The sun., 1896-12-10
ECCENTRIC MISS EAMES.
HER REsISTANoB TO THE FIREMEN
ON TUESDlY NIGHT.


Grocer Puek the oniy Neishsor she Trusts
Her Household Supplies Paid For
by Checks Sent from Boston Tho
House Well Furnished aud Neatly Kept.
The Gre ut Miss Eames's house at 18b Adams
street, Brooklyn, on Tuesday night, and the
action Of it's owner In attempting TO exclude
the nremen. have revived the interest of Brook
lyn people In the old building and It's mysterious
occupant. The flremen we're astonished when
q woman whose house they were attempting
to save disputed their right TO do so. For fif-
teen years che has persistently Stunned all con-
tact with the outside world, and to have o
gang Of fremen come pouring in was too much
for her. The hremen had to remove her bodl-
IL from the house in order to rescue 1t from
total destruction.
1t IL threo-story old-fashioned frame struo-
ture. 1t has wooden shutters on its lower win
dows. and It is estimated by persons living in the
neiRhborhood to be nearly a.hundred years old.
AT one time 1t was painted light green, but
long ago the weather dullod its brightness, and
now only q speck of paint mere and there re-
mains. The aspect Of the place. with its caves
dronping OF and Its. lack of.paint, would seem
to imply that Its innate lived in saualor and
wrctchedness. Instead, those few who have
penetrated to the interior say that II 10 fur
Ia kept in immaculate condition. Accord
ing to old residents. the present occupant was
born in the old house. and has passed all of
her life in It. Her age is variously estimated
at from go In rs years. Tho house was the
family homestead. In the family were three
daughters and son. They were. according to
all reports, well-to-do people. The father is
said by many to have been Judge. Others as
sert that 1t was the brother. At any rate,
they amassed some wealth. The mother and
father died many years ago. and the children
continued to occupy the house. One by one.
however, they married and moved away. until
only tho present occupant was left. The
brother and one sister died several years ago.
Another sister died last fall. She had mar
ried a Mr.. Wardell, q lawyer Of Boston. 1t
was an old New England family, and back to
New England the children went. with the ex-
ception Of tho present occupant of the house.
For fifteen years Miss Eames has lived alone
In the old house. holding herself aloof from
every one. The shutters have been kept tight
seen sweeping the sidewalk and clearing II OF
snow, Her favorite time for doing this, the
s is 6swes and
say. because she is less likely to be spoken to.
No one is admitted to the house except the
Known to pound for an hour Without getting
any reply. In the person OF Mr.. Puck Miss
Eames Fan ,. long ago found friend whose devo-
very often. Mr.. Puck is butcher. coal dealer.
Eaaes. Her bills he sends to Mr.. wsrdeii IN
Boston. from whom he always gets checks in
payment Twice she has, has been @ arrested and
these mlsfortunes she accepted with serenity.
She exhibited apparently no satisfaction upon
back and locked herself in again in her lonely
house.
She was first arrested for hitting boy with
q broom. She said he was annoying her. and
that tho punishment was merited. The police,
however. locked her up. but Mr.. Puck secured
her r.leLse. The second time she was arrested
was year ago, when some trouble arose about
the payment Of carpenter; Miss Eames was
IN When She wa. reloase sSe e calm
ly returned with him. ordered some groceries.
and then told him TO get out.
.urred. Mr.. Puck SAYS, which FOR a time caused
their relations to become strained. Three
tiv,. Two lawyers came to him. he says. with
papers for her TO sign. giving the custodian
ship Of the money tn Mr..Wardell., de told
wait outside. But they ridiculed the idea Of
:he old woman's eccentricity going as far as
persuasion pi % on Miss Eames one OF the lawyers ~
entered.
broom Miss Eames emptied her house OF the
intruders, and with them Mr.. Puck. She, signed
The papers in his presence the next day. but the
lawyers remained outside.
The boys of the neighborhood torment her
by throwing stones at the doors and shutters,
but without getting word OF remonstranse
from her. Election night they carried her
whole front porch away but II she'saw them she
gave no sign of It, Sergeant Colligan OF tho
Second precinct police station visited the house
yesterday TO lnuuire about the damages. She
permitted an interview. but only through the
broken panel.of the front door. She demanded
that the..city pay the damages done by the tire.
men, whose action in entering her house, she
declared was outrageous. She says she be-
lieved the house was insured. Mr.. Puck says
It is.not. but that he will pay for.the $500 dam
ages.
Mr.. Wardell gently proposed II to her some
time ago that she accept the care of some in
stitutinn. Since then he has not dared 90
near the house. He also tried to ha, e the
house painted, but she drove the painters out
of tho yard.