The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-03
BENEATH The CANOPY
Of Heaven Harry Herbine of
Guthrie DWelIS.
HAS WAITED FOR YEARS
For Uncle Sam TO Give Him
Half, of East Guthrie.

Guthrie o. T., August 2.-Henry Her
bine slept in an open street in East
Guthrie all Of last night after elevn years
Of watching and waiting for what he
| imagines is due him as the rightful own
er OF the north half of what is known as
East Guthrie, says the Capital here.
Around him were piled by the roadside
all the personal property-scant it is true
but it represents his bachelor belong
ings in an old carpenter shop during his
! years Of waiting.
| Henry Herbine came to Guthrie at the
| opening. He is a carpenter by trade but
has worked but little during the past few
years. How he lives is a mystery. I'M
| less, as is centrally supposed, he re-
ceives money from some relative, sup
posedly a brother, in the east During
his residence here he has lived alone IN
the carpenter shop on North Oak street,
on the rear end Of a lot owned by Dr..
J. L Hiatt, between Cleveland and Noble
avenues. His goods can now be seen sit
ting by the road side where Herbine
claims he will continue to I've.
During the past eleven years this &C.
ership Of the north half Of East Guthrie.
He fully believes that he is right and
states that his contest was filed years
ago before the departments but that no
action was ever taken. His tale was
very pitiful and ELECTS at once the SYM
patty of all hearers, who as a rule be-
lieve him TO be OF simple mind, possibly.
1t is said even verging on insanity. He
is entirely harmless, kind, patient-ever
waiting and waiting for Uncle Sam to
recognize and restore him to his rights
There is nothing known OF Herbine's
life prior to coming to Guthrie Inquir-
les have been made, but with no success.
Friends, kind in their intentions. have
spent much time in trying to urravel
the mystery, but all in vain. He did
own, practically, several pieces Of real
estate, but in the past few years has
lost them all through tax sales and such
like negligence. He claims that his prop
erty, having never been proved up, is
still Uncle Sans that he should owe no
taxes and that his land has been taken
Illegally from him.
The records st the land office show no
instance Of any contest on the land ever
having been filed by Herbine and this
fact at first led to the suspicion that his
talk in regard to such mStters is but the
result Of a wandering brain. Now he is
helpless, physically and otherwise. He Is
possibly 10 years old and TO all appear
ances Is a bachelor. He Is not able to
work and his neighbors fear that his
mind is not strong enough to make him
capable Of knowing how to work
During his residence in the one-room
shop, he has been a charge on DR. Hiatt,
whose kindness has allowed the poor
fellow to live there. The doctor desires
now to improve the property and It was
necessary to take steps to remove the
long time resident. Consequently the
goods were removed from the building to
the roadside and Herbine is sleeping out
under the stars, still waiting, he says
for Uncle Sam to give him his rights
He is determined that the lot on which
he resided is his, as are al surrounding
it, and he will camp by the roadside
watching his claim.
What will be done with Herbine is a
question. The idea prevails that court
Of inquiry should determine it and Il he
is found to be incapable of caring fer
himself, then a home Of refuge will be
provided His case is exciting great in
terest in East Guthrie.