The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1877-04-12
N, Y. Times-I
TORET-TITE TEARS IN 4 CAVE.
Death or Austin Sheldon. the Hermit
OF The aOOsIc Mountains.
D1NaMAN,s FERRY. PA. April 2.


Austin Sheldon, who has lived for
Al years the life OF q hermit in q cave
in lonely place in the mountains,
nine miles southeast of this village,
was found frozen to death in q deep
snOw.drift near the entrance Of his
cave on Friday evening last. A ter.
rible storm of snow and wind had pre-
vailed in the mountains for two days,
and Tuesday evening, contrary to his
custom, Sheldon had visited the cabin
OF some hOOp-pols cutters, about .
mile from his abode, 20 buy some
thing to eat, he having been without
food fOc two or three days. The cut
ters Invited the hermit to remain
with them all night, and not attempt
to brave the fury Of the storm by re-
turning TO his cave. He had not spent
3 night from his cave sIncs he in
habited il, and he refused to stay at
the cabin. The snow piled in such
drifts before the storm was over that
no communication with the settle
ments outside could be obtained until
Friday. The cutters themselves were
nearly frozen to death. The hermit,
although nearly Y years old, man
aged to reach to within q few feet Of
his cave, when he was overcome and
buried 10 feet deep by the snow. His
features were fearfully distorted, and
his knees were drawn up to his chin.
It 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 8 death,
might have lived in ease and luxury,
aud died surrounded by friends In the
best society. He was born near
Stony Creek, Conn.,, in 1906, and
when he was 26 years old married
lady named Tuthill, the daughter OF
EeSlthy gentleman living near the
City of Hartford. Sheldon's family
was the leading one in the town Of
Bradford, where he has brother and
sister still living. His wife died 10
years after their marriage, and Shell.
don soon afterward disappeared. He
had always been an enthusiast In re-
ligiOn, and hsd often expressed q wish
TO 90 to heathen countries as 3 mis-
siOnary. His friends believed that he
had gone to some such country, and
never hearing from him thought he
had died there
FOrty-fve years ago the country In
the northeastern part OF Pennsylva-
nia was still in great part q primi-
tive wilderness. Lumbermen had
commenced invading the forests,
however. In 1888 q party of pros
peeting numbering men made q camp
on the northern slope Of the MOOsie
Mountains, in Wayne county, Penn.
and one day discovered q cave Cccu-
pied by \ man, miles from any hu-
man hsbitatiOn. He said he had
lived there q year, and had been
roaming the forests OF Connecticut,
Vermont, and New York looking for
such s place as his cave for five years.
He gave his name as Austin Sheldon,
but told nothing Of his past. The
lumbermen growing more plenty, he
left his cave and was heard Of no
more by them.
In 1913 two hunters discovered q
man living in the cave near which
the hermit was found dead on Friday.
This was Austin Sheldon. He told
them he had not seen 3 human being
for ten years He continued to live
there, but nothing was known about
him until last Summer, when q para
graph appeared in the New York
Times, mentioning the fact that 3
man named Austin Sheldon was liv-
ing as 8 hermit in 3 cave In the
wilderness OF Pike county, Penn,
his past being a mystery. This item
was seen by SheldOn's relatives In
Connecticut, and q brother and slater
visited his cave. They offered him
everything that wealth could bestow
IL he would leave his cave and go
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, roots,
or berries for his food. At the time
Of his death he was bent and Wrink-
led, with long, matted gray locks, and
q beard reaching almost to his waist.
The clothes he wore he had not taken
of his body for twenty-three years.
They were tattered and ragged, and
held together by hickory withes.
The hermit never washed, aud his
face and hands were encrusted with
dirt. His cave was about eight feet
square, dark, damp, and lOathsOme.
He slept in q rude chair, surrounded
with bones, filth, and rubbish Of all
kinds. He was very taciturU, speak
ing only on the subject OF religion.
It was his boast that ne had read his
Bible through nearly 100 times, and
that he cOmmuned personally with
God and the ancient prophets. When
he walked he used long staff, and
his old, Well-Worn Bible was fastened
to his leathern girdle. Forest fires
frequently swept over the mountains
about the hermit's cave, and many
times 1t was surrounded on all sides
by fire. The hermit. saying that be
was in the hand OF God, never vOlun-
tarily sought safety when thus i'm
periled, 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,
according to bis relatives, at the time
be left Connecticut, many believe
that he buried IL about his caye-N
y. Times.