The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-15
FORTUNE OR
STARVATION.
Man Legally Alive but Dead
In Point Of Fact.
WIDOW CANNOT GET MONEY
Mrs. Washhglon's Dread Alternative Un-
less Case Is Quickly
Settled.

New York. May l5.-If the surrogate
will declare William A. Washington le-
gally dead. his widow will within few
days receive sc. 900 or more. III not Mrs
Washington faces actual starvation, for
she has no money and II is only through
the kindness of her landlady that she has
a room to sleep in.
Seven years ago. Washington was one
OF the best known men in the Ninth ward
Greenwich village On April Is. 1896, he
disappeared from IL Morton street, and
his wife and friends have heard nothing
OF him since. That he was murdered was
the opinion then of the police and others,
and 20 that opinion they still hold.
But there is no legal proof 10 that ef-
feet, and I'm the eyes of the law Wash
ington is alive, and must remain so until
declared legally dead.
This Mrs. Washington has asked Sur
rogate Thomas to do. and the latter
will decide the delicate point of law
within few days.
He always carried considerable money
with him, and every day I'm the year,
rain or shine, he could be found along
the water front, where the shippers and
sailors all knew him and awaited his
of the land to spend.
THREE ATTEMPTS AT MURDER.
The money changer had often been
warned OF the danger he was In while
roaming around the water front with
5000 or 5000 in his pockets, but he scoffed
at IT,
ways carried two revolvers. and those
who knew him say he was ready TO use
them IL attacked. Three separate at
tempts were made on his life by water
front thugs.
The last seen OF Washington on the
day he disappeared was at White az
Blackwelis, brokers, at "a Broadway,
where he changed some money. He left
the office with between $4,000 and $1,000
in q small bag.
He had insurance policies with the
Equitable for $4,000 and two I'm other COM
panies aggregating as much more. The
Equitable refused TO pay until proof cQHld
be had of the mans death. The law
provides that IL a man has been missing
for seven years he may be declared le-
gally dead, and IL Is this law that Mrs.
Washington would invoke.
The money changer also left consid-
erable sum In the Liberty National Bank.
and all his papers were deposited there.
The bank refused to give them up without
proof of death, so Mrs Washington was
left practically destitute. She was even
refused access to her husbands papers.
At present she Is living at ll9 West
Thirteenth street, In the lodging house
OF Mrs. Barton. To reporter she said
yesterday:
WIFE HAD TO GO TO WORK.
when my husband disappeared, had
considerable jewelry and expensive
clothes, and our home was well fur
nished l had no money. though. and II
was but a short time before had TO hegin
to sell my things.
Finally they were all gone, and sine.
then / have had hard time. 1 went to
Boston, where / have few acquaint-
ances, and when / was able did what
work / could. A month ago l came here
to see II there was not chance TO get my
husbands insurance money"
Lawyer Thomas III. Smith, of 100 West
Tenth street has asked the surrogate that
letters OF administration be granted Mrs.
Washington on her husband estate.
He has referred the matter 10 his dep
uty. Mr. Leary, to take proof In the mat
ter of the money changers existence or
death, and II the latter is the case, he
will be declared legally dead and Mrs
Washington will have her money shortly
although the insurance companies and
the bank may fight the decision.