Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-02-15
PIANO BOX HOME
SCHOLAR HERMIT
NEW WORKERS ARE AMAZED ~
The DISCOVERY.
Aged Mans Strange Abode Concaliee
Five Years-Flnd French Classic.
Among Miscellaneous Junk.

NEW YORK, y. Y.--IIow Geerfe
Colby, known ia Eas. Ae,r YOU. as
The Vermont street hermit" hyeC IN
Il combination raCAils case and piano
boz hut for five years IS revealed by
lis removal to the Kings County Hos
pital on an order issued by The de-
partment Of public charities.
The disclosures THAI followed his
removal amazed policemen and neigh
bogs, who for the first time N twenty
Two years invaded his vacant tot and
picked their way along lanes that
were bofd red by heaps OF junk. in
Guiding partly burned timbers and TIE
copper bottoms OF WI. h boilers.
The examination OF the premises re-
vealed the life o. twentieth century
hermit who refused to permit the ad.
vancins boundaries OF city TO in
,rude on his privacy. The lot in which
lie lived was protected from The sight
OF the curious by high fence
Policemen and neighbors who knew
Colby'S hut lay somewhere behind the
high peek proof fence was amazed to
find collections OF valuable books.
files OF newspapers. collections OF bot
Ties. trunks full OF iurs and dismantled
engines among the possessions OF the
old man. His home, a piano box 10
which had been attached large pack.
Ing case. was found only after a caro-
lul search.
As cleyerl. concealed from the gaze
OF the curious as are the dugouts Of
the French army along the battlefront
in France, il lay partly underground
and almost under the walls of his one
time home. converted stable that
was burned Gown five years ago. He
lad lived in the stable for seventeen
years.
When Colby's case was brought TO
the attention Of the department OF
charities Dr.. Arthur j. O'Connor OF
The Bradford Street Hospital, was sent
TO investigate the mans condition and
remove him to the Kings County Hos.
pi,al if it called for hospital care.
a policeman led the physician into
the lot. hole broken through the
fence serving as an entrance. Colby
was found lying on his couch when
the lanterns OF the policemen and am
hulance driver were flashed Oh him.
As DR.. OConnor entered the hut
three hait wild cats scurgied from un-
der his feet and hid themselves under
the bed. While the man was bein.
placed on a Stretchcr the cats snarlod
their disrleasure.
Since he was taken to the hospital
his one worry Las been the disposition
of his valuable property" rs he re-
fers 10 the collection OF books and OLD
metal
The valuable property was exam
ined and workmen who appraised the
broken machinery and other articles
said there was about $3.50 worth of
iron and steel in the lot. A policeman
courted 235 pots and pans on the
premises Among the pieces OF ma
chinery was a pile driver
Colby burned his own charcoal and
then used it in a brazier for cooking.
His bathroom, provided WITH an ingen-
ious contrivance that served rs a
washstand. was located under tree
ard concealed even from the hut by
vines and tangled bushes His bed
was a partly burned couch, salvaeed
from the fire and propped up by vol
ume Of Cowpers poetical works in
Latin, volume of Ludwig Won Bee
lhoyenS biography, and the satires OF
a persius Flaccus
The policeman and neishbor de-
clarcd that while Colby attended TO
his personal wants and never permit
ted interference by outsiders, he al
ways Went to a nearby barber to be
shaved.
Before he entered the shop he call
ed 10 the barber to cover all the mir
rors in sight remarkin2 in eXpIana-
ton that he had no wish to see his
own face. Ii is believed he feared his
advancing age.
The Vermont street hermit" was
born in Windsor. VT. siXty-fiye years
ago.