The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-04-25

DIT OF THE WORLD.
The Remarkable Story Told by n
Maryland Hermtt.

BALTIMORE, April pa startling
story is just reported from the Wilt
mountainous section Of Western
Maryland. About twenty years age
Thomas Murphy, aged 20 years, SOL
OF a well-known and highly respected
farmer of Carroll county, eloped with
Ellen Grant, the sixteen-year-old
daughter of a local preacher in the
same county. No tidings were ever
heard Of the pair until a few days
ago, when they were discovered by
two gunners named Henningham
and Phelps, residing in a hut in
an isolated portion of the
Blue Ridge mountains in
Frederick county. The young men
/ while hunting game, were S artled on
Tuesday last by seeing a pretty girl,
clad in rough garments, flee from
their sight like a wild animal. They
followed the girl md soon came
upon a rude hut, almost concealed
from view Dy the underbrush. A
brawny man, with a long, flowing
beard, stood at the entrance with a
gun in his hand and demanded Of
the intruders what they wanted.
The fact that they were hunting
game in the mountains ard acct
IDENTIFY happened upon the scene was
made known and after much trouble
the story of the hermit and his FAM
lily was obtained from the man, who
was none other than Murphy.
cs ~, 1oc,o~k NHnH~, o,~,o
he endeavored to get work, but was
unsuccessful, and then resolved to
kill his wife and hin self. With this
object in view, Murphy persuaded the
girl Ellen to accompany him to the
mountains, where he intended t. kill
her and then blow his own brains
out, but upon reaching the scene Of
the proposed tragedy his heart failed
him and he could not summon cour-
age to commit The deed. He and the
young girl remained there until after
dark, and, finding it impossible to
reach the village that night, they re-
day a heavy rainstorm set in and a
temporary sn>lter was arranged
out of branches and leaves.
After passing several days in this
manner, the girl was taken ill from
exposure and came near dying. Muir
ply killed small game and the two
subsisted on berries and birds for
months. AT length the girl gave
birth to female child aud was with
out an attendant except Murphy.
The next day Murphy went to the
XyIIi0pn RI nl1r0noOA a four q rft0Vno
and since that time he declares
most positively that neither he
nor his family, which con-
sis Is of two children, aged
10 and II years respectively, have
never seer a human being until they
saw Henningham and Phelps on
Tuesday last. Four years ago a boy
baby was born. A few months later
it died and was buried by Murphy
and the woman. Two years later
Ellen was injured by a falling tree
and died after suffering intensely for
two weeks without medical atten-
dance of any kind. Murphy says he
dug a grave and buried her beside
their child.
Henningham and Phelps say they
the graves Of both. They also
state that the young daughter of
Murphy is Il beautiful girl, but pite-
ousiy ignorant. She does not know |
such a thing as an alphabet, and
has never been named since her
birth. She has only been called
daughter" The boy, boy II years
BID is, equally %illiterate. He is called
SON." The hut in which they have
ived so long is made of branches of
:rees covered with mud. Murphy |
be has no desire to live among !
civilized people, and that he is con-
ented with his lot. Action will be
AIKEN by the Frederick county au-
to care for the young girl
nd her brother.