The New York herald., 1921-01-19
DIES IN POVERTY,
ART DEALER HAS
A $4,000 TOMB
Samuel Collins, Said tOHave
Been 80, Once Owned
Great Estate.
BUYER FOR MORGAN
Was Famous as SpeculatOr
in Paintings and De Luxe
Editions.
IN OBSCURITY FOR YEARS
Landlady in Newark Found
Him Near Death and Sent
Him to Hospital.
N OBSCURITY FOR YEARS

Twenty years ago Samuel Collins was
known throughout the East wherever
men bought and sold fine paintings, as
an art dealer OF rare judgment and a
salesman who sometimes made as much
as $4,000 a year; but ten days ago.
when his landlady found him uncon-
scious in little furnished room in East
Kinney street, Newark. he was simply
helpless old man without cent In the
world unless she counted the eighty
seven cents which his bank book showed.
The landlady sent Collins TO the City
HOSPITAL. where he died last Thursday.
She never had heard that he had been
an art dealer. To her he was nothing
more than a gentle, quiet old fellow
who was a few days late with the room
rent now and then. For two days the
body lay at the morgue unclaimed.
Out Of the hundreds OF friends Collins
had at one time only few remained.
One OF them. Lemuel Roberts Of 13
Madison avenue, Manhattan. was noti-
fed of his death. Mr.. Roberts took the
body to Stroudsburg, Pa. last Satur'
day. 1t was buried there Monday in the
$4,000 mausoleum which Collins built
for himself and his family when he was
at the height OF his prosperity and
owned the finest estate in Stroudsburg.
Most OF the colorful story OF Collins
was pieced together yesterday by Mr..
Roberts by Willis Downden Of Maple
wood. n. j.. and Frederick Keer. an art
dealer of 917 Broad street, Newark.
Said to BE Ninety Years Old.
At the hospital Collins's age was
given for the records as 20, but these
friends say he was much older than that
They insist that he was at least SO years
old. and possibly 80.
The former associates OF Collins and
the men who used to buy pictures from
him remembered that Collins was a
striking man in his day: that he could
talk man into spending his last s1o.-
900 for a picture that meant nothing TO
him; that he could discuss any subject
with ease and with authority as we'll,
and that his generosity was known in
New York. Philadelphia, Washington.
Chicago and In all the other cities where
his clientele lived.
They remembered Collins as an ex-
ceedingly we'll dressed man. lie used to
wear n big top hat, and his clothes were
always neat. He had a heavy black
mustache when he was younger, and his
eyebrows were dark and heavy. His
friends also remember that he smoked
black cigars of n brand all his own
cigars so strong that, though he had one
going all the time. none OF his acquaint-
ances could smoke them.
Collins was the seventh son OF an
English family. He came to the United
States when he was a boy. His father
was merchant who left $4,000. 900. but
not a penny Of it was left to the son in
America.
Correspondent i'm Civil War.
During the civil war Collins was a
correspondent for New York news
paper. He was a reporter for a short
time after that. and then he became a
salesman for publishing concern
handling de luxe editions. Then he be-
came an art connoisseur and collector.
II is estimated that Collins handled a
total of s15.000.0o0 in HIS art transac-
tions. At one time he was employed
by J. p. Morgan to collect works OF art.
Thirty years ago Collins bought Chur-
leigh Inn, a valuable piece of property
on top of the mountain near Strouds-
burg. There he spent large sums of
money on a lake, driveways and I'M
proving the grounds. 1t was the show
place of the city. Ten years later he
bought what Is known as the Singmas-
ter property in Stroudsburg. He made
Il one of the most beautiful estates In
the city. II is now Y. NJ. c. A. home.
About fifteen years ago he bought an
estate in East Stroudsburg and laid il
out in avenues and parks. with many
arches and gateways. and called IL Col
Ens Terrace" Then the jinx got him.
He was unable TO finance the work 10
completion and the property was fore
closed. About all that he retained was
the family plot with the $4,000 mau-
soleum.
Collins married Miss Clara Church OF
New York. They had three children. all
of whom died in infancy. Then he and
bis wife adopted a daughter. Lillian,
who died when she was Ia years old
collins Terrace" was to be her me-
mortal.
Colllns's widow is in an insane
asylum near Allentown, Pa She haf
been there for several years.
AHyJDDuv tn nTTTT WIEN