The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-02-19

I needed something for expenses and he
gave me go for expenses,
q. what expenses did you refer of
A. For the house.
SAYS BAsLETT WAS INCOMPETENT.
O. WIN you describe In your own way
MIR. Hssletts mental condition SO far as
you can at the time when he executed these
two wills?. A. Well. he was mentally in
competent. lie was absolutely incom-
petent.
q. The second will and power OF attorney
were signed simultaneously? A. Yes. sir;
I said the power of attorney was signed
before the witnesses came up stairs. l
thought they we're behind me and looked
around. but they were not there.
o. Mr.. Gardner was present when both
pa pers we're signedp A. No. sir: / told
you he had not come UP the stairs: thought
they were coming and waited there with
the will until they came up. l told Mr..
Gardner that fact and he said would have
10 be witness in that case then.
LORD coNrEBs WITH DETECTIVES.
Mr.. Lord spent yesterday afternoon
at his Office in conference with Detective
Roddy and Charles O'Donnell. a super
intending nurse who provided the attend
ance for Mr.. Haslett.
The twin houses which Mr.. Haslett
owns and occupies at 1874 and 1873 Remser
street present the same shut up. dilapi-
nas That soosS hsy tbs have sosf
next door for protection. it was said.
A ring at Mr.. Haslett's bell in the after
noon brought to the door pleasant look
ing woman, who said she was the house,
keeper. recently installed. She said MIR
Hasletts condition was better than II
had been. and that he had been informed
| of what going connection
with the power OF attorney that Gardner
had. He grasped what was meant. she
said
The house next door was furnished
like the house he lived in. and also closed
up with shutters hiding the dirty windows
from the gaze Of the curious The house
in which the old man lives has been
cleaned up some since DR.. Minton has
installed the housekeeper and nurses in
the place. but much renovating remains
| to be done.
Has Mr. Haslett revoked the power of
attorney given to Gardner" the house
keeper WAS asked.
"He revoked it last night in favor of
Mr.. Lord, she said MIR. Lord is now in
charge Of the house.
The afidavit OF John Stapleton. the
day nurse. indicates the serious condition
of Mr.. Hsslett.
Il found him suffering from NAL
nutrition. generSl debility. severe priva-
! tions and constant exposure to the cold. "
says the AFFIDAVIT. "On the 18th and 18th
Of February he was delirious. mentally
and physically weak and unable TO take
care of himself"
The days mentioned are the DAYS when
the power of attorney was signed and
acknowledged.
! HAsLETTs LONESOME LIFE.
! just when Samuel f.. Haslett. art col
lector and man Of affairs. became Old
Sam Haslett and began TO be referred to
on Brooklyn Heights as IA hermit, and
even IA a miser. which he is not it is hard to
say. but IL was not 80 long ago as some or
the younger folks of the neighborhood
suppose. Because Mr.. Haslatt for "a
long as they can remember has lived
queerly and alone in a single room of his
brownstone house and has paid no atten-
ton to pulls at the door bell, the younger
| generation is inclined TO believe that it
must always have been so.
But no longer ago than ten years or So
| SO his old friends say the house was cared
| for AZ any house should be and Mr.. Has
lett. SO far as he would permit it, was
Mrs. Haslett died of burns and of injuries
received when she jumped from window
there we're women in the home-a house
keeper and a maid For every meal the
dining room table was set with some of the
Haslett silver upon II. And always, the
EOubChcCDci urcu W te-Ii flef ITltfluS OH NnP
block. q chair and plate were set where
Mrs. haslett sat in the few years that she
lived after she came to the house a bride
And Mr.. Haslett used to talk Just as if
his wife was there. inquiring. How do
you like the dinner tonight" and at the
end OF the evening meal remarking.
well, think I'll retire. Good night +"
HAS LIVED ALONE FOR YEARS.
But as time went on he found that care
and companionship were unnecessary
and dismissed both housekeeper and mail
Since then he has lived alone, and such
rare visitors as he admitted have not been
permitted to pass beyond the ground
door. But reports that Mr.. Haslett never
| left The house, that he spoke to none of
| the neighbOrs, that he has been irascibe,
are fur from true He has walked much
Frequently he has gone afoot as far as
Fifth avenue antique stores. With no
room in his house for anything more he
kept up his habit Of collecting curios that
appealed to him. Statuary and old clocks
he has been especially fond Of
Il was going by the house one day
says the sexton OF Grace Church on the
Heights. and there stood Mr.. Haslett
on his front stoop bareheaded as usual
and az usual rubbing his hands. re-
membered that he used to have a lpew at
the church hut hadn't sat in it for ever
10 long. so said. MIR Haslett, why don t
you ever come to church? We miss you
! Oh he replied, III he around one of
these days 10 see you all And then he
asked me to come in. Not everybody
has had that privilege. but I've known
Mr.. Psslet. for fifteen years ] went in
and we walk ed through the parlor. There
was just q passageway through the par
lor where We could walk single file. On
either side were stacked statues, some
lying fat clocks every sort of bric-a-
brnc. Some Of the stuff was still in the
boxes in which it had been sent from the
stores. We had pleasant chat. Mr..
hsslett is always pleasant"
NO PIRE ON THE eldest DAYS.
| 1t is true that Mr.. Haslett OF late years
has spent only " pttance on himself
This winter, for instance there has been
| no heat in the house except what came
from gas jets choked with SCOT and a
one burner gas stove on which he made
| coffee. One day OF the recent coldest
snap there came a visitor Robert p
vidaud Of l0i Joralemon street, an old
friend OF Mr.. Haslett. Mr.. Vidaud wore
a heavy overcoat. but the room where
the pinched little man sat shivering on
a big couch seemed even colder than out
doors.
mir. Haslett." said Mr.. vidaud. .is's
an unusually harsh winter. Don't you
think you ought to have your old broken
furnace fixed up and get in some coal?"
| You cold?" said Mr.. Haslett. Som
Portable weather. call it, I'm warm
enough: Look, I'm wearing summer
| suit and no vest What's the use of burn
ing coal IL you feel all right without iiY-
Mr. vidaud was forced 10 accept Mr..