The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-11-01
IN PRISON AT "a
YEARS OF AGE
Isaac OsVos May End His Days
In Ludlow Street jail.
HIS WEALTH AND FRIENDS GONE
Once Worth $3.50, 900, He Is Now Unable
10 Give a Bend Of $1,000 10
Secure His Release.
HIS WEALTH AND FRIENDS GONE

New York. Nov. 1.-They had a new
prisoner In Ludlow street Jail yesterday.
the oldest prisoner who has been there
in many years He is eighty-three years
cid. and for a matter OF s6147 he may
have 10 end his days i'm prison, unless
some one comes TO his aid.
Isaac Devoe is his name. He comes OF
an old New York family, and at one time
was worth a quarter of milli IN OF dol
lars. Now he Is a poor man, deserted by
all. for no one came forward To put up
bond for $1,000 bail to keep him out of
jail.
The specific charge against Mr. Devoe
is that OF conversion OF property. Tho
complainant is Mrs. Annie l.. Harsin.
widow OF George c. Harsin. She charges
Mr. pevoe with Withholding part of tho
estate left by her husband.
Mr. Harsin died in Midlothian. Va, on
November 10. 1874. He had been an old
friend OF Mr.. Devoe, and he named the
latter and John II. Bryant executors and
trustees. Bryant refused 10 cerve, but
Devoe qualfed and assumed con'-ol "f
the property.
1874, TO September. 1895. she was paid 50
month as her share OF the inter est of the
estate. Then the payments ceased. She
brought suit in the supreme court for an
accounting. The case was tried last June.
and II was proved that the trust amount
ed 10 ss61.25 OF which amount S6l4.7 be-
longed TO Mrs. Harsin. This included the
interest.
Demand was made upon Mr.. Devoe for
payment after the judgment had been
entered. He refused 10 pay anything, IL Is
alleged. An application was made 10 have
Mr.. Devoe give bond for the settlement OF
the estate or be committed TO prison. The
II. n
Sheriff Frank j. Walgering was sent TO
arrest the old man.
He was found yesterday Afternoon, at
the home OF his son, No. I5I East Thirty
seventh street. He was i'll In bed, but the
Law had to be obeyed. and he got up shd
dressed himself and accompanied the
deputy sheriff to Ludlow street Jail
He walked with tottering footsteps. He
Was not able 10 walk very far. so he was
assigned to the first tier. When the other
prisoners went to their supper he refused
10 go. He could not eat.
Tears rolled down the old mans cheeks
as he bemoaned the fate that cast him
into a prison cell at more than fourscore
years Asked II his friends would come 10
his aid. he replied with sobs and with
passion:
> Damn II, / don't want my friends TO
come to my aid. I don't want them TO
know that / am here. IL Is an outrage.
owe the estate nothing. The estate owes
me s2300 now. To think that am hauled
out of a sick bed at my time OF life and
brought to jail for money that 1 do not
owe--it breaks my heart.
Here tears got the better OF the old man
and ne rose I'm his ind snation and stamp
ed HIS foot Then he tottered and would
have fallen but for the strong arm OF the
warden that caught him.
Mr.. Devoe was once a wealthy man. He
built twenty-sev houses In Harlem at
one time. These he sold. He was once
worth $250,000 in his own right. Asked
what had become of the property, Mr.
Devoe said that IL had gone TO his friends
When he had money he said that his
purse was always open to them. AS re-
suit he was In prison today. And the
friends whom he had once helped did not
come 10 his aid. The prison officials fear
that unless some one goes to the aid OF
the old man serious, II not fatal, illness
will come to him.
IT don't care what becomes OF me now,
said Mr.. Devoe. ''and / don't care wheth-
er anybody comes for me or not" Even
the stolid jailers shook their heads when
fh~y passed the old man. They had never
mad such a prisoner TO deal with before.
and they were most sympathetic In their
treatment OF him.