Bisbee daily review., 1907-08-07
FARMER HERMIT DYING AMID
 SQUALOR
For Twenty Years He Held a Shack Under Which He De- clared Was Rich Gold Mine. Refused to Sell.

LOS ANGELES. Aug. 6.-The Her init of Laurel Canyon has It last met his match.
 For twenty years Prof" C.. F. Wat son has lived in little old shack at the head of the beautiful canyon back of Hollywood, and has resisted all the attractions of civilization and all the inducements of persons wto wanted to purchase the ground upon which he lives, but now he lies helpless upon his back and with hear.-rendiag moans admits that he is dying-..ying alone and amid horrible surroundings This morning HollySOo1 livery man will go to the hovel vita a wagon and under instructions fIom Super intendent Stewart of the Associated Charities, will take the dying old her init to the county hospital. where cen the hand of charity may adj sarmth to the chill Df death.
 Yesterday a young couf:la. seeking 5 the beauty and solitude of Laurel can yon, came upon the miserable abode of the hermit. The door was open, and led by the distressing groans that reached their ears far down the can yon they approached the place, only
 
 TOT of the place.
 Watson was found lying upon a filthy bunk. his arms outstretched and his eyes staring skyward. He was un- able to move, but the noise of persons approaching had given him power to shake off the deathlike stiffness that had enshrouded, him for how many days nobody knows, and he groaned: Tin dying" repeating it over and over, in a loud and Respondent wall.
 The young lady, who had dared to look in at the open door, was startled by the sight and nastiness, but she was neither frightened nor diseoncert- ed.
 She happens to be a trained nurse, and could not, if she would. resist the call of humanity She heroically tuck ed up her sleeves, and, with the aid of her companion, raised the old man up, removed some of the filth and made him as comfortable as possible. He was given wine and some of the lunch they had taken for themselves, and when they departed the remaind- CT was placed at his hand, so that he might help himself
 Watson has for years talked to such persons as could draw him into con- versation of attempts to poison him in order that others might secure the rich gold mine that he declares under lies his shack This and other things have given everybody the impression that the hermit is not only eccentric, but crazy
 When talking to the nurse yester. day. however, he had remarkable gleams of intelligence on the subject of death. He talked, not only ration ally. but brightly. and in good lan- gUage expresses the belief that he was about to die He called attention to the swelling of his limbs, and said that he regarded that as an evidence that his time had come.
 Watson formerly came into the city occasionally, but be has not now been here for many months, and has de- pended largely for subsistence upon the generosity of Sunday excursion ists into the canyon. Some carried ! provisions especially for him, while ] others gave him what was left He l has also been furnished with needfuI i things through a man named Edwards | at Hollywood. but there has been no | one to look after him lately.
 Watson has existed as a hermit so | long that nobody seems to know just | who he is or where he came from, | but he has shown evidences of educa- tion and refinement that have caused | the title of professor" to stick to | him. His supposed ownership of land | in the canyon is also said to be myth | ical as he has merely been a squat | ter prospector. After while he got | so old that he could no longer delve ! among the rocks and he just contin- I ued to exist in the old haunts
 The young lady nurse who so hu- namely soothed the old mans pillow less head yesterday gives it as her l opinion that he is about 90 years of age.
 ntIcK AND NuFNH nANCINC