The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1906-08-09
STORY OF LOVE AND MURDER
REVEALED BY HERMIT'S DEATH
Queer Character of Whom, tile Was KnotOn Dies in
Montana Cabin kits RiUal IN Germany and
Fees to Anlerca
'ees to Aner.ca.

Twin Bridges, Mont.-Letters and
papers discovered in rusty old tin
box hidden beneath board In the
floor of little old weatherbeaten,
mountainside not far from here tell
one of the strangest stories that has
come to light in this region in many
years.
The story is of an eccentric old her
nit who died in the cabin In which
the papers ana letters were dscov.
cred. The name OF this hermit was
Roscoe Oyerhardt. For years before
he died overhardt lived alone in the
little old cabin and wandered over
the mountains hereabout In quest of
game and gold.
1t was always supposed by those
who knew him, or rather by those who
saw him, for no one hereabouts knew
him, that Overhardt was mentally un-
balanced and that he was extremely
poor, In the twenty-odd years that he
made his home In the little old cabin
on the mountainside he never spoke
OF his own free will to any person,
never raised his eyes to look into
those of man or woman with whom
he met face to face and never bought
groceries or clothing at a store In
Twin Bridges or any other town In
this part of Montana.
The furniture in the one room of his
nah .,f tha rvt
clothing upon the old mans back was
shabbier than the furniture in his
cabin. A dog was the hermit's only
friend and companion. For the dog he
seemed to cherish a deep, warm af-
fection, while the faithful animals
love for him was well-nigh human in
its tenderness and constancy.
The strange, silent old man fell i'll
few weeks ago in his shabby little
cabin on the mountain side and could
not leave his bed thereafter No one
knew he was Ill until the day he died,
when prospector, happening to pass
that way, stopped at his door to ask
for drink of water and found him
dying. Before doctor could be
reached the hermit went to his final
rest.
A careful search of the dead mans
cabin brought to light a rusty tin box
containing few gold coins and the
letters and papers which tell in part
the story of his life before he came
west to spend his declining years in
loneliness.
Roscoe Overhardt was born in Ger
many, according to the story these
letters and papers tell. His father
was well-to-do merchant in Berlin
and he gave his son a university edu-
cation, intending him to adopt the pro
fession OF medicine. In his student
days young Overhardt paid court to
pretty Katherine Meller and finally
won her consent to marry him.
Katherine Meller had had another
suitor before she met Overhardt. His
name was Matthew Schoenfeldt, and
he belonged to dignifed family at
Frankfort. Schoenfeldt flew into
high passion when he learned of Miss
Meller's engagement to Overhardt,
sought out the girls accepted lover
and picked quarrel with him In
the quarrel Overhardt stabbed Schoen-
feldt. who died of his wounds soon
afterward revealing the Identity of his
slayer.
Overhardt well-night crazed with
grief, went Immediately to his sweet
heart and confessed his crime to her.
She begged him to fee to the United
States. promising to join him in this