New-York tribune., 1903-05-17
BODY WAS NOTED BOYS
pm 4W4Y NINE TINES.
Mother Says Boy Vas Killed
Police Gail 1t Dro7cning.

Hudson River near West Twenty-seventh-st. on
wednesday morning last. has been identified
as that of Reginald J. Hoppe nine years old son
Of Mrs Lotta Hoppe. Of No. 46 West Ninety
n;nth-st The boy known as Reginald
Eerkeley"-a name taken by his mother-and in
.he last two years has figured in the newspapers
as chronic runaway. having been reported as
missing the police a least nine times in that
period
His last disappearance was on April IL when
he was living with his mother and sister at
the Duquesne Hotel Twenty-third-s and
Nirth-ave At that time the boys hands were
chapped. and Mrs. Hoppe. or Berkeley. as she
was known at the hotel. gave Reginald FIVE
cents 10 get some cold cream. He left the hotel
and did not return.
on Wednesday Peter Wang captain of the
wrhter Milton, informed Roundsman Brady of
the West Twentieth-st. station, that there was
hody in the river of West Twenty-seventh-st.
Brady had the body hauled out Of the water and
saw that il was that Of boy. They reported
the finding of the body. and It was removed 10
the morgue- The body had been in the water
about two weeks, and appeared to be that of a
boy about thirteen years of age.
Mrs. Hoppe had made number of visits to the
rrorgue in the time her son had been missing,
and when on Thursday evening she saw an ac-
count Of the finding of a boys body in the river
she decided TO make another trip. On Friday
afternoon Mrs. Hoppe called at the morgue ac-
companied by a little girl She asked Charles
Trehan. head mOrgue keeper. if she could look
over the records When she came to the de-
scription Of the boys body found in the river on
Wednesday she declared that it must be that of
her son She asked see the clothing and
identified il that which her son had worn
when he left the Duquesne Hotel She gave the
boys name as Reginald Jeffries Berkeley. and
the morgue without seeing the body
In about half hour she returned with a
man she called Mr.. Goff," but without the
little girl The man looked at the body, and de-
clared II was that Of the missing boy. He told
the not 10 look at il until it had been
prepared for burial
ANOTHER NAME SUBSTITUTED.
After a short consultation between the man
snd woman the man went TO the Office Of the
Morgue and said that the boys name was Regi-
nald Jeffries Hoppe and not Berkeley. He said
the mothers also Hoppe. The name
Berkeley on the record was then scratched out
and the name Hoppe written above It in both
places.
Mrs Hoppe declared last night that in her
opinion the boy had been kidnapped and thrown
overheard The police and Coroner Scholer do
not believe the boy was murdered, but think
he was accidensaIly drowned Mrs Hoppe says
that the boy afraid Of the water, and
never went near it That is the basis Of her
theory that he was thrown overheard. DR..
OHanlon performed autopsy the boys
body and says there were no marks Of violence
and that death was due TO water asphyxxiation.
Yesterday afternoon the body was removed to
the rooms OF the Merritt Burial Company, at
Eghth-ave- and Nineteenth-st- It viii probably
be shipped TO England next week.
Mrs Hoppe said last night that she took the
a,eH,a bod
c9aIIy embarrassed in London. She also declared
ghst another son. Claude. died under suspicious
circumstances In London. According to the wO-
.nAn's statement she is the daughter Of Dr.
Powell, famous London physician.y She was
married In 1890 10 John Ray Hoppe, and went
70 live with him in Warwick Gardens, Rensing
ton, London They had four children, three boys
and one girl Reginald was the eldest, and would
have been ten years old had he lived until next
November. Her hubsand had been ward IN
rhancery' for his grandfather's estate. which
was Of considerable proportions. He died about
Shree year ago, without a will and before he
came into his money. This money, she declared.
was turned over TO her. She lost her money in
England, and came here.
After her arrival in New-York she went TO
1--we in an apartment at No 463 Central Park
West under the name Of Berkeley. The boy
took z dislike 20 the country and began 10 run
away, staying away for a day or two at time
TELLS REMARKABLE STORY.
On October IA last the boy left his home, and
was found al Fifty -ninth-st- and Eightb-ave on
the evening Of October % by Policeman Curry Of
the Central Park Station He told a remarkable
story at that time about being kidnapped, de-
fained and rnaltreated by men He said that
he heard the men and q woman planning to take
him 10 England. He did not want to go with
them and determined TO escape, accomplishing II
when one of the men was in a drunken sleep.
This story seemed so plausible at the time and
:. vras told in such a straightforward way that
the police at first believed it After he had
been taken home and his mothers anxiety hao
been relieved two of the park detectives were
sent out with him in an endeavor 10 nno the
fat in which he said he had been held pris-
,,-,er They were unable to f1nd IL
When the fact Of the boys last disappearance
was reported 20 the police on May D. captain
C'o+rreTI sent Detectives Kirk and Lang out 10
look for him. The police say that on the occa-
sions when the boy has been away from rls noIls
for several days at time he never appeared
TO have suffered for want of food. Ihey 'hIhh
he came in contact with men and women VINO
had had influence over him
Coroner Scholer gave permission loI IhS e re
-,o1-aI of The body to the Merritt Burial Com
Dsnv's rooms He said last night that ne olo
T7ot think there anything suspicious IN the
case but admitted that he had not as YET closeo
his investigation into the boys death
Reginald was considered TO be d DTlShl poS-
In snite Of his apparent love for adventure
when he was at home he read a great oeAI S1o
interested himself in topics OF the DAY f1ls
77Ir7ina- away seemed be disease that ne
could not control At other times he appeared
70 he dornesticated and according to his mother
preferred remaining at home to playing IN liie
street.