New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-12
HE KEPT HIS STRANGE OATH.
FOR FIFTEEN YEARS SILAS HUFFMAN
DID NOT STIR FROM HIS BED

HIS HAIR AND BEARD GREW ENORMOUSLY. HIS
Bopy sHRANK AND HIS MIND DEGENER
ATED BUT STRATEGY OR suPPILcA-
r1ON COULD NOT MOVE HIM.
Far Hills " j. Sept II (SpeclaD-Silas Huffman,
who remained in bed for over fifteen years IN the
old HUFFMAN homestead on the Bedminster Road
near this village. died last Tuesday from sehhe
degencracy caused by his long. seif-inhicted con-
0nement His end was peaceful. but to the last
the obstinate and eccentric man refused 10 iea'e
his bed although he told that the open a'r an"
a change OF residence might engthen MS IRE lie
was buried yesterday in the family burying-ground'
within sight of the room OF wnich ne "aS ~ 'o'e
constant inmate. .
His death removes one OF the most remarkable
characters this section OF New-Jersey has pro-
duced Fifteen years ago Slas was one vi tile
most popular young men near berharus' I''e' nc
owned fast horses and continually on the ROAD
He was a friend OF r. V. Lindabury. then Village
schoolmaster in an adjacent township. ana spent
the small fortune left by his parents making MINI
self almost pennilcss on his thirty-third or'h"as.
In his extremity he mortgaged the ola ho'heS'ea'
to his brother. who was methooical ''''" H''i'e,
and for several months longer he continued TO ieau
a g., and careless life. The end came when the
interest was demanded on the mortgage ana II was
when his brother threatened TO foreciose ''a' nc
uttered his strange oath;
IF YOU sell me out gol darn ye III go 10 oe' anu
stay there forever. >,
The sale took place and Slas kept his "oru. re
ratired 10 the attic Of the house and lived uhtil MS
death I'm a spare bed which he put IN order III a
corner of the room. the discontinue Oh MS
family and the many friends who later on "aue
noriodic attempts to make him change his quarters
He subssted on food which he sequestereu III '''
NIGHT on weekly visits TO the farmhouse pan'ry'
Ton wears ago when he had become one o' 'ie
celebrated characters Of the countryside ek,reii
methods we're adopted TO cause him 10 ieane a ,,,o
room or he'd lie was told that his enc was az
proaching. but he waved away ms -uPins h;s oav
deirning TO speak. An old companion oi ne ~
dars Was brought in. and SiiaS was tolu ., VIC
many wonders taking place In the city OF ~
York a town that he dearly loved 10 vsi,c ~, nc
,oId of the opening Of the Brooklyn Brluse VI w
| many ha ndsome buildings IN course vi ~ -
s,rrcstion Of the telephone. of the phonoeraph' Vi
he recently perfected electric light: but at the re-
| cftaI of all these mysteries ne mere! ~, "a
cloth was burned n lower loor ana ne ~ds w
that the house on fire lie siliiieu M u'r III
ief To all attempts dslodge him ne gave ulli-
.orr, epd Effective opposition. Force was not USED
&C he was still a powerful man, ana II was ieatu
| that such procedure would lead TO raseoy p
sides this Silas was now clothed In all the ogIhty
Of an exalted and celebrated pcrsohhEt, u" WIKI
| tho entire community was Interested anu ioiO'''
| removal would have been resented ,os =;
| The wears that followed made great cnn't'S III
tho recluse The hair OF his head grew until II COY
| orsd half the bed His beard was over four ieet
| long both beard and hair being wnite as na'Nrn
| sror, His once powerful and vigorous frame be
came emaciatcd until he resembled a freak skeie-
| TON man His rudy complexion assumed me INV
| ard texture OF parchment. Five years ago ms
IIn LOST ali memory Of former plea and friends
bu, stl held fast to his determination 10 remain IN
| nod From the oat that he took when MS nrother
| threatened to foreclose he never devated