The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-12-04
Once A LEADING Lawyer.
He dies IN THE BOWERY
Deaths OF Brother, Wife and Daughter
Broke the Spirit of Andrew Com
stock-Lived Many Years in Cheap
Lodgings

New York, Dee. 4.-Andrew Com.
stock, who IN 1875 was well,kuoyn
patent lawyer in this citv and after
whose family the village of Comstock,
n. Y, was named, died Wednesday in
lo-eent room in the Arlington lodging
house, 212 Bowery, There, with very
little money and broken in health, he
had been living for the last thirty
years.
From his closest friend, Samuel j.
Burrell, 100 Pierrepont street. Brook
lyn, il has been learned that Comstock
WAS the last member of his family, and
that the deaths of all his blood rela-
hves, which came in quick succession,
were the indirect cause of the shattor-
ing of his career and his subsequent
life of want
Comstock registered in the Bowery
lodging house in May, 1884, and was
assigned by Robert Laidlaw, the night
clerk, TO q room, for which he was to
pay fifteen cents a night. For thirty
years he kept that room. Every night
he paid his rent; every morning 10
left the house at clock. His only
contidant was Laidlaw, to whom no oft
EN- talked of art, music and legal mat
ters, and with whom he frequently took
long walks when the clerk could get
away from his work.
But in all that time he never mau-
toned his own past, and Laidlaw, who
found his friends body in the room
Wednesday, was ignorant of Com
stock S former life and work up to the
day he died
Old legal papers and letters that
were found in n shoe box in his room
gave the first clue to the police that
the dead man might have been at one
time person OF Importance.
But the real story of the dead man 5
past was not learned until Mr.. Burrsll,
WHO was once client of Mr.. Comstock
and close friend as we'll, went to the
lcGging house Wednesday evening TO
visit him. The Brooklyn man was
greatly shocked on learning of Com
stocks death.
Andrew Comstock came to New
York when he was 10 years old, Bur
r"ll told a reporter, land entered the
law office of his brother, Albert, On
lower Broadway. across from the City
Hall. In 1870 the younger brother
uecalne memper OF tne nrm, ana Tor
several years he was recognized rs one
of the foremost lawyers OF the city in
matters affecting wills and patents. The
firm prospered until 1880, when Albert
died. The shock was q lard one for
Andrew and before he fully recovered
from it his spirits were shaken second
tune by the sudden death of his wife.
1.-The eliminating disaster came,
however, when Andrews daughter, Eva,
to whom he was more devoted than any
father | We ever known, became i'll and
died of consumption in less than a year.
After that Andrews health failed rap
idly.
''FIe was stricken with "ataracts in
both eyes, and because of his blindness
was run over in the street by vehicles
several times and badly hurt. His legal
business failed utterly, and then An
drew went to the Bowery lodging house.
have helped him repeatedly since
then. and he has earned few odd dol
lars himself working In the dental shop
of DeiSt, Hoerber 4 Co., 240 East
Twentv-sixth street,
Mr.. Burrell told the police he woul
make arrangements for the burial of
his old friend body.