The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-05
COL. HENRY c. ALLEN DEAD.
NOTED CRIHYNiL LAW Eh
DESPITE MS BLINDNESS.
Once an Assistant District Att"rnt'-Leu
Lontly Life or Late INcfpt 'or
HIS Friendship for Children-He HAD
No Faith In Modern Mannish women

Col. Henry C. Allen. long known to New
Workers as the blind lawyer died on MohoAS
in Bellevue Of diabetic blood poisoning
He was a graduate of Williams Ooliese
in the class OF SO.
Col. Allen was one Of the prosecuting law
vers who convicted Boss Tweed more imam
three decades ago. He was one OF the con-
sultinp lawyers in the famous Bott Nohn
case. and il was through him that the anna
tour detectives discovered the theft OF the
Stradivarius whose loss was responsible
for the death of its owner, Prof. bott.
A part of Col Aliens boyhood was spent
in Vermont. though he was born IN New
York. In the early years he lived on WASH
iroton Square. where his father Joseph
Alien. owned one of the old family mansions
His mother Catharine Allen, died three
wears ago at the age OF ninety. Most oil
his family live now in California, but he mas
a sister in Newark, Nd
After the administration OF Abraham
Lincoln, Mr.. Allen. who had been kepuo-
Hoan and had served in the civil war as
Lieutenant Colonel OF the New York
Zouayes became Democrat. He re-
NAMED n Democrat during the rest OF his
life. desiring ardently IN the last campaign
to work for Parker
Some time about 1873 It was found neces-
sary TO perform an operation upon MT.
Aliens eyes, but an accident prevented iVs
success. TIN, action OF an inexperienced
nurse in removing the bandages too soon
condemned Col. Allen to total blindness for
life.
This did not prevent him from following
-. a..
intently the legal and political questions oil
the day. The newspapers were read 10
him. and he enjoyed the honor OF being con-
sulted in important and complicated legal
nattars In the early sos Col. Asa Bird
Gardiner was instrumental in securing for
Col Allen the Office OF Assistant District
Attorney.
While in this place he was very contented,
and grew more and more engrossed In the
profession from which his infirmity had
kept him for so long
or late years Col. Allen had not been SO
active partly on account o. ms weight anu
| however. often called In consultation on
! criminal cases and had been retained as
! special prosecuting attorney;
! At one time in his life he had grown to
be an atheist. This rather alienated certain
/ friends and failed to bring about hun others
! who might have been congeninl. The re-
! suit was that the old man led very lonely,
/ life for at least fifteen years de depended
| upon young people good deal g..
! Col Allen WAS never married, partly IL
! is TO be supposed, because OF the great
! affection which overlook him. IL was gem
/ orally understood. also, that his tiancee
! died put he was not by any means a
rnysog mist. In his mind all women were
! of tho image of those which he had last
seen-a somewhat timid and calm picture
/ in flowing draperies with parted hair and
rinplets. drooping eyes and sloping shout
| der,s With this picture he compared I'M
( favorably the modern mannish woman, OF
( whom he had been told.
/ He was accustomed to say that Mary
| Anderson was the only moral actress on
the sta e He declared that girls needed
! only an ordinary educa ton, Greek and
/ mathematics being barred. He was shocked
( 10 hear Of the bicycle and refused TO be
Interested In any OF the advances and feat.
in the professional and business world OF
women trimmed for that life.
/ But besides this and more characteristic
! Of his real heart was his deep love for
| children. especially little children. One
! little girl who had boon devoted 10 him for
I a long time Inoved Far away. He always
spoke Of little Helen and other children
. who were 90 fortunate ~ to live near him
I began TO regard her as a sort OF child saint
7 They named their dolls after her and each
day they had 10 hear some story ~ the
wonderful qualities ~ -little he en-"
! Another little girl met Col. Allen ~