The evening world. Newspaper, May 18, 1903, Page 5

s° / THE WORLD ONCE RICH, SHE DIED IN POVERTY “Mother” Sommer, Beloved in the Old Days of Her Pros- perity and Philanthropy on the East Side, Passes Away. NO APPEAL TO OLD FRIENDS. Shrank In Horror from Letting Them Know of Her Misfortun: land Woman of Eighty-five Years Suf- fered in Silence. Good old “Mother Sommer t# no more. She passed away amtd squalor and the few last re:ics of her departed grandeur. She died hungry, but she died with a smile on her lips and with @ last word of cheer for those around her. There are no relatives to mourn her passing, but along Tenth street near Becond avenue, the deepest grief pre- vals. There it was that ‘Mother Bommer lived when she had money The poor folk along Tenth street re- member her. While she was wealthy she gave money to them freely, almost recklessly. ‘That was tWenty years ago. Her hus- band was living then. He was a homeo- Pathic physician. They had come here from Germany with p'enty of money and costly furniture. Those who knew of court life in the Fatherland sald that None but the aristocracy ever boasted of such furnishings. Dr. Sommer became a member of the American Homeopathic Society and bullt up a large practice In the nelgh- borhood. His wife watched his patients quite as carefully as he did, and the ailing on¢ds who were poverty-stricken were nursed by the k'nd old woman as closely as though they were her own kin. Got Name of “Mother.” In this way she received the name of “Mother” Sommer. A year acter the couple had settled In America Dr. Sommer died, His widow kept up the elegant home for years, then she suddenly vanished trom the nelghborhood. Her friends searched fpr her in vain. Some said she had gone back to Ger- many. No one ever heard from her, but she was never forgotten. On the day ‘Mother’ Sommer disap- peared a pleasant-faced old lady called at No. 429 Second avenue and asked the landlady there if she could rent three rooms, “I am poor, and alone in the world,” a@he said. “Once I was rich, but all I havo left now are the afmlly diamonds, which I would not sell for millions, and a few hundred dollars in bank. This money must last me the rest of my Ufe. I want to try to earn a living by renting two of the rooms which I will get from you." The house where she applied was a miserable little brick structure. ‘The eld lady took three rooms on the sec- end floor and managed to get three gub-tenants. She told the woman from rented the rooms -that her Mrs. Mary Sommer, and that ho was a native of Germany. Cheerfal Despite Poverty. This is where “Mother” Sommer went to hide her poverty. In her new sur- Toundings she was still as cheerful as ever. To some of those in the house she related fragments of her history. She told wonderful tales of court life in Germany. Bismarck had been her friend. Indeed, her husband had been guch an admirer of the “Iron. Chancel- Jor" that his residence in Germany wa: @ thing not loo¥ed upon with favor by those in vower. If any one had doubted the old wom- @n's stories their skepticism would have been dispelled by the hetrlooms in her squalid room. They hung on the crumbling walls as blazing protests Sgainst the misery to which their cul- turea owner had been reduced. To-day they are still in the squalid Ilttle room, in the centre of which lies the body of “Mother” Sommer. ‘There {s an oll painting of the old lady and one of her husband. Each is in an @laborate gold frame. Near these are! @ome daguerreotypes of Germans in court costumes. Surrounding them are evidences of the most abject poverty—a rust of stale bread, some pewter knives and forks and an old blanket thrown over a cot. Robbed Her of 8500, One of ‘Mother"’ Sommers tirst room- ers—-a Young man—took a deep interest | th her history. When he learned that she had $500 In bank he advised her to fraw it out, as he said banks were un- tate. She did so and the next day the Money disappeared. Bo did the roomer, ‘ha Mother” Sommer pounil not affect her unbounded je one who took It neeled t more than I did,” she said to those who advised here ¢o report the of ‘her money to the pollce. ‘With her last resource exhausted the aged woman soon began to suffer. ‘8, Dora Storch, who lives in the nouse, urged her to notify some of her former friends, but ‘Mother’ Sommer threw up her hyads in horror, “J wouldn't lec them know of my conditon for worlds,” she sald. This re last Saturday. “Lack of food and r care were fast telling on the Bia’ iaay, and she was unable to leave her cot! That evening when Mrs. @torch and her husband visited the room “Mother” Sommer insisted on get- up. "f must be about my work,” she sald ioe La You are eighty-five years oid," re- “piled Storch, placing his arms Bround rag she tried to rise, ‘Rest Wwe will care for you.’ ‘The old: Indy @miled, and then gasped and her body became limp, Storch suys he wil) ae. y the cost of her funeral. TRUCK RAMS | BUGGY. Com, Wondbury Wan in the Latter and Caused Driver's Arrest. Street Commissioner Dr. Join: Me- Gaw Woddbury was complainant 'm Yorkville Court to-day against Charles Bender; of No. 206 East Fifteenth street, @ truck driver. While the Street oe rmlenyha 8 Griving down Fifth a) i am ve: en: y: eneee 3 rode Rig, truck Ee Bee Wael “A pel souk or of ree ros “MOTHER” SOMMER, BELOVED ON EAST sore aH aheacee. PO Ved Y. FIRE EMPTIES "LE ROAD TRAN. Fuses Blow Out with Loud Re- port at Twenty-eighth Street and Third Avenue. and Sev- eral Persons Are Hurt. Several persons were cut and bruised and two women fainted in the panic that followed the blowing out of the fuses on two cars of the Third avenue “LY roafl at the Twenty-elghth street station early to-day. The carg took fire and were partially burned before the crew and a few cool-headed passengers could extinguish the flames, The train was composed of a closed car, @n open car and a newspaper car. It was Just leaving the station when there was a blinding flash and a roar that could be heard for many ,blocks, Policemen as far ay Fortieth street were attracted, The closed car became fillea with a stifling smoke and the many passengers rushed for the door. Many were crushed in the jam at the door and others leaped through the windows, breaking the glass in several instances, Gateman Alfred Van Voorhis tried his best to quiet the crowd, but his efforte Were useless, He was swept on to the platform by the frightened people. 1t was ten minutes before orler was re- stored. A man, who refused to give his name to the polico, had his arm badly cut. He had broken the glass of the window With his hand and crawled through, An ambulance was called and the surgeon dressed the Wound and the hurts Of sev eral others, including @ young whose hand was frightfully lacerated, ' A Mrs. Dresser, who said she lived tn Seventy-fourth street, fainted and had to be carried to the ‘platform, and an- her woman falnted in the crush at the Both were attended by the em. <= PIANOS «WATERS are now sold at lower prices and on more liberal terms than were ever before offered on standard high-grade pianos. Prices from $225 7° $400. Payments from $7 to $10 monthly, without interest. If you want a lower-priced piano we have a thoréughly good one that we can recommend and warrant. —————————S bulance surgeon, but went home unas- aist ted. In the excitement of the crew had forgotten to look in irer mote rooms, when quist had been re- atored it was seen that both front cars were on fire. Sand was carried from the station, and after ten minutes the te for more than halt’ an eager sid Mhundreds ot of persons were delayed in reaching their homes. BLAZE IN THE HOLD OF RIVER STEAMER, Little Damage, but Much Trouble Caused in the Saugertle Fire in the hold of the steamboat Saugerties at pler 43 North River this morning gave the Fire Department a Jot of trouble. The fire, which was of the smouldering kind, with a great amount of smoke, was in some freight, and before the exact location of it had been scovered the whole hold was filled met that was so dense it was dangero\ts to work about in it, Atter many minures o€ delay a line from the shore and several lines trom a fire-boat were put aboard the Seuger- tles and the danger point found. After this the rest wos casy. In a few min- tes the streams had drowned out the ‘The damage was slight, and it was said at the pter that the fire would not interfere with the regular trip of the boat, which plies the Hudson River. SANDWICHES WERE SHORT. Six Saloon-Keepers Arrested After Commissioner Greene! vi Police Commissioner Greene's Sunday trip to North Beach resulted in six sa- loon-keepers being arraigned before Magistrate Connorton, of Long Island, City, to-day for excise violations. The arrests were not made until after the Commissioner, with Inspector Kane, had visited the Sound resort. After seeing his, superior on the way ‘pack to hattan, ‘Kane made four arreste, ok tebe outdone, Capt, bi it in two culprits. es caused the trou- iene ‘of sandw Magistrate Connorton postponed dle. consideration of the cases unti! Thurs- day. Qi Pg pan LOTION iar io lors, Exec BPECEALIBIS an ecch and tment. Laboratory equipped with oppitence end facility. Bentat ‘Spec ta bssase remot ae Sets isofTeeth Retion BB Gold Crowns - $3 Brid; nd Plate Work lasts a ligtime. All ld Guaranteed. ours: 9 Ac tes M, Sundays? tos, German Spoken, QUAKER DENTAL SOCIETY 44 Fast 14th St. (Near Broadway, N.Y.) 255 Grand St. (Grand Theatre Bidg.) FROM PARIS. e® number at 2 SAEs Leica cease B.Altmank@o, Display an attractive collection of TRIMMED’ HATS for Mid-Summer Wear, including recently imported NOVELTIES ®n Tuesday, May 19th, of TRIMM HATS and TOQUES that Baye peat He. $10.50, $12.50 and $15.00 | OUR RULE | Perfect Work Painless Process Popular Prices | . is aaa: SPECIALTIES. mer * Moot ordered (ila nthe mora ae HENods a wight iting perfeotty, ature in Bri ige Work 22 Gold rFilin -§ 1 743 Lexington Ave. (N, 8, Cor. 89th St.) 171 Broadway Jar. Cortlandt St. N.Y.) they will offer 18.00 to $25.00 Style, 85-Chester Piano, $170 cash, or $190 on irfstalments, only “!$5 Per Month. Don't fail to examine our pianos or send postal for catalogue with reduced prices and terms. HORACE WATERS & CO., 134 Fifth Ave., near [8th St. Harlem Branch (Open Evenings), 254 West 125th St., near 8th Ave. Pale People whose tissues are pining for the strengthening and build- ing comfort of rich, thick blood, should bear in mind that Ozomulsion will give them what they need. That transparent blue skin, or the yellowish dirty pallor, so often seen, are very dangerous signs, Blood is life. Make it with Ozomulsion, the only vitalized emulsion of pure cod liver oil with guaiacol and the hypophos- phites of lime and soda. Begin to-day. Get it at your druggist’s. In order that you may test the merits of Ozomulsion, send your name and full ad- dress to THE OZOMULSION Le DePeyster Strest, = - w York. mentioning this paper, and a iad sample’ free bottle wilt at once be sent to you a mail prepaid Hires Rootbeer gives Vitality Written guarantee to cure ILE OL Nien constipation.sc. Write | formonk sQuencer, | 400° W, 7th Bt, Ne Xs | VACANT ROOMS Are Advertised in THE SUNDAY WORLD, : MONDAY. EVENING, MAY 18, 1903. A Million Sold Every Day. Every One of them as good as the Million Sold Yesterday. The Largest Selling Brand of Cigars in the World