The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1903-06-10
MONEY IN HIS CHEST.
Nearly $500 Found in the Chest of
Hermit Charles w. Beals.

Charles W. Beals. the hermit of
Washington avenue. whose actions
have been the cause of great deal
of public comment during the past
several months, and who was APP
pretended by Sheriff Schueller, on
warrant prepared for the purpose,
was adiudged insane and ordered
committed to the St. Peter hospital
on Tuesday afternoon of last week.
He was taken to the hospital on the
following day.
Before he was taken TO St. Peter
Mr.. Beals went to his hermit quar-
tiers and opening chest he informed
the officers that there was a great
deal of money in the same The
funds were in small bags aud
wallet was taken to the probate
Judges Office where a count was
made. This revealed total sum of
81 $500, of which 1902 was in gold,
one gold certificate for $500, and
the balance in currency, the ten
cents'being the old Acknowledgements
ment script piece.
This money was held by Judge
Evans until Thursday, when
Charles W. Mead chairman Of the
board of county commissioners, was
appointed a special guardian under
the probate laws, and after be gave
the necessary BONDS the money was
turned over to him for investment
and safe keeping.
One of Mr.. BealsT eccentrlcities
was that he refused topay the taxes
on his hermit home, a house and
two lots, where he raised practi-
cally everything he ate. When the
assessor came around be always in
sisted that the place belonged to
the government, and as such was
exempt from taxation, and that he
was simply holding possession of
the place for the government, prov
ing that enough could be raised on
the tract to furnish the necessities
for one man. AS result the tax
certificates on the place were pur-
chased by j. V. McGettrick, now
residing in Minneapolis, who was
about to commence the proper pro-
ceedings, it is alleged, to clear his
title to the place. The special guar
dian has already placed this matter
in the handle of Bowers &ssHoward,
with instructions to tender the back
taxes, and commence suit to recover
the title for Mr.. Beals. This may
be done without litigation.
The patient seemed to have been
getting worse quite'rapidly during
the past few months. He has been
walking around, either with an old
army musket, to which was attached
a bayonet dagger kept as sharp as
a razor, on his shoulder, or with
two or three revolvers and this bay
onet dagger, in cartridge belt kept
| filled with cartridges, and at times
with both. In this manner he has
been the means of frightening many
ladies', and number of mothers
with some fear for their.lchildren,
thinking that the old fellow migL t
do something fatal while in a sudden
fit. For two or three weeks prior
/ to his commitment he has patroled
the avenue in his neighborhood at a
late hour of night, insisting on
: ladies and gentlemen stalking an
other route, having badly fright
( ened one lady in 0particular. On
Decoration Day, when the old sol
: diers were out on dress parade,
t and attending their annual duty OF
observing national day, Mr..
Beals, armed cap-a-pie, marched
the sidewalks along the line sof pa
t rade, and insisted on the right-of-
way. He took a particular delight
in acting as a Waterman 0for the
{ Hayes-Lucas lumber yard on that
! day, as we'll as one or two other
occasions, and once Agent Baker
I had hard time to convince,k him