New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-16
old JOHN LOWELL
PUTS OUT TO SEA
Aged Ships Carpenter, Friend
of the Children, Is on His
Last Voyage.
FOUND DEAD IN HIS ROOM
Marguerite, the Parrot, Stands
Guard for Three Days and
Nights and Calls to
Would. BE Rescuers.

w " NA~ ~ @sSoSoSAo
Old John Lowell is dead. John Lowell
the ships carpenter and friend Of the
children. and Marguerite has lost her
old master. This simple announcement.
will mean little TO the world at large
which did not know the Old man. but TO
the little boys and girls who live in Frank
lin avenue, The Bronx IL will mean a
great deal
For the last three days the old ships
carpenter had not been seen around the
house at No. l251 Franklin avenue. where
he had a tiny furnished room. The chill
dren. as they went to and from school.
missed the old mans weather beaten but
kindly face He had been in the habit
Of holding 10 them from the window of
his room as they passed or standing by
the wooden gate in front of the house
and bidding each OF them a CHEEKY Good
morning
Neither did the children see Marguerite.
sitting perched on the old mans shoulder
and chatting amably TO herself. Mar
guerite. YOU know. is the most wonderful
old parrot in the world. Nobody knows
just how old Marguerite is. put sne and
ole John Lowell had been friends and
boon companions for years-and parrots
live TO a great old age.
The Young doctor who drove un To John
Lowell's home last night in an ambu-
lance said the old carpenter was about
sixty years old but the children who were
his friends know better than that. Had
they not known the old sailor man ever
since they were able 10 todde out TO the
sidewalk in front OF their homes. and
was not his face criss-crossed even then
with a thousand and one wrinkles
Mrs Margaret Fox. gentle voiced
woman. who runs the room!ng house on
Franklin avenue began 10 worry yesicr-
day. after not having seen old Jonn
Lowell about the house for three days.
She called Paul Palmer. another board
or in the house. and together they as
cended the stairs to the old mans room.
1t was very quiet within. and no light
was burning Mr. Fox peeked through
the keyholo but could not see any sign
u Lowell Then she knocked softly on
the door and asked: Are you in. Mr.
Lowell"
No answer came from behind the door
and then Palmer knocked. more LOUDLY
and inslstcntly this time. Sull 10 voice
answered them. Mrs Fox. whose face
wore worried look now. whispered 10
Palmer. and then put her ear 10 the key
hole This time she heard voice. faint
and tremulous.
Help, Help" the voice was saving
then. after a pause. Wake up, daddy,
Wake up
Mrs Fox. her face very white and her
voice breaking. said she would 90 FOR a
policeman. FOR she feared something was
the matter with Daddy Lowell I'm q
few minutes she returned with Patrolman
Heitncr. Of the Morrisania station. The
officer put his shoulder against the door
and crashed II open.
old John Lowell was living IN bis bed.
face upward He was fully dressed Just
as though he had fallen into a quiet
sleep \ smile was on his face. and in
his hands he held an old and faded pho
tograph Of fill- rugged sailing ship. II
was a picture OF the first boat he had
Helped build when a young man. and he
had often pointed to ii with pride.
Then the ambulance surgeon from T.eb-
anon Hospital came. He said John Low
oil had died from natural causes. had
made his last trip, as the old ships
carpentcr would have expressed n.
And what OF the voice that Mrs. Fox
mad heard calling? After finding John
Lowell had breathcd his last she and
,bo doctor looked about the little room
pcrched on the back OF chair VAS Mar
guerite. the green and gold parrot. She
hlinked her eyes weakly and tried 20
sneak. but almost topped of the chair
She had been three DAYS without food or
drink. and had been watching over her
old masters body. day and night, for
three days.
marguerite was taken into Mrs. Fox :
room and given the tenderest Of care. and
will hereafter he the Fox family pct. She
sat huddled UP in a corner and seemed 10
miss John Lowell. ships carpenter.
Old Daddy" Lowell had no relatives or
friends in the world except the little boys
and girls Of the neiphborhood. His body
was taken to the Fordham morGue. with
IN ono TO claim it. But memories Of him
will lIncer in the minds Of the children
,,bo will miss the wonderful tales he told
n, the sea. tales in which he carried them
with him all over the world.
And that Is as John Lowell would have
wished.
when Coroner IIealey made search Of
Lowells room he found several letters.
among them one Of fifteen pages. ad-
dressed to Governor Sulzer. In which the
old carpenter said he had a solution OF
the problem Of harbor and river sewage
disposal Lowell said ne would guar,
antec TO rid the harbor of all sewage. and
wo,lId do the work for nothing. IL the
C;overnor was willing. Mrs. Fox said
The old man spent hours every day writ
ing letters