The San Francisco call., 1898-04-26
Catherine Hein, After Ten Years Seclusion, Ex-
 pires in Solitude.
Her Husband, Hans, a "Pris- oner of Love-" Now Left,
 Indeed, Alone.
A Mystery of South San Francisco Shot With Cleans of Pa
 thetic Devotion.

d little house at 1201 Sixteenth avenue, down at Bay View, has been a source of unsattsfied curiosity to the people in South San Francisco. Hans and Gather inc Hein have lived there and with no exception not another person has ever set foot inside the place. The front gate has been nailed up The front door was never opened. The windows were barred and the shutters were always closed Exit and entrance to the mysterious lit tie house was always by way of the eel lar In the back, whence steps lead to the kitchen above.
 But on Friday Catherine Hein died died alone in the little house while her husband was away. She had been ailing for week, but this fact had not altered the manner of living of the strange Ger man couple-which was to live as though no other people existed in the world. For ten years no one had seen or spoken to Catherine Hen. She had no friends she talked to no one, but dwelt in a strange sort of solitude alone with her husband Hein himself had grown to love the taci- turnity. Of late years all his small busi- ness affairs were transacted through a frankfaced young grocer on Fifteenth avenue, whose respect for the strange reserve of the peculiar solitary German had won Heins confidence.
 Twice a year, sometimes only once, letters came to Hein, sent in care of the grocer, and these contained remittances from Germany. But the notification Hein should have received from the bank last January had not arrived, and on Friday the queer old German walked--he never took a streetcar-from Bay View, ten miles, to the bank. In his absence Cath erine, his wife, died. She must have ex pired in great pain, for her. limbs were and the old bed on which she lay-a home made contrivance composed of knitted cords shaped into bags and then stuffed with grasS-WaS worn bare by the death struggles of the lonely, suffering woman.
 Hein discovered that hls wife was dead when he came back from his long, un- availing tramp. He had no money to bury this loved companion of his solitude, but the strong, enduring habit of all those past, long, silent years even at time like this was the ruling passion. He went to the one man he felt he could trust. But the grocer was out taking or ders. So Hein, with the sorrowful knowl- edge within him, walked back again to told him that Catherine was dead. Through this man arrangements were made with the Coroner, who sent for the body.
 time in decade forced open the curious little house in which these two have dwet in silence and solitude so long. There was no bed in the house. Both slept on the floor, on these grass-flled sacks of the German woman's manufac- ture. The front room was absolutely bare. In the kitchen were the bareSt ne cessities, and the room where the wife died contained d chair or two and these sacks of grass. But there were books, many of them. And this fact makes peo- pie who knew the Heins in better days recall the fact that Hans Hein's German is pure and absolutely correct; that his scrupulously honest man; that his writ ing and his manner of speech have al- ways been those of a cultivated gentle man.
 The gossips are trying to account for the peculiar lives of these two. They say that Hein is well connected in Hamburg. family quarrel has estranged him from his people there and from the world. The most probable story is the other version that the awful curse of insanity rests upon the Hein family. A son and a daughter are inmates of an asylum now. Another son attempted suicide once not Hans Hein's first born succeeded in talk ing his own life. Since that time these two old people have lived in a solitude almost as complete as though they lived there are rumors that poor, lonely Cath erine Hein succumbed, too, to the mental maladv and then Hans, in addition to the housekeeping cares, had the burden of weak minded wife.
 Hans Hein has been a character down in South San Francisco for years. Slight; short, pale, with long dark hair and beard fast growing gray, wearing white gloves of that same knitted cord that Catherine had used for the. sleeping bags and even for curtains in the queer little place, carrying upon his shoulder the sacks full of provisions he preferred not to have delivered at his place, he pre- he appeared upon the street with his trousers covered with that same white network, which seemed to be a passion of tested. Once the butcher, when he cut the dollars worth of meat Hein bought weekly, asked casually Well, hGwS tbdro the And once shop keeper asked him what part of Germany he came, from.
 Il do not ask you where you come from" he answered gravely. That Is my own business"
 After that he forswore all but the dis erect, kindly grocer. Through him his cated with the world when it was abso- lutely necessary. Of late years Hein has refused to receive letters. So the letters bill was due the collector coming over the neglected yard where the grass grows thick would find the door opened just long dollar owed. He didn't know whether it was a mans or a womans hand. Not word was spoken and the transaction was repeated month after month. The front
 
 only to the grocer. You may go down to Bay View to-day, and you may knock till you're weary, but the Hide cottage will remain quite quiet, seemingly unoccu- pied. Even in his dealings with the one man he trusted Hein was as laconic as possible. He would bring to the store a correctly written invoice with the articles and prices. He would nod a good morri- ing to the proprietor, present his invoice. pay his bill and leave. Though their house was so unfurnished. the odd couple permitted themselves some small luxu- ries. Hein would bring home beer and wine, and he enjoyed a cigar. He never accepted the smallest favor. He never demurred at prices.
 The grocer has generously offered him credit till the delayed remittance shall ar rive. He Is confident that the debt will be repaid.
 All this strange man asked of the world was that he should be left alone This wish has now been granted more fully than he expected. For the death of his wife has left the man pitifully alone He wept bitterly when her body was taken from the strange home, but he did not come up to San Francisco to see his com panion put into her grave. The thought of the curious eyes and tongues he would meet was too great an ordeal So Cath crime was buried in the city and her hus- band shut himself up in the solitude of the strange house He will continue to live there. he has told the one man to whom he will speak. The only difference will be that Bay View will have one her inct of fyxrn hut +l.o