The sun., 1903-02-01
BRAHMIN DIES, SELF STARVED.
SHEPPARD SOCGHT TO PROVE
THAT FOOD WAS NEEDLESS.

Well.ts.Do. but . Recluse fer Three Years
-Feared Eject Of Opposite influence "
. Doctor We're CalIed-Had Tried
Twice Before 70 Prove His Theory.
Joseph William Sheppard, who for the
last three years had been living AZ recluse
At 1Ss West Eighty-third street. died there
yesterday Of etarvation. Sheppard called
himself a Brahnin. and his death was due
not 10 poverty. but TO his effort to prove
that the true believer In Brahma could live
without food for the body.
His case became known through the
report OF his physician. DR.. Julian p. Thomas
Of 20 West Ninety y-fourth street, to the Board
of Health. The report said:
ENCLOSED you will nnd . death certhcst,e 4,
note that say he died from ,Tn Iarvathd3n, ids, a
end hung on to them very tensri9usy: y:c,5ed 5ol
ss nos nss ss e1ffiy hsnds nS~ sng ed
to get him to eat. but 1t was utterly IN possible
70 persuade hin, to do 40, lie continued s.n, me
"Iai Nh. friends and relatives tried to get him
to eat. but nc would nov; Inan r, ,noy 70 tat a
food.
Sheppard, who was e4 years old. was born
in CJunty Kent. England. According to
his son, William, who lives at the hotel
Endico,t, Mr.. sheppard came to America
soon after the close OF the Civil War and
went to st. Louis. where he married anu
where three children. William. harriet
and Helen. were born to him.
In the course u time he has been car
rage manufacturer, a publisher and an H..
ventor. According to his son he invented
4 patent window prescribed In freproof
buildings in this city and recently began TO
enjoy a large income from II.
INV father said william Sheppard
to Suv reporter last night, was Brah-
min. II. considered himself above ordi-
nary thinkers and didn't hesitate to say
so For fifteen years he was an extreme
vegetarian and has written many manu-.
scIipts on that subject. OIL Spiritualism AID
on Rrahminism. ! dent know what he
wrote. for whenever ! asked him about
these things he waved me away and said:
'.Your brain is too small to comprehend
sWs came here from ST. Louis ten years
ago My father married In 1873 and my
mother died five years ago. For the last
three wears my father has been living the
life OF a recluee. he had three small rooms
In an apartment kept by a Mrs. Madden
At 80 West Lighty-third street. He had
few friends aud very few people called
on him.
lie went TO church at least once every
Sunday, going to all sorts OF Christian
,hurchee with inpartia!ity. He scorneo
Christian Science as fraud and Chris
tianity he regarded as merely stepping
.tolIe 10 8 ,iritual'sm and that again III
np-olr stepping stone 10 brahm'nisn,;
.There Is no question that my father
starved TO death. Brahmins. understand.
do that. Al least one hears OF such cases
every once In a while
Two year. ago. according TO Or. Thomae
AID the son. Sheppard tired to prove that
he was able TO live without eating. Al that
lime DR.. Thomas was called In and he per
suaded Mr. Sheppard to eat year ago
be tried it againwith the came result
Ten or twelve days ago the old man started
in on another fast. His son and daughters
learned Of fis attempt and tried to dssuede
him but when they gathered around his
bedsidc--for ne was then weak and had
taken to hie bed-he ordered them sway
Don't bring me food lie said. i
don't want il. Don't bring me a doctor.
for that would create an opposite stmos-
phere and would d e at once.
On Thursday, however. Dr. Thomas was
called In. He tried In vain to make his
oatient take any nourishmsnt. but Mr.:
Sheppard refused TO take even the Juice OF
an orange, Ut. INC Hds NlcH W'u WI
Shoppard's children that their father had
gone too far this time to recover.
On Friday night the stubborn old reciuse
becane unconscious. Then the doctor
succeeded in getting . cloth soaked with
water into his mouth. hoping this would
prolony his life. The water. however, did
not suffice to revive him, and he diec al
o'clock yesterday morning.
@A.r S.,-r ara diu not Leiofig to the ordi-
nary run Of isi,ualists and IN uRht him
81 above tnem,' said Dr.. Thomas last
night. He had he icf Of his own and
lived up to it. A fow yeere ago had
.uss with him when told him he must eat
,ersuaded him to take sone nourinhment
And eucceeded in getting him on his .eet.
I his time, however. he refused to take
,ny food whatever. Tie vas a highly edu-
Gated man.
DR.. Tn mass certificate Of Mr., Shep-
osrd'e death was referred TO the Coroner
who will make an investigation. The
runeral, according to the old mans son
sill be he'd to-day.