The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-11
HAF1NE s. CO., Newark.
MRS. HAMMER AND SON.
Destitution and Its Relief, First by Neigh
bors and Then by the Police.

Margaret Hammer, 81 years old, born In
Germany; Andrew Hammer. 4S years. born in
Germany; sick and destitute; taken from resi-
dence. 502 West Forty-seventh street. to Belle
vue Hospital. Policeman Mccormick"
That was the entry made in the Sergeant's
blotter at the West Forty-seventh street police
station last Sunday morning after Policeman
Mccormick had returned to the station house
with the facts of the case. On Sunday night
Mrs. Graham. the "earetaker" OF the house at
500 West Forty-seventh street. leaned forward.
supporting her chin with her brawny arm.
which rested on the kitchen table. and told the
story of the Hammers. This Is her story:
so ye're another reporter? Well. thank
goodness, as the last reporter. said. all Of ye
will be here tonight. anyway. an l suppose 1
might as we'll tell ye all about it. The Ham
mers has been in this house nigh onto twenty
five years. il not all OF that. At first it was the
.grossmutter-they always called the old lady
that. bless her soul-the older son Carl. and this
son Andrew. Carl. he supported the two Others
and himself. an he was strong. an he did it
was in a turnin' mill. an then there was some
thin the matter; an he j Just at work worked at day day
Carl ali Of a suddint took sick an died, an then
the family didn't have no support that we knew
This son, Andrew. he was always childish
llke-JuSU aS iluImleSS u u. Ddby All u a III
simple, Work. did he2 Bless you. no; Why.
he n,int r heen i out b Of thu shs hS Sose i Ss S siggf'efs Fen
money. an he on'y went out o. nights
when the childer wouldn't poster him to death,
1t. he'd pare the potatoes an put 'em on to boil;
an such jobs as that, but he meyer did no hard
dump 'em. in the, barrel an he'd stand out In
t neph yasd be s2T take q 9f ths s2o ss5 ahe air bY VIZ fse arm Am'
an walk ArOln' the corner when IL WAS dark.
But that was all. He was Just simple IKE.
abe nT Ws is np te fo %ss wee tiae a 2!d ,a6s; t nat
my, side; Leastways she looked 50. When Carl
re1t BUT but Tn Che ol asnadflooTTdd' said aid t fS!@tp been SS R1 the emo
nigh on to twenty;three years. an he lust let
rent. They may have had some little money
d Sisss E yoa, na Byt tt e. pf nIEsRsi sn Fl ai% hs,p Tee 's pnt
Z sns WIZ ~ ~; F as r. 'ff F. we" S Ss; = lSssM1 Fs ISf
an' the me ba fF9rne he give I've ' slHo bre e@ a %a,E;
week The folks up 70, the German Cath:
then some one would give 'em potatoes. an the
n %sst sTe ns'f r fsns GST IKE e piBsf! sss yo Sos sa. fRsP
S %SpIs l a afrHss thG bali W stsn' i ey xa an os sss then then,
nights ago that went down to see how, the
utter was Lar al la got to pIyyiP' around an,
1ioiv uhuNi - pp' was 9 hiu - puohob JuoS
S meat that Ia T was G Turned s3a Win 0'ffHs he wai en- f 70 be
boiled.
II says to Andrew, why amt ye boiled that
Im IkS. an an ne a. Gro 9arg eF,pp sSa a s%s5 how @, eb ba bss
boiled the better part oft Already. The Gross
mutter she said she wasn't very hungry. but
that Andrew had done the usual cooEin', an
or two that day. but i seen that the gross
mutteT wasn't well at all, an I thought that the
when my man come home lust sent him up to
the police station. an before long the ambu-
lance an a couple OF COPS come. An the crowd
gathered to see what was a-goin' on.
1.-THE she lust acted sort a.
stupid like wen they toit her she was a-goin'
to the hospital. but Andrew bA was as pleased
as a c~hild-whieh he Is. bless his poor soul. An
drew he went to the closet OFF the kitchen and
took down a little old hair trunk. Thought
my man would split tryin' not to laugh wen
that trunk come down. an tho cops grlnned an
looked on. like there was goin' to be fun. An
what do We suppose he took out'n that trunk ?
Why. the incest lookin' vest ve ever seen in yer
life-one Of them plum colored, plushlike.
open front vests what they used TO wear long
ago. He must "a had that vest for thirty years
or more. hut IL was Just as new-like as the day
he bought 1t. He brushed II an Put 10 on.
Then he went over to the glass an began to
brush bis hair-the Grossmutter always keU II
cut for him by usin' a sugar Rowland her sharp
scissors twlct a month or so,
says To Andrew. Prinkin' up Just like the
old dude We always was. amt yer and he Just