The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-01
DIED A HERMIT.

End Of the Erratic Career of a Nephew
of Hon. 4. +. Bayard.
At the age of 66, alone, unattended, worn
out by the life he had led and without a
friend in the world, j.. j. Bayard, the boss
crank OF the American nation, died re-
Gently in his den, near Boerne, Kendall
county, Texas, says a correspondent of the
st. Louis Globe-Democrat. He was a
nephew of Thomas +. Bayard, secretary of
state under Cleveland, and was born in
Delaware in 1924. The story of his life is a
romantic one. He graduated from Yale at
the age OF q, and for ten years after led a
life of pleasure. His father was wealthy
and gave hin anything he asked for. Fiji
teen years ago he appeared in that section
of Texas, and brought some little money
with him.. He was a kind man to
the common people, and speedily
made himself popular. His vista
tions to the sick and charity to strangers
are still remembered by all. At that
time he was dressed more like legendary
"Old Crimes than any other character in
fiction or history. He used to wear a long
black coat, the primmest of white neckties
and shoes that were always c~arfully pol
ished.
firing of life here he removed to Kendall
county and purchased a few acres of land
about nine miles from town. Then he be-
came a hermit. Such time rs was not de-
voted to religious meditation or healing
the sick he put in in the manufacture OF
patent medicines, which he brewed from
herbs found near his domicile. This domi-
cile was in itself a wonder. In the side of
that built himself a log hut. He
connected the two by subter-
ranean passage some four feet under the
ground, and five feet high by three wide,
In tbs cave he brewed his medicines, and
to it he retired when visitors called. The
mouth of the cave where it opened on the
surface was partially closed with stones.
He stayed there so long that they became
woven together with moss. Behind this
rampant he would retire and hold CONVERSE
ton with his callers. If they wanted medi-
cine the bottle was handed over the ram
part, II no money taken. If they wished
to talk Bayard would converse from behind
his intrenchment. Ii they wished to in
quire into his past history they were
promptly requested to leave. He became
possessed strange healing powers, and
who preached a very simple religion,
which called upon man to do their best, one
for the other, and to believe in the Saviour.
His medicines have been demonstrated to
be of the p~lainest character. such natural
~ 6opAN ~ aAAN WA AAASo las ~ SSulNA AAo Lc
divided into doses, and always accompanied
II gift of them with an explanation of their
strength and effects. and always refused to
treat complicated or chronic cases. He per-
sistently refused to take money from any,
body, and seemed to live altogether upon
the little capital he had stored ava paw
ing cash for anything he bought and buying
very little indeed. He occasionally walked
into Boerne, but was never seen to
90 near the postofice or to have cor
r~espondence of any kind. 10 the day of
his death he persistently refused to talk
about his relatives in Delaware or to allude
in any way to his past life. When he died
recently his premises were invaded by a
curious mob who wished to know Just how
he had lived and what effects he left behind.
They found an old trunk, a rough mattress.
Il pair of blankets and in one corner of the
cave a few articles of soiied underclothing.
There were no papers of any kind. stand
ing against the ball were Il few bottles of
medicine. His relatives in Delaware were
te%legraphed.