The Jersey City news., 1902-12-01
went TO HIS
DEATH SINGING
John Durham Sinksin Hobo
ken Marsh With the
Recessional on His
Lips.
HELP CAME TOO LATE
w as an Election Officer and
a Character Among the
Barrooms of the City.

John Durham, forty-one years old, OF
No. 80 Second street, Hoboken, went to
his Death III ti:li rity ea"'I y.s' lay
morning singing Kipling's eRecessional. F"
Shortly after four O'Clock John Koe-
ming, night watchman employed by a
furniture factory at Monroe and Eighth
streets, heard the strains of the song
coming from stretch of swamps a
block away.
The singer stopped abruptly, and be-
gan shouting for help. Koening heard
a splash in the water, and ran to the
edge of the swamps. where he was Joined
by Frederick Smith, an Erie railroad
brakeman, who was on the way to his
home, No. S1S Willow avenue.
HELP CAME TO LATE.
They saw man struggling among the
bullrushes. He sank before they could
assist him, and the watchman notified the
Second precinct.
Sergeant Goode and four patrolmen i'm
provised bridge and the body was re-
covered by Smith with pike pole.
1t was removed to the morgue, where Ii
was later identified.
Durham presided over the election
boards in the Second Precinct of the
Fourth Ward, and was one of Hoboken's $
characters. He was known among his
friends as ''The Judge" his FURNISHED
clothing and portly frame being fami-
liar figure in every campaign.
"The Judge" was a man of versatile
traits, and prided himself on his philo-
sophy. He was heavy drinker, and is
supposed to have been in an irresponsible
condition when he wandered into the
swamps.
GREAT CAPACITY FOR LIQUOR.
His capacity for strong drink was
barroom talk in hoboken. Whenever he
was seen staggering it was said that he
had drunk enough to make half-dozen
men intoxicated
When he was in his cups Durham used
to take delight in giving young. men adj
vice. Some of his barroom epigrams are
among the treasured quotations of youth
full rovsterers.
"The time to make good resolutions is
before the first drink" one of them
ram 'There is no virtue in promises
made under a hat that won't fit your
head the next morning"
Booze is the undefeated champion
that no one will ever overcome" was
another. 'It's a fine thing to leave
alone
"Some men regulate their drinking" he
used to say. "but drink will regulate the
best of them if they keep at it,
MAY BE MURDER.
: Charles Bartels, Of No. 301 Sherman
avenue, this city, notified the police of
the Second Precinct this morning that
his ,eighteen-year son, Charles, had
been thrown into the swamp while on
his way home last night by gang of
hoodlums, who held him up and de-
manded money for beer. Young Bar
tells, his father said, was laid up in bed
today with pneumonia as result of his
experience.
The information put an entirely new
complexion on the drowning of Durham
and Captain flaming said it was not un-
likely that the supposed suicide had been
attacked by the same gang.
"We received complaints Of this gang
a week ago." he said, sbut didn't think
Of linking them with the death of Dur
ham. There is nothing of course to in
dicate that they had, but assumption
The matter will be Investigated thor
oughly.
Detective Kerrigan has been detailed
to the case, and a roundup of the hood
lums is expected.