Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-07-09
Il Care for a. Hedrtdche.

Some ten days ago there died in San
Francisco ono of the most singular resi-.
dents OF the Pacific slope. Ills name
was William Hewer, and was English 10y
birth and a surgeon by profession. The
Golden City has long been known as Il
kind Of Mecca for eccentric people; but
of all the oddities who ever found their
way thither, DR. Hewer was perhaps the
most remarkable. He was Timon and
Shylock and Kotzebue's Stranger rolled
into one. For fourteen years no living
soul had been allowed TO enter the room
he occupied In it he apparently lived
life of abject poverty and in it were
found, after his death. cash and securi.
ties to the extent OF thousands, besides
rich store of precious gems.
This strange man was born at Exeter
England. 1888. Ho studied medicine
and got his degree from the Royal Col.
lege of Surgery, Edinburgh, in 1910.
Soon after, he obtained q commission in
an artillery regiment. He was man OF
fine powers, delicate imagination, warm
sympathies and keen sensitiyeness en-.
dowed him with the susceptibility both
TO pleasure and pain, common to the pos
SCISSORS OF such qualities, and which
makes the issue of their lives so critically
doubtful. lIcwer fell in love with
beautiful girl, who at first returned his
passion, but who seemed TO have been
as capricious rs she was fair. A few
years of happiness followed, and then
came bitter sorrow. Mrs. Iewer went
off with "friend" of hor husbands, an
officer in the same regiment, and the
husband was never thereafter the same
man. He became misanthrope and u
wanderer on the face of the earth. With
drawing from society, he lived for the
most part in gloomy seclusion, enliven'
cd at times by outbreaks OF furious rev.
elry. Only one thing besides drink alone
appeared to have charms for him; and
that was to ship as surgeon on vessels
bound for long passages. 1t was in this
way that he came to San Francisco. He
arrived there in the Ayincourt just after
the time OF Capt. Satter's memorable
discovery, and when lhe whole Western
world was aglow with tho rage for gold.
The current passion Of the hour took
possession OF Hewer, and thencsforth
never left him. Tho vacant place in his
heart was ever after filed by an almost
insane avarico. Ho began to lend money
for usury on diamonds, watches, and
other valuables. and he boarded up his
treasures with the jealous cunning of
magpic. Virtually he became a pawn.
broker, although he disdained the appel.
lation. and would haushtily resent its be-
ing applied. When stray Engllshmen of
education turned up in San Francisco.
the recluse would sometimes emerge
from his den, and embark with th0m in
frantic orgies that neither age nor shame
ever restrained. When thus excited, he
would occasionally exhibit huge dia.
monds and pearls, Yerba river gold of
the finest quality, and strange old.iash
ionsd jewels. In these accumulations he
took the greatest pride, although it was
notorious that he possessed them. oddly
enough he was never robbed. Probably
he took unusual precaution to guard his
property, and, in truth quite magazine
of arms was found in his room at the
last.
The scene in that room when Hewer's
body was discovered would make ter.
rible and impressive subject for paint
ter. The old mans body. clothed in
quaint, parti.colored rags, was found
bent backward over an old chair-the
dead eyes open and staring upward, the
white hair sweeping the ground. He
had been gloating over box OF trinkets.
and there was burnt-out lamp by his
side. All around was strange medley
of filth and finery. Broken spitoons and
rich bits of carpets, dried herrings and
diamonds, pieces of old brass and iron. and
silvcr-plate emblazoned with armorial;
bearings; strings of onions and OF pearls.
beer bottles and Etruscan vases pawn.
tickets, commissions, uniforms, and foul
platters were all min gled in wild confus.
ion. Besides all these, there was one
oil piciure--ihat of a young and lovely
woman-she, no doubt, who was the
original cause Of all this wreck ana
waste-the sign and token OF pervert-
ed nature a crushed, heart and broken
life.