Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-06-22
SWAN LAKES HERMIT.
Recluse Of Forty Years Lives by Hunting
And TrapinQ

And Trapping.
, Stunning the society of his fellow
men and content with the uneventfu
life of recluse, John Walters, tht
hermit of Swan lake, inhabited a cave
on lonely island for nearly 40 years
Only recently was anything learned Of
his antecedents, but discoveries made
by a resident of Nicollet village show
tlat at one time brilliaat career ws {
!, o pen to him.
II Walter, or "Old Walters y as he is
known throughout the western end of
Nicollet county, appeared at Swan
lake right after the close of the Civil
War. He came unannOunced and his
arrival was not witnessed. One
summer morning farmer rowing a
boat across the lake saw an evil-visag-
ed person, for Walters has counter.
ance shat is singularly repulsive, EN-
erge from the cave. but the man had
no greeting and the farmer was in no
wise anxious to strike up an acquaint-
ance. He spread the report of the
strangers presence and subsequently
the man was seen by many persons.
Finally curiosity prompted h is neigh
bors to send a delegation to the island.
but their interview with the hermit
was far from satisfactory. They found
him sullenly reserved. He fatly re-
fused to answer questions concerning
himself and would not enlighten his
visitors as to his future intentions be.
yOnd assuring them that he intended
to remain in the home he had selected.
After the failure of their mission |
Swan lake people were compelled to
accept Walters for what be was. Many |
were the cOnjectures concerning his /
history and in some quarters there
was a suspicion that he was despe-
rate criminal hiding from the law.
Confirmation of this theory never ma
however, and in time Wal.
ters came to be known as partially
creature, whose eccentrici-
ties were harmless.
In the years that have elapsed the
solitary lnhabitant of "Walters' is
and" has eked out an existence for
himself by hunting and trapping, bis
earnings being sufficient for his simple
leeds. Except for occasional trips to {
New Ulm, where his provisions were l
purchased, he religiously avoids settled
and for months at time q
will not appear on the mainland nor
how himself to his neighbors. Sew !
raj years ago he conceived the idea I
hat an attempt was being made to e
Vrest his island from him and he fire. q
uently prevented parties from landing l
y threatening them with bis gun. "
Walters is no longer suspicious of s
trangers, however, and seldom offers b
0 molest them. In the fall his island +
) favorite shooting spot Tor duck 8
unters, many of whom come from the t
win cities, and the hermit generally b
yes On the best of terms with the y
pOrtsmen.
A short time ago business man of a
Jicollet learned something of the her /;
lit's early life. While visiting In one II
f the smaller towns of Western New a
.ork he was told the pitiful story of
oung man named ohm Walters. Left n
n orphan at an early age, the boy II
luckily worked his way through school tt
nd an academy. entered bank and p
] time became Its cashier. a
When President Lincoln called for u
olunteers in 1861 be was one of the "
rst to respond, helping to raise COM a
any. On one of the battlefields of the
outh he was struck down by a burst
1g shell, reported as killed and q
lourned as dead in h is native village.
Nothing further was heard of him {.
ntil the closing of a war, when he ap- s
cared at his old home, ragged and un 1,
empt. So multiated was he by his b
rounds that it was only with difficulty II
g was recognized by his former ac- e
and the weakened state of n
is mind would not allow him to give b
connected account of the disaster
hat had Overtaken him. For few
,onths he was supported by charity,
ut suddenly be disappeared and no
race of him was ever afterward OBJ .,
aimed. VI
Nicollet people are firmly convinced IL
hat the unfortunate bank cashier and y
ivan lakes hermit are one and the T
anne persOn.-Chicago Chronicle. \