The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-12-23
FULL OF
A Connecticut Man Who Is . Human
barometer.

IborottCteF.
For thirty five years Oswell Powell has
lived the lie OF a hermit in the woods
six miles north of Hadlyme, Conn, in u
locality known as Partridge Run. The
mans seclus:on, says the New York
Press, was forced upon him by u circum.
stance that happened when he WAS about
IS years old. AT that time Powell was
\ prosperous aud happy young farmer.
He had been two years Married, and his
domestic relations were extremely pleas
ant. While attending the county fair
one day he came across o friend who
was anxious to test his ability TO hold
electricity, and the two sought q battery
that was doing a heavy business in the
fakirs' corner Of the fair grounds. The
men tried the machine, and a good
natured dispute as TO who was the best
man arose between them. Powells
friend claimed that he could hold the
most electricity, and he started in TO
prove il. He sent the needle around the
dial TO the $50 mark. Powell pulled of
his coat and clutched the handles. The
operator sent a stream of electricity into
him that took the crook out Of his elbows
and caused him 10 stand on tiptoe. Still
Powell called for more and got it. The
needle swung around eighty points, and
yet Powell howled for more. The charge
was sent into him, and, leaping into the
air, he came down flat on his back. lie
had put the needle up TO the 4l0 mark,
but nearly killed himself in doing it.
lie was dazed for several hours. but
finally came out of it apparently all
right.
In less than six months after this ex-
perience there was trouble in the Powell
house. Mrs. POWELL left her husband
and refused to live with him any longer.
She SAID that he was kind TO her, but
there was something about the man that
repealed her, and the strange power,
whatever it was, seemed TO be growing
on him. Powell told his father-in law
that he hadn't felt like hisselt since the
day that he tried his hand at the electric
machine. He said that he couldn't blame
his wife, and be made no effort to re-
claim her. 1t was evident that Powell's
nerves had somehow been seriously affect
cd. Expert medical advice was taken.
and a good deal of money was spent by
Powell in searching for cure, but to
no purpose. The strange power grew up
on him, and finally became so strong that
the cattle shrank from his touch. Finally
Mrs. Powell was induced to return 10 her
husbands house but the two occupied
separate apartments. They lived in this
way three years, then Powell left and
took up mis- residence in his house that
he built in Partridge Run.
The mar suffers a good deal Of pain
Just before a thunder storm. lie is a sort
of human barometer, and during the hay
ing season the farmers consult the man
regarding the weather probabilities.
His representations are seldom incor-
rect, and the visits Of his neighbors in
the summer season became so annoying
to him that he adopted the plan OF past
ing weather bulletins on tree near the
road so that the farmers could get an idea
of what the weather was going TO he
without disturbing him. During the
times that Powell suffers pain, medicine
has no effect on him. The most power
full scdative administered to him is as 30
much water. The only relief that he
gets is by laying his hands on cats, and
he has surrounded himself with these
animals that appear to be warmly at
tached TO him. When he feels a spell Of
suffering coming on he takes to stroking
the cats, and by this means his suffering
il greatly lessened.