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Show END REVEALS FALL FROM HIGH ESTATE Son of E. P. Roe, Popular Nov-elitt, Nov-elitt, Dies in Park. New Xork. The life history of a man who inherited fame and fortune, lost both and for more than a decade held an obscure position as nsher In a Broadway theater, stood revealed as the body of Murray Roe, fifty-three, lay In the morgue awaiting an autopsy. au-topsy. Roe, designer of the Riverside drive viaduct above Grant's tomb and son of Rev. E. P. Roe, novelist, was found dead 'n a lonely section of Central park, the body propiied between two rocks. A few dollars, a watch and some letters were all that the pockets of the cheap clothing contained. After inheriting a considerable fortune for-tune from his futher, Roe gained laurels lau-rels of his own when, at the age of twenty-seven, he was appointed consulting con-sulting engineer of the Riverside drive project. For his services. It was said, he received $73,000, an amount then considered quite lure. At the height of his success he married mar-ried Miss Frances Doniphan Thornton In 1905 and the guests at the wedding Included many persons of prominence. He was a prominent figure In New York social life until a year later. Word then came from California that his wife had obtained a divorce, and for several years his friends did not hear from him. It was snld that he went to South America, where he lost both health and fortune. In 1913 he returned, seeking employment. employ-ment. A Job as porter of the Palace theater was offered and he quickly accepted, ac-cepted, nis dll'gence soon won him a place as nsher and then the post of head usher. Physicians established that his death apparently was due to asthma. Friends advanced the theory that he had .pone to the park and propped himself up In the secluded spot because be-cause his condition made It Impossible Impos-sible for him to sleep while lying down. ' |
