New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-15
BENEDICT DIES A RECLUSE.
BROTHER OF THE JEWELLERS EKED
OUT HIS LIFE IN A HOVEI.
he FAILED IN BUSINESS YEARS AGO AND
LEFT FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO
BROOD OVER TROUBLES.


The death of Ovngton C. Benedict, bent
and shriveed man about seventy years old. at
the Hudson Street Hospital yesterday afternoon
marked the passing away of one of the most
eccentric of New York's citizens. At one time
man of considerable wealth, and a member of
prominent jewelry firm of the city. he died yes
terday an object of charity and with no home
but a miserable hovel at No. 1241a Hudson-st
His house nothing better than a box built
in an alleyway between two four story build
ings.
The death certificate issued by Cororner's
Physician E. J. Donln reads 'apoplexy" but
the friends of the old man assert that in their
opinion he died literally of starvation He was
removed from his home to the Hudson Street
Hospital late in the afternoon. Within twenty
five minutes after being taken there he died
without having been able to make any state
nent. Later in the day his brother. Frederick
z. Benedict, whose home is in New-Jersey
called at the hospital and told Clerk Estabrook
that the body would be removed to-day and
buried in the family plot. Staten Island
The intimate friend of Benedict was Max
Schwartz, dealer in shoes, next door TO the
old mans home, at No 1913 Hudson-st. To
him, and him only, did Benedict confide, and he
only knew the full history of his life the last
twelve years. According to the story told by
Schwartz last night Benedict rented the space
between the two big buildings about twelve
years ago. The room is about sixteen feet long.
not more than three feet in width, and only
about eight feet from floor to ceiling. 1t was al
most destitute of furniture but was piled full
of old boxes and papers and what appeared to
be the most useless of rubbish, all the accummu-
lation of years.
Ovington C. Benedict at time worth
large sum of money. Twenty-Five years ago
ba With ,fc r1aI
one of the biggest jewelry concerns in this city.
They disagreed about business matters. and
Ovington retired from the firm. He entered into
a partnership with Swiss, and opened jeweiry
store in the Fifth Avenue Hotel block. Three
years later the firm failed Benedict losing all
ne had. amounting it is said to nearly S1500 600
The loss and the estrangement with his brother
Read preyed on the mans mind such
tent that he Stunned his former associates and
lived alone. The brother, Read, in partnership
with another brother Edwin p Benedict, now
compose the jewelry firm known as Benedict
Brothers at No III Broadway For twenty
years after the failure of Ovington Benedict he
worked at his trade of watch making and gen
eral repairing of fine jewelry, but never pros
of losing his money. the claims against him
brought on by the failure long since out
lawed, yet up to the time of his death he con-
tinued to brood OYER his losses and his debts.
A PENsIONER OF HIS BROTHER
About twelve years ago he rented the space
a
Ette watch ana je@c.sy repair shop. His Skill
as mechanic had left him, and he could no
longer do the expert work he did of old. One
hardship followed another, money became less
easily obtained and things went from bad to
worse. 1t then that he made the friendship
of Max Schwartz Who when the old man went
first to live in his hallway a clerk in the
shoe store he now owns. Schwartz never al
lowed him to want for food, though Benedict
would not accept cent until 1t became neces-
sary. According to SchWartZs story as he de-
clared the old man had many times told him.
the rental of the hOVel. which amounted to $12
year, paid by the brother, Read Benedict
and sometimes by Read B"nedct's son.
Schwartz says that Benedict had told him that
he got sort of pension from his brother Read
but 1t appears to have been paid in peculiar
manner. The old man would starve as long as
he could. He would then go 20 the jewelry
store of his brothers and there place himself in
front of one of the big show windows where
he would look iii. He would remain there until
porter would then te sent out with money.
Another friend Of Benedict's was John NJ
Peterson, druggist at NO 166 Franklin-st
who had known the old man for several years
hut in whom he had never confded as in
Schwartz. 1t to these two friends that
Benedict made his last appeals for assistance
before dying.
DIES AFTER A SHORT ILLNESS
About > o'clock yesterday afternoon he came
out of his house and went first into a candy
store next door south of his place He told the