The Washington herald., 1910-07-10

Considerable mystery surrounds the
death of an aged man. who was taken
from a Pennsylvania avenue hotel late
Friday night. and died an hour later at
Casualty Hospital
In an old coat he had worn there
was a note, evidently intended TO BE
viii. which read;
Il bequeath all my property TO Mary
B. Roach. WILLIAM D. ROACH"
His appearance, however, would in
dicate that he had little. If anything.
to leave. In addition. the spelling OF
the two names shows discrepancy,
while the name is -aiso unfamiliar to
the hotel lodging house people. He was
was known there as Smith.
Name on His Arm.
This is evidently his right name. as
tatooed on his right arm was fouN1 the
name 20 Smith The initials y. D."
had been pricked on his other fore
arm. He was taken sick suddenly
early Friday night. and about II o'clock
it was noticed that he was in a crit
ical condition. This resulted in his re-
ilVNdA ~ casually E1OsHAAGl. WHSIE lt
died about 1880 Saturday morning.
The people at the lodging house found
him complete enigma. lie first rented
a room there about six weeks ago and
each night since had come around regu-
larly and reoceupied the room. Each
time. too. he would Ash a quarter out OF
his pocket and pay in advance for the
-,r
where he came from.
That's by own business" he snapped
her of with. You get your money. don't
you? That's enough"
Il was the same when they asked him
where he spent his time during the day,
as he was seldom sen after early morn
ing That's my own business. too" he
answered.
Proud OF Old Age.
He was eghty-hve years old He re-
marked on this old age several times. and
seemed proud Of IT.
Il am going 70 live to be hundred"
he boosted. My mother lived to be
nlnety-eight years old, and ! will beat
her"
His father. he said, died quite young"
The father was sixty-fve years old at his
death
His present occupation. If he had any
at all. he never told. but explained that
he had followed the sea for many years,
and afterward had worked at coal min
ing in the Pittsburg region. He had
son there, he mentioned one day. but
could not locate him. He said the son
had afterward gone somewhere near Bos-
ton, and that wealthy Washingtonian.
who left the city recently for the North
Shore, had promised to try to locate the
son. This son, according to another YER
biose moment of the taciturn old man,
had once worked for the wealthy Wash
ingtonian,
known by MiIIIneF
What is believed viii furnish the first
real clew 70 the old mans identity Is the
location Of a woman milliner in Tenth
street northwest. This woman is believed
to have known him at some past period.
She. il is believed. is the one who has
been taking care Of the old man. He Wis
tied this millinery establishment nearly
every day, and each time and on each
visit, according 10 one story, would be
given sufficient money for his nights
lodging and also 10 get some food.
For a time he carried the business card
of this establishment around with him,
but il was missing after his illness when
the police searched his clothes.
The supposed will found has proven
stumbling block for the police Their ex-
PLANTATION is that he probably found it.
but this theory, they admit, is rather
fiimsy.
The police communicated with the home
of the Little Sisters of the Poor last
night in an effort to find some trace of
the old mans history. and representa-
tive of the home viii be detailed to-day
to try to identify him. The body was
sent 20 the morgue