The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-06


failed to come back or send
word of his whereabouts, everybody
thought he was dead, particularly as
a dead body, identified as his, was
picked UP in the Sacramento River
about fortnight afterward. The body
was duly buried, and in course of time
the Abbott estate, amounting to some
100000, was distributed according to
law.
But everybody happened to be wrong,
in spite of the circumstantial evidence
that tended to show Abbott's demise,
for. the man is still alive, old and gray,
but yet hale and hearty. For thirty
wears he has lived the life of a hermit
in the wilds of a Marin County redwood
forest.
TIE fact that Abbott was alive was
accidentally discovered a short time
ago by a former neighbOr, who hap
pened to be hunting in the vicinity of
the old mans lonely cabin and recog-
nized him. At first Abbott denied his
identity, but finally admitted the truth
The story of Abbott's disappearance,
his immurement in the depths OF the
( forest, his discovery and his reasons Tor
forsaking the world, makes one Of the
strangest and most mysterious MARIA
tives in the annals of California
The story the neighbors tell about
Abbott is to the effect that thirty years
ago he was the Deputy County Sur
veyor of Contra Costa County. He got
into trouble and disappeared from his
home, leaving considerable valuable
property. which in time was contscated
to the State.
For the greater part Of thirty years
Abbott has lived in a hollow REDWOOD
tree. His mode of life was very lonely
and for weeks and weeks hS WoulQ not
speak to q living being his hout "
living gained for him the name OF 1he
Crazy Man of LagunitaS Creek: Bui
the old man cared naught for thls' an
he wished was to be let alone me
nav he had of loading himself down
with a small arsenal when asgrleFeu
had the effect Of securing MN dsdlllss
1nolestation OF any kind, ana ne n . tcu
until a few months ago in this primitive
fashion. earning a livelihood by cutting
wood with never a thought expressed
ebout the property he abandoned.
The story Of this mans life was nrsl
told me by a friend. He was taking
with a companion one day, W4eh Tie
latter suddenly remarked: 10 you
know that l had strange experience
to-day? l saw man alive VINO oIeu
+hfr+v wears ago. That may seem
strange. but 1t is true. The man was
supposed to have been buried. VIII
tell you all about 1t.
The story which this friend then un.
folded was to the effect that aoout
thirty wears ago he had lived In An
ficrch. Contra Costa County, ana was
well acquainted with the county sur
vevor. James Abbott, and his brotner
Henry Hazen Abbott. The latter Hlleo
the position of deputy to his brother
. will n
even then past middle age one day
man named Gilchrist went home, talked
with his wife, then grabbed revolver
and hunted up Abbott. Gilchrist sho'
at Abbott while he was running away
and cut away part on ms ear ABDUL
never came back.
A few DAYS after his disappearance
the body of a man was washed upor
the banks of the Sacramento River. anc
identified as that Of Abbott His funera
was largely attended and from that DAY
to this none of those present has haC
the last doubt that he is resting quietly
under the sod. What was the surprise
and bewilderment of the relator of the
tale to run across Abbott face to race
while hunting on the Lagunitas Creek
two miles south of Camp Taylor. The
old fellow prOfessed TO be glad to see
his acquaintance, and said he was ig-
norant of the fact that for thirty years
everybody believed him dead an6
buried. He chuckled on being told thi;
and remarked that he might be buried
but he was long way from being dead
and would probably live to hear of the
death of many that thought him out OF
the way"
/ determined to see the old man II
person and learn his past history from
his own lips. I started for the spot or
Iagunitas Creek described by the hun.
fer and soon reached the wood cutters
- camps Sure enough there stood the
hollow stump, the stone fireplace ant
the ruins OF Abbott's shanty. 1t HAD
evidently been torn down but a shor
period before in order to let the roat
be constructed onward up the canyon
Old Steve" Steadman. the foreman o.
''boss'' of the Howard Shafter 81 Com
pany estate, came over from shant.