DEAD MAN'S HOARD
HIS LAST PILLOW.
FIFTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS
IN SECURITIES IN CASHBOX
UNDER HIS HEAD.
Body of Oscar Schoen, Aged
70, Found Amid His
Savings.
With his head pillowed on a cash box containing $15,000 worth of negotiable securities, mostly government bonds and money orders, Oscar Schoen, a retired shoemaker, 70 years old, was found dead in bed in a squalid room at Missouri avenue and Main streets yesterday morning.
The old man's hand clutched a half emptied phial of morphine tablets while at his side lay a loaded 38-caliber revolver. One of the cartridges had been snapped but had failed to ignite.
Coroner Harry Czarlinsky, who was summoned, stated that death was due to morphine poisoning, whether taken as an overdose or with suicidal intent he was unable to state. He ordered the body taken to Freeman & Marshall's undertaking establishment.
MONEY ALSO IN ROOM.
Although Schoen had occupied the same room in which he was found for over two years, little or nothing was known about him by the owner of the rooming house. He was last seen alive on Thursday morning by Guy Holmes, the janitor of the premises. He told Holmes that he was feeling sick and that if it were not for the expense he would visit a doctor. He used to retire regularly at 6 o'clock every evening and rise at 8 in the morning, when he would go out and buy the daily papers, return and stay in his room. Rarely he made trips up to town.
Police headquarters was notified of the old man's death and Patrolman John P. McCauley, who was sent to investigate, made a further search of the room. Concealed behind an old stove in which Schoen had done his cooking was found $60 in bills and silver, and in an old carpetbag apparently discarded and thrown under the bed, the officer located several abstracts and deeds to Kansas City property in the vicinity of Thirty-first and Troost avenue, which are supposedly of considerable value.
WILL IN POCKETBOOK.
Schoen's last will and testament was also found in an old pocketbook. By its provisions all his property is bequeathed to relatives by the name of Goetz living in Kempsvile, Ill. Charles A. Schoen, a brother at Darlington, Ind., was named as executor. The police have telegraphed to all parties concerned.
One of the witnesses of the will was the manager of a local real estate firm, through whom Schoen had conducted his business. He stated that he know that the old man owned a great deal of property. Schoen at one time conducted a cobbler's shop at 2442 Broadway, but left there about four years ago, giving his reason for selling out and moving the fact that robberies were too common in that part of town.
Naturalization papers dated 1872 and taken out at Darlington, Ind., were found among Schoen's effects, together with several applications to different German provident associations.
Schoen had lived in Kansas City about twenty-two years. He has a sister, Mrs. Bertha H. Goetz, at Kempsville, Ill., and a niece, Mrs. Agnes Yak Shan, residing in Alaska.
