The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1906-08-16
STORY OF LOVE AND MURDER
REVEALED BY HERMIT'S DEATH
Queer Character of Whom Little Was Knoton Dies in
Montana Cabin Kills RiOoi in Germany and
Fees to America.

Twin Bridges. Mont - .etters end
box hidden beneath board In the
aoor Of little old weather beaten.
dilapidsteA timers cabin c'inging To
a moantalnsiGe net far from here tell
one ~ The strangest stories that has
con,. 10 isht in this region In many
years
TIE story n Ut an sec.ntrie old her
fnit sho died In the cabin In which
the papers and letters were discov
erred. The name OF tails hermit was
Roscoe Oyefhnrdt For years before
he did Overland lived alone In the
little old eahin and wandered over
the mountains heraabout In quest Of
game and gold
II was always supposed by those
Who knew him. or rather BY those who
saw him. for no one hereabouts knew
aim. that Overheard was mentally un-
balanced and thst he was extremely
poor la The t~enty.odd years that he
made his horne Ia the little old cabin
On the mountainside he never spoke
NJ his own free will to any person.
never raised his eyea 10 look iato
those Of man or woman with whom
he met face 70 face and never bought
groceries or clothing At store In
Twin bridges or any other town In
this part 81 Montana
The furniture Ia the one room of his
rabin WIS Of the maanest sort The
rlothiug upon the old mans back was
shabbier than the furniture In his
cabin. A dog was the hermit's only
friend aud companion For the dog he
scemed 10 cherish a deep. warm af.
fectiou. while the faithful animals
love for him was weIlnigh human In
its tenderness ana consistency.
The strange. silent old man fell III
few weeks ago Ia his shabby little
cabin on tbs mountain aide aud could
not leave bis bad thereafter. No one
knew se was III until the dag be died.
when 4 proApeetoF. happening 20 pass
that way. stopped nj his door to ask
Tor a drink OF water and found him
dying. Itefore doctor could be
reached tho hermit went 10 his final
rest
A careful search ~ the dead mans
cabin brought 20 light a rusty tin box
containing few gold coins and the
letters aud papers which tell In part
tho story Of his life before he came
west 10 spend his declining years In
loneliness.
Roscoe Osorhardt was born In Ger,
nany. according TO the story these
letters and papers tell. His father
was = weiito.du merchant In Berlin
and he gave HIS son university edt.
cation. intending him To adopt the pro.
fession Of medicine. In his student
days young oyerbardt paid court to
pretty Katherine Meller. and finally
woa her consent 70 marry him.
Katherine Meller had had another
suitnr before she met overhardt. His
name was Matthew schoenfeidt. and
no belonged TO . dignified family ut
rranksort Sehocnfeidt few Into a
high passion when he learned OF Miss
Melier's engagement 10 Overheard.
soa9ht out the girls accepted lover
and picked quarrel with him. In
tho quarrel overhardt stabbed schoea-
feidt. who died of his wounds soon
afserward revealing the identity Of his
slayer.
overhsrsit. weil.night craxed with
grief. vent immediately to his sweet
hcart and confessed his crime TO her.
She begged him to dee 10 IN. United
States, promising to ioln him in this