The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-01
In New York
BY PAUL HARRISON

New York, August 1.-The mainstreams of New York life flow through the broad avenues, and the canyons Of finance, and the gay lanes of the rialto. In the side streets you find the backwash, where existnece is an endless oddly of obscurily. But strange things float into view.
 There must be hundreds of re- cluses, suppose, especially in the drab little side-street hotels. Sell dom, though, does the world hear of any such as the enormously wealthy .Wendels sisters, or Ida Wood, who was found to be living in litter of moldy currency and grimy jewels worth more than a million dollars.
 Another recluse is Miss Helene Herzog, very old, who has lived more years than anyone can recall in hotel on Thirty-first street No one ever sees her but hotel servants and a man from the bank that takes care of her investments Until year ago, Helene had a sister, Beatrice, to share her re- tirement-a retirement, incident ally, assumed on the death of their brother. Now Beatrice is dead.
 Her wealth and eccentricities are matters only for conjecture. I'm told that her rooms are stiffly decorated in the mode of the sos, and that money seems to be hid den everywhere - under doilies, back of sofa cushions, inside sea- shells. Helene used to play the old square piano, and even com posed pieces which she paid to have published. The piano has been silent long time now There is a story, too that the sis ters used to dress for stroll each afternoon-a stroll around their rooms, each holding para. sol. don't know whether Miss Helene still goes walking.
 SoIt Trouble
 Michael Karr is sailor when there is any sailing tc be done. There isn't just now so Mike does the best he can. He is 30, personable, and puzzled What he is puzzled about, as he explained to me as we sat on d dock down at South street, is how to keep pair of shoes.
 Somebody stole Mikes old shoes the other day while he was snatch. ing little nap. He walked bare. foot to the Broad street Hospita Co, , a blood transfusion. They paic him $7, and he bought a new pail of shoes-good, heavy yella ones That afternoon he was breaking them in with a stroll past Pier 2 !! and saw an old seaman fall off { stringpiece.. Mike yelled for help pulled off his shoes and went 1T after the fellow. Kept him LII until a line was thrown down ant both were hauled to safety.
 When he got his breath, Mike looked around for his shoes, ant they were gone. Quite a crowt had gathered, so somebody tool up a collection to pay for tht ! shoes. There was less than $4 this time, but Mike bought a pret ty good pair and still had enough money for snack. By this time he was pretty tired, what witt selling a pint of blood and officiat , ing at a rescue, so he dozed on ; bench over in the park. Left hi shoes on this time, but when ht woke up he was barefoot. Tn, thief had cut the lacings and slip ,, ped them off.
 The Fallen Mighty
 Maybe you don't remembel .'Dapper Don' Collins, whose real name is Arthur, but he useG to be very well known to the DO. i lice. Tn fact, he used to be tn, ace of confidence men, card sharp CTS and blackmailers, and abou 20 years ago he was rich.
 Mostly he collected hush none, for the peccadillos of rich visitor. from the west. Dapper Don coult move in any company, and ther, still are legends of his rich coups one for $50,000 from a Chicago millionaire. He became sleek, in famous. and actually rather popu lar along Broadway, being a col orful william cut somewhat along Robin Hood lines and with a pen chant for deterring unhappy chor us girls from fits of melancholis with thousand-dollar bills.
 Dapper Don left Broadway, ant has been caught up in the eddiel of the side streets. He isn't dap per any more. Isn't much of any thing. Hangs out on Eighth Ave nue usually. where he is knowi to the cops but isn't bothered b, them. Still lives by his wits though, if that's . dignlfied tern