Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-11-03

A curious story Of wild life within
the borders Of civilization was recently
brought to the surface at Narrowsburg.
N. I. The story goes that in 1886 Lucy
Ann Lobdell, daughter OF lrlmberman,
the girl being then 20 years ole, mar
RED a raftsmaD, George Slater, who de-
serted her and an infant daughter in a
year after marriage. They lived at Long
Eddy, Delaware county, N. Y. Lucy
Ann Slater had been brought up to hunt
ing for living, felt independent, and
took to the woods, leaving her child in
the care of her parents. She put on
mems clothes, took her rifle and fishing
tackle, and built herself cabin in the
wild woods and hunting lodges wherever
she wandered in the mountains. She
could play the violin as well as hunt and
fish, and chop wood, and raft, and ac-
companled her sports with music in the
wilderness. She was .skillful and lucky
among the game and carried the skins of
such wild animals as the mountains
afforded, to the settlements. where she
exchanged them, for ammunition and
such other articles as she needed. In
mems clothes she was known as Joseph
Lobdel1. Those who knew of the dis
gulse called her the g Huntress of Long
Eddy" So she lived eight years in the
woods, and at the end of that time ascer-
tanned that her child had been placed in
the poor house at Delhi. This incensed
her against her parents, and confirmed
her in the wild life she had chosen.
Years after one Joseph Lobdell appeared
In Pennsylvania village as teacher of
music, and played the fiddle for country
dances. One Of Lobdell's female pupils
fell in love with him, and then the young
men of the village found out that the
fiddling music teacher was a woman, -
and none other than Lucy Ann Slater,
the huntress. She left suddenly and just
escaped a coat of tar and the ornamental
ton Of feathers. In 1868 the huntress
was hunted and caught, and put in the
poor, house at Delhi, from which her
daughter had previously gone, only
! to become at ,orltcast. Just about
the same time Marie. Louise Perry,
a young woman of beauty and
education, who had been wronged, came
to the poor-house sick, and Lucy Ann
Slater attended her as nurse during her
illness. A strange friendship sprang up
! between the two, and the young woman
having recovered, both ran away from
the poor-house at the same time. Moth
ing was seen or heard of them for two Oh
three years. In 1871 man and woman
were arrested as vagrantsi in Monroe
county, Pa. The man gave his name as
Joseph Israel Lobdell and the woman
claimed to be his wife. They had been
living in caves and the people were afraid
of them. Joseph Israel was lodged IL
jail and the woman was let OFF, and took
to the woods and caves. Writing with 8
split stick and using pokeberry juice fol
ink she drew up petition to the County
Court asking for the release Of her hus-
band, Joseph Lobdell, in consequence OF
his Ill health, which compelled her con.
slant care" The paper is said to have
been ga marvel of neat penmanship and
correct composition The County
Court yielded and Joseph Lobden was
released. The pair then wentto Damas-
Gus Township, Wayne county, Pa, and
squatted on piece OF ground where
they lived until year and half ago.
when Joseph disappeared. Some months
afterwards, the remains of a person were
found IN the woods not far from the farm
and were buried as those Of the missing
huntress. The woman of the Lobdel
:. copartnership remained on the patch OF
ground where both had lived. Lately
the acquaintance of Lucy Ann Slater
were surprised to see her at Long Eddy
dressed in the male garb, tattered and
torn, while she was weary and worn and
insane. She. wss put in the asylum al
Ovid, and henceforth will be restrained
from roaming And Marie Louise Perry
is still living alone in her cabin il
Damascus