The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
INK ERADICATOR MAN DEAD.
PARTED FROM HIS WIFE-POLICE
Guard HIS PROPERTY.
When the Colinses We're Divorced. the wife.
Also knowing the Formula, Began
Manuga cture OF His Invention-COurts
SAst aimed Her In the Use Of His Name.

On the top floor Of the Office building
at % Maiden lane, in little back room
where he had lived for the last four years,
Samuel Parke Collins, an nventer, saidto
have been rich once, died. early yesterday
morning, Of consumption. Although he had
a wife and two children living. according to
those who knew him. they had become
separated from him. His old friend, Samuel
Wilson, who had been Collins's sole COM
panion and nurse for the last two weeks,
was with him when he died.
Wilson notified the police and they took
charge of the two rooms Collins occupied.
They will guard the rooms until his safe
and other effects can be delivered to the
Public Administrator. Whatever property
Collins left he got through the sale Of
patent liquid ink eradicator. According to
Wilson, his dying injunction was to see
that this should not be touched by any one
but brother and niece. whom he asked
Wilson TO notify. The brother, William
Collins lives in Rochester, and the niece.
Hattie Collins. in Oswego, Wilson notified
them yesterday and received word from
the niece that she would he here this
morning.
Collins was 7? years old and. according
to Wilson and others who knew him. 1t was
mainly because Of his eccentricities that
his end came among such surroundings.
The old man came from Oswego and about
forty years ago invented a chemical prepa-
ration to remove ink. which met with a
large sale In 1882 he opened a large es-
tabli>hment at 81 Union Square and began
to have orders from foreign countries.
He travelled around the world and MAIN
tanned fine home on the West Side. Ten
uAn
and, according to his friend Wilson,
dropped $4,000 in wheat.
About seven years ago he and his wife.
who was thirty years his junior. were di-
vorced. Then, according to the old mans
friends, his wife, who knew the formula
Of his preparation. started in business in
opposition with great success. Collins
formed stock comp any and brought
suit over the right Of his wife TO use his
name. The case dragged through all the
Court, where it was finally taken. decided
that as Collins had given his wife volun-
tarily the secret OF the preparation and as
she had not chosen to change her name
after their separation abe could not be
prevented from using the preparation or
Mrs Collins has since continued to manu-
facture the preparation and. according TO
her husbands friends. has made enough
to maintain fine home at 2iso Anthony
avenue IN INe JTolA, NHeTe HcI SV-ycdF-
old daughter lives with her Collins moved
downtown and took the two rooms at tho
top Of 90 Maiden lane, hich he fitted up
both a. an Office and living apartments.
He covered the rsfters with tasseled paper,
papered the walls himself and made out
OF the place a most peculiar apartment.
In the past four years he has cooked his
own meals but has employed two girls to
assist him in the busiuees which he started
in competition with his wife.
Wilson got the rooms where he lived free
for his services as janitor. In ono room
was a roll top desk, a folding bed, the safe
and a large picture Of Collins's daughter
decorated with oil sorts OF flowers. In the
other room were his chemicals, He kept
his money in q downtown bank, according
to Wilson. but what bank the latter did not
know. The checkbook. presumably. Is In
the safe. In the desk were found 80 and
a lot OF letters. Collins. according to VII
son, intended to 60 to Liberty In Z few
weeks, and his death occurred suddenly.
Before he died" said Wilson, he told
me not to let his wife or Children touch
a thing only his brother and pieca I'm
going to stay here until the niece comes,
and then, l guess. IN get out"
His son William is supposed to live in
the city.