Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-02-22
MisfeIIaneous.
4 Month In the Earth With Little Food or
Clothing.


ton Of the track of the Port Morris branch
of the Hudson River Railroad, near Kings
Bridge. While in side cut a mile south
of the station, they heard groans issuing
from q snowy hillock. about 20 feet away
from the track and near the bank of the
river. Penetrating through the snow
drifts, to their surprise they found the
groans to be issuing from what appeared
to be crevice in the side Of the mound,
which, on being explored. proved TO be a
small wooden door or window two feet
high, and made of pieces of plank neatly
fastened together. On pulling open the
window an extraordinary spectacle was
revealed. In hole followed out Of the
earth and rooted over with boards,
stretched upon bed Of leaves more like
the lair of wild beast than a human hab-
itAtion. lay an emaciated old man with
gray hair and beard, evidently in the last
stages Of starvation. and well-nigh frozen
stiff with intense cold The hole was six
and q half feet long by three feet wide. a
little larger than a goOd-sized grave. 1t
was roughly rooted over with clapboards,
which in turn were surnounted by foot
or more Of nalf-froZen snow. The lower
end of the burrow. which sloped TO the
westward. was not over Is inches IN
height. and in this the old mans legs lay
extended. his feet being imbedded in a
small wooden cask, which for the
sake of additional warmth was also
filled with leaves His legs were
wrapped in some pieces of old paper sack
ing, and his frozen toes and heels were
covered with mittens. A pair of heavily
shod brogans. which he had evidently
taken off his feet lay among the leaves at
his side, together with rusty iron sauce
pan and several cups and plates Of the
same material The old man lay with
his head in the higher part Of the dug-ou
with the root Of boards and snow 30
inches above his face. while his feet were
tucked into the barrel at the lower end.
The snow covered hole was entirely un-
protected. standing on the bleak bank Of
the tightly-frozen Harlem, with long level
meadows, covered deep with snow. ex-
tending to the north and west, over which
the wind has full sweep.
The laborcrs were astonished at their
discovery. and thinking the man to be
dead or dying. hurried off to Thirtyiiith
precinct Police Station, and gave the
alarm to Capt. lule, formerly of the sani-
tary squad. who was in command. The
Captain on learning the mans condition.
took three of his stoutest officers with him
together with u horse and wagon con-
taing a stretcher. blankets. warm cloth
ing, restoratves, &c. and set oil across
the snow to the rescue. At n quarter OF
mile above the cut they were compelled
to leave the team and cross through the
snow to the dug out. carrying the stetch-
er and blankets with them. On reaching
the place they TO nd the hermit extended.
and. to all appearance lifeless on the bed
of leaves. On the Captain addressing
him he opened his eyes and spoke in a
faint voice in broken French and English.
thanking them for coming to his help, as
he would certainly have died had he re-
mained there much longer. On remov-
ing him from his nest his legs and feet
were found to he badly frozen. and to pain
him greatly despite the old
wooden mittcns that he had
wrapped around them. his only
clothing was thin. faded frock coat worn
threadbare, waistcoat and trousers of
similar material. aud an undershirt worn
to tatters. lie had neither blanket nor
covering of any kind. nor any material
for lighting fire, although an old length
showed that he had tried to rig up some
sort of stove in his earthcrn cell. There
was not scrap of food or drink about the
place. and his appearance betokened that
there had not been tor a considerable
period. When Capt. lule and his officers
had thoroughly rccounoitered the place.
they set out with the Frenchman. loaded
on the stretcher and covered with blan-
kets, for the police station. On arriving
there telegram was despatched to the
Ninety y-ninth street Hospital tor assistance
In the station-house he WAS given food,
which he ate like fsmished wolf, until
the police found it necessary to check HIM
for fear he would do himself injury. lie
gave his name rs Onora Conrad Bauman.
Frenchman by birth, - years of age,
and cabinet-maker by trade. having
been in this country Is years. DIR. w.
Proseus. the ambulance surgeon, dressed
his frozen feet. and he was taken TO Nine
ty-ninth street. where he was further
cared for. At the hospital he at" vora-
ciously of tea. coffee. bread and butter
To DIR. II. Wade. the assistant house sur
geon and others. he said he had his feet
frozen in the "cold snap" just before New
Years. and had been lying in his dug-out
for 81 days-ever since the 3ist of De
without once stirring out. His
only food during this time was four
loaves OF bread. which he had taken in
to his lair with him and divided up
into small daily rations. the last of which
had been exhausted some time ago.
He had not had drop water except that
extracted from the snow about him. and
and which he made into snow-balls and
ate to cool his thirst. He had lain in his
dug-out through the pelting storms and
cold of early January. the "blizzard' of
hail. snow and ice of the 2:d. and the rag
ing storm and intense cold of Feb. | aud
>. when the thermometer. which in New
York marked zero, sank TO degrees be-
low in the exposed rural region about
Kings Bridge. In word, through all
the fierce weather and sudden chang
es of the past five weeks the old French
man lay without n spark of fire or cover
ing of any kind except the threadbare
clothing he had on him. and the leaves
and board about him. The doctors at
Ninety ninth steeet consider the case one
of the most remarkable instances of en-
durance on record.
Bauman's story is corroborated by the
statements Of station agents Tracy at
Kings's Bridge. and Mawby. at High
Bridge, both of whom knew him by sight.
Mr.. Mawby saws the old man used 1 q pass