The Washington times., 1908-02-16
GRIEF ENDED LIFE
Of DR.. ". N. STARR,
HIS FRIENDS SAY
Centenarian HeartbrOken
When Told to Vacate
His Room.

Friends of DIR. William NJ. Starr,
Washington's oldest resident, who died
early yesterday morning In the Elmer
gency Hospital, were responsible Tor the
statement last night that the immediate
cause Of the centenarian death was
broken heart.
For thirty-five years Dr. Starr had
lived the life OF a recluse, occupying q
small room on the first floor of a lods
lng-house on c street. between Seventh
and Eighth streets northwest. The room
was scarcely large enough for double
bed. He had an income sufficient for
him 10 i've comfortably yet ne preferred
the existence that had become habitual
with him aftef 50 many years. Until
the last few months be mad oecn q
recluse. his sole companion being a
large black cat which was with him
always.
Must Vacate Home.
Three days before he was taken TO
the hospital Dr.. Starr was notified by
his land'ady that the interior OF the
mousse was going 20 be rebuilt and he
would have 10 vacate. Determined 10
remain in the room that had become
home to him. the aged man secured the
services Of an attorney in The hope that
he would not have 10 move.
Benjamin W. Reiss. secretary of the
Oldest Inhabitants Association, of
which Or. Starr was a member, said
last evening:
.'One of DR. STAIRS intimate friends
came 10 me and said that DR.. starr had
refused to leave his lodging house and
NJ
using my influence in getting the old
man TO move into other quarters.
went TO his room and found anothe.
friend there. The room was so small
that it was hardly large enough for the
three of Us TO sit down. The window
opened on a dark areaway and was SO
small that I don't believe ray OF sun
shine ever found its way into the
cramped quarters.
Determined to Remain.
1T was pitiful for me to see a mar
Of his age living in such a place The
moment I mentioned his moving out he
held UP his hands, told me he had en-
gagged a lawyer. and that they couldn't
compel him to leave until June he
was all upset over having 10 get out
He told me how he had lived in the
little room thirty-tive years and tha
he could never live in any other place
Three days later he went TO the hos
pitaL In spite of his advanced age III
had been in perfect health up 10 TIT
time he began worrying over having q
move"
No definite arrangements viii be mad
for tie funeral until word is receive
from Mrs Hanna HUI DR.. Starr
sister. who lives in Grand Rapids Mich
w. II. Britton, one of the aged man
closest friends, sent two kilograms &
Mrs Hull yesterday. but Up TO a lat
hour last night had received no reply
Mr.. Britton IS Of the opinion that Mrs
Hull and her son, William, left i'm
mediately for washington, AID sill ar
rive tomorrow.
Whether the body is buried here o
i'm Grand Rapids. tine oldest Inhabitant
viii participate in the services. If tn
holy is taken to Michigan. a short ser
vice will be- held in the city, and IN
association will attend IN a body.
Realized Condition.
Realizing that Dr. STAIRS oonditio
was alarming, Mr.. Reiss visited IN
q will. leaving his entire estate, value
at about Sgo0a. to Mrs. Hull.
Last October Dr. Star entertained a
lie members Of the Oldest Inhabtartl
association at a banquet, the occasio
being the Tooth anniversary of his brit
Mrs Huh ard her son came TO Wasl
i1gton 10 attend the spread, and it We
the first tim since the civil war tia
be had so.n any of his relatives Boz
I'm Prince William county Va, on u
very ground on which later he fougl
az the battle Of Bull Run, Dr. Stal
was the descendant OF a long-lived fan
Ily The other members of the fami
sided with the North at the outbrea
of the struggle, but DR.. Starr enliste
with the Southern forces.
An estrauEement followed with II
other members of the family, and
was not until he celebrated the 1901
anniversary of his birth that a recol
Citation was effected.