank.
never 70 move again.
Alarm and anxiety followed. The dead
received an attention which the living
had Vainly asked for a moment before.
Physicians came hurrying from all
quarters, eager to help. But all they
could accomplish was to ascertain that
one more toilSm3n had passed beyond
the VeXatiOns ana tbuiatisns, ;hc cares
and needs # this earth. The frail BODY
which SO short time ago na] no better
carrier than q pair o. enfeebled legs. WAS
borne back 10 the hospital by a uniform
ed attendant.
Rooney was an old printer. lfty-seven
years Of age. who had been taken u the
hospital Uwenty-four days earlier, sLff-
ering from heart disease. SuDr. q. Ed
win Leet. Of the hospital stated that TIE
old man had been elamOring for DAYS
to get out much against the advice Of
the doctors. who kept on telling him that
he was not strong enough TO leave.
Another story was told ny a fellow
patient Of the deceased. Edward Hess.
of 2il West Twcnty-secOnd Street. " no
had been in the same ward and who fcl
lowed Rooney to he steamer. SAYS that
the old man had no desire and no idea
Of leaving the hospital Yesterday morn
ing he was reused from sleep 10y the at
tendants of the ward an1 told that he
was cured and had TO leave. g'he man
protested. repeating time and again that
he wa a-eak n 1.a
compelled 10 obey and managed in some
way or another to get his clothes cn.
Up to the very moment when he left
the place Rooney asked, Hess SAYS FOR
permission 10 stay. telling the attendants
that he would never Doe able 70 reach the
shore. much less his home in New York.
He reached the shore. indecl--he undis-
covered shore Of The great river which
can only be crossed once.