The sun., 1901-10-03
ROMANCE OF BELLEVUE||
Man High Born, Once Rich, Enters
II a Tramp.
OF ROBERT MORRIS STOCK.
Reared In Luxury, He Proved n FALL
ure In His Profession, Lost
His Money and Is Now nm
Insane Vagabond.

New York, Oct. 2.--fn the insane pa.
cilion at Bellevue there IA n man OF
gentle birth and college breeding, who
Is the victim of mistake in CHOOSING
his vocation.
His name is Rshnrl salttis, and he is
lineal desce"ssaiit of Richard Morris,
whose ser TO the country at the
time of TN, .a,;volution will never be
forgotten. bicated for the law, the
classmate of men who have become ia.
nous, Richard Saltus is tramp.
He was arrested Monday night with
q score of other unfortunates asleep on
Il grating over nm engine room Mt Twen.
tN-third street ana Madison avenue.
1t was the elimination of n career of
successive failures. The hardships this
fragile man has undergone have cloud
ed his intellect, and he will end his
days in drowsy peace that doubtless
will prove congenial.
Saltus was born in wealth. He went
to Columbia university, graduating in
the class of IA. Among those who
took their degrees at the same time
We're Morgan j. O'Brien, since justice
of the supreme court: Augustus Van
Wyck. since candidate for governor
of New York state: George II. Zabriskie,
Judge Blanchard, and Judge Newburg-
er.
None of these was better equipped
mentally than was Saltus. He was the
hriUhtnSt in hi al In,
spects. His intellect was clear he had
a splendid control of language and his
knowledge of history was extensive.
Saltus had wealth, and his social po-
sition brought him practice. He estab-
lished himself in Otsego county, and
for time he prospered.
Hated His Profession.
But the career of Il lawyer was dis
tasteful to him. lie took no interest
in his work, ana before long he had no
clients. When all his practice was
gone, he came to this city to look for
employment. He had lost his money in
unfortunate speculations
He found himself helpless, for, al
though well educated he was not prac-
teal. Instead of picking out some
other line of endeavor and trying to re-
deem himself, he remained in the pro-
fcssion that he was unsuited for.
Through the influence of his class
mates he secured many positions, only
to lose them after trial. The time
came when he did not solicit influence
from the men who had graduated with
him. He looked for small loans,
which We're always forthcoming. The
successful men saw that Saltus was
handicapped in the race of life. and
they did all they could to case his way.
OF late years they have seen little Of
him. Because of his reduced circuni-
stances he was compelled to seek the
society of men far beneath him in
Girth and breeding. He appeared to
Ike their company, for he made no
effort to release himself from it. He
became common, ordinary. unclean
tramp, a habitue Of Bowery lodging
houses, sleeper in the parks and
open places when the weather allowed.
In the pursuance of such comfort as
can be gained by trampS he went to
sleep on the warm grating Monday
night. When arraiSncd in jefferson
Market police court lie was a pitiablc
figure, ana despite his years of misrr-
able life the ineifacable traces Of re-
iinement were apparent to Magistrate
Fool.
lie was questioned and told frag-
ments of his history. 1t was the first
time he had ever been arrested. IIitl.
rrto he had known to whom he could
apply for the price of a poor bed. He
had applied so often that lie had be-
ONE ashamed. His speech was halt
lh@, his ideas We're confused.
Lawyer De witt His Friend,
Ills firm friend through all his pitt
ful existence as Il failure was Henry
4. y" Witt, one of his classmates. Mr..
lle Witt has an office in the Park Row
building. and word was sent to him of
~" condition of Saltus. He has inter
rSted himself in I'M rndravor to find
The only immediate relative Of the nm
fortunate man. Morris Meshordar
whose whereabouts at this time are IN
known.
one of the possessions of Saltus in
MS days of wealth was the magnificent
Robert Morris mansion, in Otscgo.
built by the great Revolutionary finan-
,.icr.
Ilils mansion passed from his posses.
sion when all other resources had been
ilissipated, and in order TO preserve If
n the family il was bought from the
mort rtsagee by DIR. Henry Lewis Morris.
4 cousin Of Saltus. Dr. Morris recently
married Daughter of Senator Clark of
Montana.
Through the Morris blood Saltus is
rclntcd to many prominent families in
New York. They have heard nothing
~ INN for years. To them he has been
dead. rs in reality lie would have been
long ago had it not been for the assist
ancc given him by his classmates Of
other days.
Disastrous Floods In SpnIn.
RarceluNa, Oct. Widespread dey.