The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-05
4 HBRMII'S QUEER ABODE
Evicted From a Building. He Lives
Between Roof and Ceiling.

3!Oved an Entire Engraving Plant
and His Cooking Utensils to the
Place without the Landlords
Observation-Disclosures Accidental.
PHILADELPHIA. June 5-Evictel early
in april from the Offices he had leased on
the third story OF IL Walnut Street. Harry
Dickson was discovered yesterday in full
possession Of that part Of the building
lying between the roof and the ceiling of
the top floor In this attic. which at its
highest point would only permit a small
man to sit erect. Dickson h. -.-.s. - -
entire engraving plant from the third floor.
and was living there at ms ease unknown
To the landlord A small stove was con
nccted to the chimney. and fully ton
OF coal for it was spread over the floor
Here the mysterious hermit had lived
rent free for two months. only going out
early in the mornings To set his mail.
which was sent to him under another
name at the general delivery Of the cam
den postofice.
The discovery of DigkSou'S queer abiu-
ing place was purely accidental DIT. Eu-
gene . Baughan, of 2s3 Pine Street, has
charge of the building at III Walnut
Street representing the estate of 5 y.
Lar-e- Learning that the roof leaked. ne
employed a ro0fer 20 make the necessary
repairs. p Berman examined the roof on
Monday and found that d large square
hole had been cut in it, but afterward
nailed UP. the Crannies being filed with
plaster OF Paris. No especial Importance
was attached to the discovery, however,
and Berman went on with RS repairs
When the rOofer and his son, Harry,
climbed up to their work yesterday morn
ing their attention was attracted to the
immense amount of stuff piled IN the shall
low attic SIX hve-gaIIon oil cans We're
first noticed, and then a very peculiar
smell
Let see what is in here" said the
younger Berman, with the curiosity Of
youth Deciding to investigate. the two
men CrawIed on their hands and knees
into the almost Pitchy darkness As their
eyes grew more accustomed to the light
they saw d stove, many slass-stoppered
bottles. and finally a printing press
Harry Berman attempted to pick up the
press.
Never mind that: III take care Of it."
suddenly came from a darker corner Of
the attic, and the two roofers fell back
in dismay- Thinking that they had run
across a burglar. Harry climbed out on
the roof and yelled Police while his
father kept guard below
a policeman who was passing on 4 Wal
nut-StTeet car. jumped of and 1t once ran
upstairs. Back in the Iunerm0st recssses
of the attic could be seen the faure of =
man wrapped up in a quilt He at first
refused to come out Of his hiding place.
but being threatened with a bullet finally
crawled over 20 the policeman. who placed
him under arrest
The prisoner turned out to be Harry
Dickson the former tenant of the third
floor Doing business as the VuIcarIte
Engraving Company. ne hired the entire
IHlTd story about q year ago Dickson
mace eng stNltlSS on copper or wood. and
also largely advertised d new process. us
ing TulcauiZcd rubber as q base He ran
behind with his rent. and finally was
told ne had better leave Suddenly his
STOCK IN trade GISa TFy.eared and tn. en-
SFaFeT WIS seen no more, so Dr. BaUgHan
concluded he had moved away 10 another
place.
It Is difficult to see how a man could
stay SO long amid such peculiar surround
InES- The attic Is only three feet high.
making Il necessary for 4 man TO crawl
over the dusty timbers as he goes along.
At only one point is II possible for one
to SIT upright. Yet Dickson certainly tried
TO make himself cOmforta BILE For
warmth be had Two small stoves. with
pipe connections leading into the chin
Gey- = bundle of rag CARPET made q bed
and an oil lamp furnished IIgnt Here he
worked at his business of making en-
cravings Having all rs tools. acids and
a press he was able to III all orders Just
as well rs when he was on the third
story
Nearly all the business Of the Vulcanfte
Engraving Company was done through
the mails. and II was necessary for Dick
son TO get his letters He is supposed TO
have done this by soliciting orders under
the name ana address Of j Werner
4 81 q. "a EF.gr at g.
sharp a man closely answering his de-
ScTipJiOu called at the general delivery
WINDOW Of the Camden postofdce and Oh
tanned mail for j Werner Many Of these
letters, containing orders for cuts were
found IN the attic. and some Of them are
ful OF complaints about the Hon-arTiTaI Of
goods ordered
Dickson was taken TO the Central Sta
tion, WHORE Magistrate Cunningham held
MIN II 800 To appear at court on the
charge of TraSDEzS. Thinking that rJ-SSI-
eaTthed. Captain Miller sent detectives 70
investigate the contents Of the attic They
had hard time. crawling through the
narrow place and several times just CS-
capped falling through the piGsTeTFd ceiling
into the room beneath
\ rough inventory Of the stuff in the
attic showed that il contained two coal
stoves set up ready for use enough chem
Icals % stock "a pGarmacy- five umbrellas
a ton Of coal two lamps eating and cook
Ing utensils. a large printing press. q stock
Of clothing, six cans fun of Kerosene.
seven bottles OF BeHZiuc and q large sup
ply of miscellaneous papers
one OF the most geCEIaE finds was that
Dickson had been experimenting or n
novel idea for Matching chickens He
rad taken dozen V.iL--mOUJLed Jars
and filed them with EGGS packed in ex-
herTnetzaally sealed with wax and they
hid been placed Jy Dickson on the roof
nea- the chimney, with the idea that the
joint heat of the sun and stove discharge
EtEtG ErTrl the Invest