Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-09-18
REV JAMES BEECHER.

80 sDs'~ 80 NS aN'nA Odl
tain Region.
The suicide of Rev. James Beecher,
writes HalstOn IN the New York Times,
ends an extremely unique career. Six
or eight years ago | met him away up
in the Catskill mountain region; he had
built HIM a home there in the depths of
the backwocds and was living the life
of a hermit. Once he was a power in
his church, an ornament in the pulpit.
noted less than, but much akin in elo-
Qucnce to, his half brother, Henry Ward
Beechcr, He was the first pastor of
the First Congregational church of
Poughkeepsic ut the time when the ac-
cusations against his brother If the
Plymouth church began to be bruited
amllt. Before Henry Ward was called
burt James is said to have sought
him at his Winchester county home
with IA result that was not inspiriting to
the visitor. He returned to Pouch-
kecpsie to lock himself in his study,
and for days he refused absolutely To
see even bis stanchcst personal friends.
When he did come forth TO the world
again it was As a changed man: genial
ity, sunny nature, jollity had given way
10 y name that was curt and a dispo-
sition that had a large proportion of
sadness in it. His church offered him
a vacation; he quit it for good. He
went to the Ulster Catskills. and built
with his own hands in the Hardenburg
forest the home where ! found him.
Col. Judson (Ned Buntline) was one
of the sclf-exiled preachers friends,
AVID it was largely through the inilu-
of a letter that Buntline wrote me
that | managed to find time on Il short
vacation to hunt up ''thc genius
Buntlinc'S title for him. | found him
one of the most entertaining of men; Il
little careless of the worlds doings. but
full of pleasing anecdote and rcmin-
iscence. ! am tempted to copy an eX-
tract from the letter with which Ned
Buntline first interested me in James
Beccher. 1t has a double interest now
its description of the hermit home
and hermit life of the erst prominent
priest, and the fact that it is a bit of
the work of Ned Buntline, who so late
" laid down his pen forever. work that
Ned Buntline dashed off TO Il friendly
recommendations Dn,+1:.., - ,,l.,..
if YOU please. This is the way the let
ter ran
His tract of land is dcnsely wooded
and overs IN area "A little more than a
mile square, but Hardenburg land, ac-
cording to the Ulster county tax roll,
is not the costliest in the world, (ts
average value being 63 cents an acre.
and this tract would not have been over
cheap at the price of a dozen trade dol
lars. A beautiful lake Of good size oc-
cupies a portion of the property, and
there is in all the Catskill range nc
scenery more plcaslngly picturesque.
'Beccher's Lake the natives call it,and
on one of the mountain cliffs com
handing IA fine view of it the preacher
built for himself his home, doing all the
work himself. 1t is Il ~story-and-halt
structure. plain. neat and comfortable
AT the time of It's erection there was
no wagon road within half a doZer
miles. the nearest hamlet and postof
flee were ten miles distant, when il
was about three times the latter dis
tancc to the first railroad station. II,
finished his house before winter set in
and there till spring he lived a life o
thorough solitude. He had no neigh
bors, and aside from his faith and hi
thoughts he knew no co~mpanionShiI
but such as was given 10y the winter
storms and the night cries OF the moun
tain wild beasts.
His wife and daughter were not with
him yet. Th2v were not to come til
springtime. though meanwhile they
We're faithful correspondents, and wher
the little hamlet Of Turnwood received
its weekly budget of mail matter Jane
Beechcr was always among the forum
ates. Every Friday he tramped ter
miles through the snow for this favor
With June came Mrs. Beechcr and the
little daughter to the Beecher Lake
home. There all three have since re
mained-thcre the elder one are likely
to remain so long as life shall last
They have cut clear from the world anc
for good. They seem content and ever
happy in the forest and there is every
reason to believe that there is no earth
" inducenieirt which could induce
James Beecher TO enter again on hi:
old time career
Khe few neighborS who have gath
- about his lake fully appreciat,
him" so Ned Buntline's letter raj on.
He is queer they admit, but for al
that they love him. They are hardy
rough, unlearned mountaineering
hearted as they are uncorrth. Mrs.
Beccier they almost worship. She en-
listed herself for their advancement,
and established what had hitherto been
unknown. IA school. 1t is a flee school
in spiris and in truth. Mrs. Beechcl
teaches. and is allowed each year foI
the service about $50 from the state
fund: TO Ehis account she annually adds
SlO' on ker own account, money sa-
crcdly set apart for books and clothes
for the boys and girls of her backwOOdr