Year: 1871

A Visit 70 a Hermit,--A Filthy Den.


The extension of the A., T. & S. +. road, has
brought to light a man by the name Of William
Dill. He lives about three miles and u half from
the city. He was horn in Pennsylvania, aud Is Of
medium height, and emigrated 10 Kansas before
the war, and subsequently, served three years with
General Lane During the war, he spent very
little money; and at the expiration Of his term Of
service, he bought the land, thirty-iive acres,
which he now occupies, at five dollars an acre.
lie is sixtyscven years Of age his hair is long and
gray, and his body is very filthy, and lousy. He
wears n pair Of ragged pants, and an old shirt
which has not been washed for months.


His dug-out, rather den, is located on the
hank If Indian Creek, and is about fifteen feet
square. The door is naSe Of two boards nailed
together in the shape Of an X. All the light and
air which gets into she novel comes IN at the ao1r
way When i. rains, the water pOurs through the
roof, flooding The earth floor. We enter. What
sauallness! In the rear end is fireplace. In
one corner are several old trunks, which look as
though they might have been with Noah in the
ark On one side is an old riekety bench. From
the centre of the roof, box, in which he keeps his
yictnals, and bag Of salt, are suspended He has
no bed and when asked about it, he said, "the
rats ate the one had, and have not bought any
since" He has one COW, two chickens, and an
old dog which is constantly by his side. The an
imals 20 into the den as often as they please. A
few broken cooking utensils lie around the hOvel,
and in appearance, are not behind the rest of the
outfit. His principal diet is beans and water;
and i'm the summer, a few vegetables are added to
his bill of fare.


The route of the road as staked, goes directly
over his den, and he now talks of taking home
stead He rarely comes to the city, and when he
does it is by a path worn by himself in the last
six wears. He is never seen on public road. He
associates very little with his neighbors, and they
little with him. because he is so filthy and lousy
4, 1..l aud 10
spend il; while others think his degradation Is
wholly the result of poverty. He talks freely to
those who visit him, but is "mum" on his pecuni-
ary circumstances. One of the railroad mess
houses is very near his abode, and he spends much
Of his time with the workmen, who dub him " Rob
insOn CrusOe, of Indian Creek" William Dill, hls
den his stock and his surroundings, are really
worth trip to all-Topeka Commonwealth, 18Th.


That railroad has unearthed what we have for
several years been trying in vain to find. Com
mend us to Railroad, or an army selecting ground
for battle, to run across and disturb the repose
of some forgotten graveyard, dilapilated church
of the past living recluse who has fancied him.
self withdrawn from the reach of the world


This man Dill came to Kansas from German
town, Ohio, and we have known him for almost a
quarter of a century. He was always singular
sort of a man; and over twenty years ago, his
Illlu WIS very nucI uIiStttittl ny
ment. He is bachelor, and has always had an
inclination to wander away from human society.
In the Summer of 1860, he came to White Cloud,
to look up a location in Kansas. That Summer he
went out with party to the Little Blue, to hunt
buffalo. From some trivial cause, he became an
cry with the company, and left them, saying that
there was more honesty and friendship among the
Indians than with the whites, and he would go
and live with them. He was gone several days,
when he returned in a deplorable condition. He
had become lost, and for three days had had moth
ing to eat. He was almost starved and fatigued
to death, and was willing to associate with the
whites once more.


He returned to Ohio that Fall, and came back
here in the Spring of 1861. He had a few hun
dred dollars in money, and contemplated purchas-
ing piece of land, to start nursery. But the
war broke out; recruiting officer came around,
and he enlisted in Lanes Brigade, serving in the
Kansas Tenth until the regiment was mustered
out. during his term of service he had spent some
time in Topeka, and took great notion to that
country. When mustered out, he went there,
with what money he had, and purchased n piece
of land on the north side of the Kansas River
probably the same on which he burrows.


Dill has brother and other relatives in Ohio,
who have been anxious to know what and how
he was doing. His brother wrote to him, but the
letters were always returned from the Dead Let
ter Office. When we were at Topeka, in the
Winter of 1866, we managed to get a talk with
him, but he said he had never received letters
from his BROTHER and thought he had not written.
Since that, letters addressed to him have met the
same fate. Several years ago, Mr.. GRUMLEY, Of
this place, happened to meet him, but failed to
learn his exact location. Since then, no letters
could be made to reach him, and we have repeat
edly tried to ascertain his whereabouts, for the
benefit of his friends in Ohio; but nobody could
be found who knew anything about him. Among
other plans adopted, we requested Judge MORTON
to look and inquire for him, when some of his
big hunts on the north side of the Kaw. He did
so but the case proved too knotty for him. Now
the railroad runs through his cavern, and news
paper reporter dishes him mp a hermit, or a
miser.


The poor old man, rs those who visited him
cannot fail to see, is far from being in a sound
state of mind. We do not believe that Inc has any
money, and think that poverty is one Of the main
causes of his squald condition. assisted by his dis
position to wander away and seclude himself.
We hope that the Commonwealth intimation that
he is supposed to he miser, and to have
plenty of money by him, may not tempt some
covetous scoundrel to do the old man harm, in the
hope of securing the hidden treasure. If his
friends could but manage to reach him with a
communication, they might be able to ascertain
something relative to his real situation, and per-
haps could induce him to change a mode Of life
so unsuitable to one of his age.