Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-04-18
FORTY-FIVE YEARS IN A CAVE.

Death of Austin Sheldon, the Hermit of
| the MOOstc Observation-Disclosures Sc
clusfon with his Bible-Ten Years
Without Seeing Human Face-Burfed
In Snow Drift and Frozen to Death.
| Dingman's Ferry, Pa, Cor. N. Y. Times.
Austin Sheldon, who lived for Al
years the life of q hermit in 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 on
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, Shell
don had visited the cabin of some hoop
pole cutters, about mile from his
abode, to buy something to eat, he hay
ing 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; as
the snow piled such drifts before the
storm was over that no communica-
|
be obtained until Friday. The cutters
themselves were nearly frozen to death.
The hermit, although nearly 70 years
old, managed to reach within 8 few
feet of his cave, when he was overcome
and buried ten feet deep by the snow.
His features were fearfully distorted,
and his knees were drawn up to his
chin.
1t does not seem credible that this
man, who buried himself in the wilder
ness for over half his life, and who at
last met so terrible death might have
lived in ease and luxury, and died sur
rounded by friends in the best society.
He was born near Stony Creek, Conn,
In 1906, and when he was twenty-six
years married a lady named Tuthill,
the daughter Of a wealthy gentleman
living near the city of Hartford. Shell
don's family was the leading one in the
town of Bradford, where he has
brother and sister still. His wife died
ten years after their marriage, and
Sheldon soon afterward disappeared.
He had always been an enthusiast in
religion, and had often expressed a
wish to 60 to heather countries as a
missionary. His friends believed that
he had gone to some such country, and
never hearing of nina thought he had
died there.
Forty-fve years ago the country in
the northeastern part of Pennsylvania
was still in great part primitive
wilderness. Lumbermen had COM
menced invading the forests, however.
In 1888 party of prospecting lumber
ing men made camp on the northern
slope Of the Moosic Mountains, in
Wayne county Penn, and one day dis
covered cave occupied by man,
miles from any human habitation. He
said he had lived there a year, and had
been roaming the forests of Connecti-
cut, 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 1S43 two hunters discovered man
living In the cave near which the her
NIT WAS found dead on Friday. This
was Austin Sheldon. He told them he
had not seen a human being for ten
years. He continued to live there, but
nothing was known about him until last
summer, when q paragraph appeared
in the New York Times, mentioning the
| fact that q man named Austin Sheldon
was living as hermit in cave in the
wilderness of Pike county, Penn, his
past being mystery. They offered
| him everything that wealth could bestow
| If he would leave his cave and 90 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 wrinkled,
with long, matted gray locks, and q
beard reaching almost to his waist.
The clothes he wore he had not taken
off his body for twenty-five years.
They were tattered and ragged, and
held together by hickory withes. The
hermit never washed, and his face and
hands were encrusted with dirt. His
cave was about eight feet square, dark,
damp, and loathsome. He slept in
rude chair, surrounded with bones,
filth, and rubbish Of all kinds. He was
very taclturn, speaking willingly only
on the subject of religion. 1t was his
boast that he had read his Bible through
nearly 100 times, and that he commun-
ed 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 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
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