The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-18
He WAITED
FOR DEATH
TO COME
Norman Fountain, Once Wealthy,
Wanted TO Be Near MOTgus
When Ha Died.

New York Feb iS.- Norman Fountain,
seventy years old, poet, political econo-
mist. Bryan advocate and at ono time
claimant 10 fortune of 100000 sat in
front of the Morgue. on the string-piece
OF the pier at the foot OF East Twenty
sixth street, yesterday and declared his In
tention OF remaining there until he died.
shivering from cold and groaning with
pain, the homeless old man. a veritable
picture OF job in his afflicuon. explained
his position TO a little crowd OF sympa-
thizers who gathered about him.
Fire. robbery and human ingratitude
have brought me down Ga this. said
Fountain. II was rich once, and devoted
5000 TO the public good. My friends told
me then that was a fool. devoted the
best years OF my life 10 writing books and
articles TO regenerate the social system.
81 am a member of an old New York
family. My grandfather. Major William
Dustan, was i'm command of Fort Lafay-
cite. Now all my relatives are dead and
my former friends have forsaken me.
OBSTINACY DISTURBED OFFICIALS
cit must be pleasanter I'm the Morgue
than It is out here, so Ill sit on this pier
till they put me in a pine box. I can't
walk any more. and I've been shifted
from one hospital TO another until I'm
tired OF It. The doctors are only waiting
for a chance to kin me-
The old mans obstinacy caused consid-
erable disturbance among the officials Of
Bellevue. the Morgue and the Charities
Department. Discharged from the Metro
politan Hospital he was landed at East
Twenty sixth street. DIR. Stewart, super
intendent. OF Bellevue, and Assistant SUI
perinteneent ORourke sent two ambu-
lances to the pier, but the old man refus-
ed 10 move.
DR. Stewart was perplexed by the pre-
dicament I'm which Fountain placed the
hospital
Il sent the man 10 two hospitals, but
he refuses TO stay. lie Is suffering from a
disease that necessitates an operation,
but he wants 10 stay i'm a medical ward.
I'm something Of a doctor myself -
said Norman Fountain I'm his own de-
fence II studied medicine for three years
in the University OF the Pacific, in San
Francisco. I'm not I'm condition TO
stand an operation. 1 need medical treat
ment first"
lie said his father, Henry Fountain,
was a wealthy ship owner i'm South street
thirty years ago. One OF his uncles, he
said, was Gideon Fountain. harbor mas
ter, and another. Isaac Kip, was sheriff
of New York.
LOST FIGHT FOR LARGE ESTATE.
'I studied dentistry here" said the old
man, and went TO San Francisco in
1858. made money there. and had an in
terest in big warehouse which was de-
stroyed by fire.
when / returned TO this city, thirty
years ago. l was still well TO do. and I
devoted myself to improve social condi-
tions. but after years OF effort l gave IL
up In despair.
my two aunts, Caroline and Anne
Dustan, who lived i'm this city, died.
leaving an estate OF $3O0 600. l held that II
was mine by rights, but lost in the con-
test. the property going to a person not
a member of our family.
During the agitation against Charles
A. Buddensiek. the builder who was sent
20 Sing Sing I'm 1885, was instrumental
In obtaining the principal evidence
against him. | am suffering today from
the enmity of that mans sympathiZers.
II moved TO a house in East sixteenth
street, five years ago. with five trunks
filled with poems. manuscripts and title
deeds 10 property, valued at 10000 They
were all stolen from me and my property
and the results of labors Of years We're
lost to me- After that l stumped the
country for Bryan"
The old man said that when illness be-
set him he became practically penniless,
making his home I'm Mills Hotel No. 1. He
was persuaded late i'm the afternoon. 10
go TO Bellevue In an ambulance. He still
refused 10 let a surgeon approach him,
however, so DIR. Stewart said he would
have to send him 20, the Almshouse.