The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-10-22
THE MASS. RECLUsE.
END OF HAcER, THE NOTED HERMIT.
How He Lived and How He Died Apart
From His Fellows-The Romance
That Caused His Withdrawal
From Affairs.
New Salem tsIass., speeiaI.l


One little white cottage, aside from the
.dingY-looking station, is the only sign OF
life when leaving the train at this village
New Salem is one of the smallest towns in
the eastern part of the State, and, accord
ing tc the stories told by the inhabitants,
IL is not nearly dead. but quite so. The
villagers who move away never return
again. and no one ever thinks of taking up
his abode here il 1t is not already his
home.
But one of the oldest and most curious
characters has just died, and the villagers
have not vet got over talking OF his odd
ways and habits. His name was Shepard
Hager, an Il he had lived the life Of her
NIT for forty years previous to the time OF
his death. Hager was nearly seventy
years OF age, had never married, and SO
used had the villagers become to his
strange ways that he was accepted as part
and parcel of the town, and little II any
comment was made. Occasionally, how.
ever, he would.do something so unusual and
eccentric that he would become the stalk
of the town." only to sink back in a short
time to his obscurity. t
\ Nearly forty years ago an unfortunate
love affair, 1t is said, caused Shepard Ha
ger to leave the walks Of men and Ia
live, SO far as possible, the life Of re-
cluse. The girl married another and went
to an adjoining town, where she now
resides. She became widow years ago.
but Hager had vowed never to marry,
and he kept his word. He Is said to
have been violently insane at times, but
heg never did violence to himself OF
Others. To be let alone his chief desire
seemed, and so long as no one troubled
him he troubled no one. fl9tt
About two miles and q quarter east Of
the New Salem Station your correspond
ent found the little rough, unoccupied
shanty wherein the hermit OF New Salem
was found dead last Thursday morning.
1t is curious looking structure, neg.
lected and surrounded by weeds and un-
cut grass. About two years ago Hager,
taking queer whim, and wishing, as
far as possible, to shut himself out
from the world, boarded al. the windows
In his castle from the outside, and the
rough, immovable shutters still remain.
He cooked his own food, and often re-
mained for weeks without seeing Gods
sunlight. What he did during these
long seasons OF seclusion no one can
tell; but sometimes, when his sits were
on,n he would. become so violent that he
would break the scanty furniture Of hi:
house and hold high carnival.
His brother, Daniel Hager, lives somC
distance down the road from the house oc
cupied by the hermit, and it often became
necessary for the former to call and quie
the noise. At other times the two lived
apart. Thursday morning Daniel noticing
that his brother remained longer than
usual in his shanty, went to the door ant
tried to gain admittance, but although the
] key could be seen on the inside the dool
refused to open, and Daniel went to
neighbor for help. The two returned II
the house and burst open the door. A re
4 voting sight met their eyes. The room
was in dreadful confusion, dirty, and III
. kept, and on the miserable bed in one cor
: ner lay Shepard, stone dead, discolored
D and repulsive. The medical examiner o
{ Franklin District, DIR. w. NJ. Wright, wa
{ summoned, who pronounced an inques
unnecessary, and said the man had bee
dead for quite week. His clothes wer
all on, and it is supposed he must hav
been taken violently III and died before h
! could call aid. He leaves some property
but 1t Is thought no large amount, whic
j will 20 to his two brothers
/, Curious stories are told by the neighbor
: Of Hager and bis strange ways. he use
sometimes TO make excursions into the sui
rounding country, but OF late years has rt
{ mained perfect recluso. One neighbor VIII
= lives within two miles said to your CORR
! spondent to-day that he had not seen Hage
: for two years. since the windows Of his ht
y were boarded up. He was native Of Ne,
= Salem, having been born and educate
= here In the country school. and he used
: be thought intelligent. Although advance
. In years his habits were such that he wa
;, strong and robust He was not given
y drink, neither had he other evil habit
= One farmer said that he bargained som
: years ago 10 cut and buy some hay frol
: Hager's place, but the hermit was so disi
= greeable that only one load vas take'
y He never returned for the second. Hag,
= never went TO church. What he lived ul
!. on was marvel 10 the people In the v
!, cinity, as he seldom went to the countS
!, stores.
70 In appearance Hagar was not remarl
% able, and there was nothing about him
o indicate that his mind was unsettled o,
"A ceptng his habit aud silence. One neig
A Dor said that he had not heard Hag
I speak for ten years. He was tall and mu
IN cular In build, but dressed In the olde
n and most patched clothes he could fin
ls He had long gray hair and beard, ill.kel
4 and shaggy, and the few children in Il
"a neighborhood kept out Of his way when
" walked into the village. He usually Cd
"a q ried strong stick with him, but used
n only TO thrash the trees and shrubs. II
n unfortunate recluse was buried In d
y grayey ard near the scenes with which
|, had so long been familiar, and only d
n old hut remains as his monument.