Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1877-05-03
FORTY-ONE YEARS IN A CAVE.
Death of Austin Sheldon, the Hermit of the
Hoosic Mountains---V Voluntary Seclu-
sion with his Bible.
Ten Years Without Seeing Human Face
Buried in Snow Drift and Frozen
to Death.
Especial Correspondence of New York Times.

Especial Correspondence of New York Times.
DlNGMAN's FERRY, (Penn. ) April 2.-Aus-
tin Sheldon, who has lived for Al years the
life of hermit in a cave in a lonely place In
the mountains nine miles southeast OF this
village, was found frozen to death in deep
snow drift near the entrance OF his cave CA
| Friday evening last. A terrible storm of snow
and wind had prevailed in the mountains for
two days, and Tuesday evening, contrary to
| his custom, Sheldon had visited the cabin OF
some hOop-pOle cutters, about mile from
his abode, to buy something to eat, he having
been without food for two or three days. The
cutters invited the hermit to remain with them
all night and not attempt TO brave the fury
OF the storm by returning to his cave. He
had not spent a night from his cave since he
inhabited it, and he refused to stay at the
cabin. The snow piled in such drifts before
the storm was over that no communication
with the settlements outside could be Ob-
tanned until Friday. The cutters themselves
were nearly frozen to death. The hermit,
although nearly y years OLD, managed to
reach to within few feet of his cave, when
he was overcome and buried ten feet deep by
the snow His features were fearfully dis
torted and his krees were drawn up to his
chin.
1t does not seem credible that this man,
| who buried himself in the wilderness for over
! half his life, and who at last met SO terrible
DEATH might have lived in ease and luxury,
and died surrounded by friends in the best
society. He was born near Stony Creek,
Conn, in 1906, and when he was 2G years old
married lady named Tuthill, the daughter
of a wealthy gentleman living near the city
of Hartford. Sheldons family was the lead
ing one in the town of Bradford, where he
has brother and sister still living His wife
died 16 years after their marriage, and Shell
don soon afterward disappeared. He had
always been an enthusiast in religion, and
had often expressed wish to go to heather
countries as missionary. His friends be.
licved he had gone to some such country, and
never hearing from him thought he had died
there.
Forty-five years ago the country in the
northeastern part of Pennsylvania was still
in great part a primitive wilderness. Lum-
bermen had commenced invading the forests,
however. In 1888 a party of prospecting
numbering men made camp on the northern
slope of the M00sic mountains, in Wayne
county, Penn, and one day discovered cave
occupied by man, miles from any human
habitation. He said he had lived there year.
and had been roaming the forests of Connec-
ticut, Vermont and New York looking for
such place as his cave for five years. He
gave his name as Austin Sheldon, but told
nothing of his past The lumbermen grow
ing more plenty, he left his cave and was
heard OF no more by them.
In 1S43 two hunters discovered a man liv-
ing in the cave near which the hermit was
found dead on Friday. This was Austin
Sheldon. He told them he had not seen
human being for ten years. He continued to
live there, but nothing was known about him
until last summer, when paragraph ap-
peared in the New York Times, mentioning
the fact that a man named Austin Sheldon
was living as a hermit in cave in the wilder
ness of Pike County, Penn, his past being a
mystery. This item was seen by Sheldon's
relatives in Connecticut, and brother and
sister visited his cave. They offered him
everything that wealth could bestow if he
would leave his cave and 60 home with them,
but he refused. From these relatives the
facts as to Sheldon's early life were learned.
Sheldon seldom left his cave, and then only
to obtain fish, game, rootssor berries for his
food. AT the time OF his death he was bent
and wrinkled, with long, matted gray locks,
and a beard reaching almost to his waist.
The clothes he wore he had not taken off his
body for twenty-five years. They were tat
tered and ragged, and held together by hick-
VI WluCS. 1uC uCIIUlt uCNCI W dSuCu, duu
his face and hands were encrusted with dirt
His cave was about eight feet square, dark,
damp and loathsome. He slept in a rude
chair, surrounded with bones, filth and rub
hish of all kinds He was very taciturn,
speaking willingly only on the subject of re-
ligion. 1t was his boast that he had read bis
Bible through nearly one hnndred times, and
that he communed personally with God and
the ancient prophets. When he walked lie
used long staff, and his old, well-worn
Bible was fastened to his leathern girdle. |
Forest fires frequently swept over the noun
tains about the hermit's cave, and many times |
it was surrounded on all sides by fire. The
hermit, saying that he was in the hands of
God, never voluntarily sought safety when
thus imperiled, and courageous natives often
saved his life at the risk Of their own He
was often saved from death by freezing in !
the same manner. His only explanation of
his living in the wilderness alone was that he
wanted nothing to take his thoughts from
God As he had considerable money, accor.
ding to his relatives, at the time he left Con-
necticut, many believed that he buried it
about his cave.
THE daughter of Jewish vocalist, who
leads the world of fashion in London. is
known as the Countess of Waldegrade, wife
of Lord Carlingford, her fourth husband She