The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-01-16
MODERN kEERHEErs.

On ths principal street in West Zane
vile, (O.,) in the very centre of busines
stands n one~story house, we believe Il
Oldest hou9e in the village, which loo
precisely as it did thirty years ago, r
having received dollars worth of repa
during that time. The shingles upon
steep sloping roof have been worn to sla
and the two chimneys. which are bu
upon the outside in the old style, look
though tn y would NOT -nauch- -L2nsze.
their rerpen !icalar. The front door, lea
ing to the street, is kept closed and DO
ed; the window, with an iron bar aero,
IS not been opened, and neither frien
neighbor, or stranger, has been a6mitt
inside the house for many, many ycai
Thirty years ago the family consisted
father, mother, three sons and daushte
a lively, Intelligent girl, then in her teen
The old folks and daughter were membe
OF the First Baptist church of this cit
an | were highly esteemed. About th
time the father died, the mother living III
til about fifteen years ago, when she die
leaving a little property, it is'supposed,
about 81 200 or 81 800. Some tir
elapsed, when the attention of the nei2l
bors was directed to the lonely conditio
| o. tie house, but two of the brothers b.
ing seen about the premises, and thi
only occasionally, and no communicate
whatever beng held with the outsid
world, either by the elder brother or III
girl. Strange reports circulated upon If
streets, and ugly rumors of the cause {
! this isolation from the world were hear
strongly prejudicial of the inmates.
On the I'd of March, 1856, a writ {
hitbeds corpas was sued out before judi
Mason, Probate Judge, at the instance 3
Jacob LYDIA aud other citizens. Stain
that the girl was kept imprisoned by th
three brothers without legal authority
the Rev. AIR. Carnahan, then oficiatin
as pastor of The First Baptist Church
! taking quite prominent part in the D-c
ceedings. The allegation of the impris
onment and harsh treatment, however
were not sustained, and there beino n
particulars of the examination on recor
IN the Probate Court, we are unable t
give anything more than the result. whic
was, that the sister voluntarily returne
TO the house in charge of her brothers.
Since then she has not been seen. Th
elder brother, it is thought, leaves tn
house occasionally late at night, but re
turns before daylight. How they live
a mystery. A loaf of bread is occasion
ally bought of passing bread wagon, an
jug OF molasses, once in great while
is purchased from "a neighboring store
No person is ever seen TO enter the housc
and strangers or others knocking at tn
door are refused admittauce. The onl
evidence that there is a living bein
within the solitary Enclosure is the smok
coming out from the chimney, Tn
nearest neighbors are the most puzzled
and none pretend 10 account for the sin
gular behavior of this strange family
We have not given the names for fear ot
causing unnecessary pain to the parties
and only give publicity to the extraordi
nary facts here stated. in view of hav;p
the mystery explained. That anv womo
IN these days should be thus exclude,
from all society for Is years, is passiu,
strange, and whether her solitary life i
voluntary or involuntary, common bu
manity demands an immediate ipvest;pa
ton of this extraordinary case.
RENDERING Doors WATRRppoon