New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-05

over toward the East as far as the Rhode Island
line. But this cannot be verified He visited tho
Centennial Exhibition in PHILADELPHIA in 1876
walking every step Of the way there and back,
as ne never rode on steamboats, or trains except
when compelled to do so when crossing rivers.
Boot was always In evidence at every cele-
bration along the Hudson River He never
missed a hremen's or military turnout, and gen.
orally dressed in gorgeous suit Of red or blue
and white striped awning stuff. Arriving at the
scene OF the celebration he lost time In
mounting a horseback or truck and beginning
the delivery OF a public address. Some years ago
ne visited Albany during celebration in that
city, and while delivering an address, the splr-
den or which was his desire to see factory
started in Kingston or Saugerties for the manu-
facture OF greenbacks so that all the people
might have money whenever they wanted It. tho
police broke through the crowd and demanded
his license for street-preaching or course, he
was only poor unatic and knew nothing about
permits or licenses, and he was accordingly
locked up. company OF firemen from Pough-
keepsie who were at Albany secured his release
and brought him home with them. Since that
day the nearest he would go to Albany was
across the river at Greenbush.
The shanty whore Boot lived Is like
museum Of antiquities. Everything that a crazy
man would be expected to pick up be found
within. 1t is lined with shelves, which stand
hundreds OF tin fruit cans and bottles filed
with pebbles. leaves, pieces Of rock, old buttons
and what not His bed was box OF rags and
the ornaments Of his shanty were pictures cut
from illustrated papers Of so long ago that they
are forgotten Among the pictures plastered up
in the interior Of his cabin are several Of Jenny
Lind.
HUNDRED BY THE NEIGHBORs "
Boot" considered perfectly harmless
among his ncighbors. They humored his belief
that he owned several acres Of ground around
his cabin, and they provided him with potatoes
and apples which he stored in hole In the
ground under his shanty. He never worked be-
cause he too rich, but he stopped every ono
that passed and levied toll on him in the shape
Of few pennies. He fondly imagined that he
had been visited by ex-President Harrison. and
never tired Of talking OF that distinguished ciu-
zen. lie thought that it would be a good thin6
TO have Il greenback factory established near hi1
shanty.
The writer visited Boot shortly before his
death. and was RECALLED with a story Of his love
experience with Jenny Lind He told how a.
the first night he saw her he bought one hun
drcd tickets 10 the concert and took that num-
Der Of people, whom he picked up on the side
walk. In TO hear the great singer. This is said
TO be fact. and when il brought to the
attention OF Miss Lind she is said to have sent
a substantial check to his parents. Boot"
talked about Jenny Lind with voubty that
was surprising but when Herr Goldschmidt
who married the great singer, mentioned
he scowled and clenched his fists threateningy.
The outside Of the shanty where this strange
being lived is laced from all directions with
pieces OF Irvine, which he said were telephone
wires to the White House at Washington
Boot" was stanch Republican in politics.
and was president emeritus OF the DR.. George
F. Shrady Republican club. named after the
New York physician, who has country seat
near by The flag which DR.. Shrady presented
to the club during the recent campaign now
floats at half mast from the lot near "Boots'
shanty in memory. as he said Of Abe" Lin
coin.
Boot" when he died. was over seventy years
old The young lawyers whose practical Joke
upset this mans reason all lived to become dis
tinguished men. They all dead now. and
the victim OF their pcasantries is now dead also.
The neighbors about his hermitage did not see
him suffer from want. and when he died he re-
cciyed "A respectable burial