Shortly past midnight on March 9, 1947, a man named Langley Collyer discreetly exited his four-story Brownstone mansion located on the renowned Fifth Avenue in New York City. At 61 years of age, Langley was a trained engineer with an extraordinary talent as a concert pianist, amassing considerable wealth over the years. However, his attire did not reflect his affluence. On this particular night, Langley embarked on an eight-mile journey southward, toward Brooklyn, New York, with a very specific mission in mind: to procure an essential item for his older brother, Homer, who was currently confined to the mansion’s second-floor due to illness.
The biting cold of the night prompted Langley to raise the collar of his tattered wool coat, hastily secured with safety pins. In contemporary times, Langley had come to believe that the only safe opportunity to venture outdoors was under the cover of darkness. During the night, he could elude the prying gazes of nosy neighbors, vigilant police officers, or anyone else, essentially becoming invisible to the world.
Langley moved briskly along the poorly illuminated sidewalk, continuously glancing in both directions to ensure he remained unobserved. Finally, at the stroke of 2 a.m., he reached his destination in the heart of Brooklyn—an assortment of specific dumpsters. Without hesitation, Langley plunged into the nearest one, retrieving the coveted items he sought. He stowed them in his bag, slinging it casually over his shoulder, and commenced his deliberate journey homeward.
Several weeks later, precisely on March 21st, the telephone jingled within the vicinity of the police station neighboring the residence of the Collyer Brothers. A vigilant sergeant promptly grasped the receiver, greeted by the voice of a man who identified himself as Charles Smith. In a gruff and somber tone, Mr. Smith relayed to the sergeant that a lifeless body had been found within the confines of the Collyer Brothers’ sprawling mansion.
However, the sergeant harbored reservations, as the police were no strangers to the myriad tales circulating about the eccentric Collyer Brothers. The brothers, particularly Langley, had been the subjects of numerous peculiar rumors, such as Langley venturing out under the cover of night with a mysterious bag slung over his shoulder, embarking on inexplicable journeys to Brooklyn’s dumpsters. Their reclusive nature further fueled suspicions, with the mansion’s windows shielded behind layers of wood and metal, casting an eerie aura around the premises.
Given this backdrop, the police had grown accustomed to such rumor-driven calls, only to arrive at the scene and discover that they often amounted to nothing but false alarms.
The sergeant inquired of Charles Smith, “Do you have any evidence to support the claim of a deceased person in the mansion?” However, the caller remained silent and abruptly terminated the call. Given the lack of credibility in the tip, the sergeant opted not to dispatch a full investigative team to the mansion. Instead, he instructed a lone police officer to conduct a wellness check on the Collyer Brothers when available.
Later that day, a solitary police officer arrived at the Collyer Brothers’ mansion. Stepping out of his cruiser, he paused to survey the imposing Brownstone mansion before him. Despite its grandeur, the mansion had fallen into disrepair. Its windows were crudely boarded up with wood and metal, the glass within shattered. Newspapers protruded from the broken windows, as though they had been forcefully wedged from the inside. A haphazard collection of furniture, wooden crates, and assorted debris cluttered the property’s front, giving the impression of a dilapidated residence. He couldn’t help but wonder how anyone could inhabit such a place, yet the Collyer family were far from ordinary.
Langley and Homer’s father, a doctor, had a peculiar habit of bringing back actual human body parts and organs, preserving them in glass jars displayed throughout their house. Additionally, he had a unique daily commute: he would shoulder a canoe, walk to the East River from their mansion, and paddle his way to work, all while wearing his distinguished doctor attire.
As for Langley and Homer’s mother, she was their father’s first cousin and played a significant role in their family dynamics. She firmly opposed their father’s plan to transform their home into a sanatorium, a hybrid between a hospital and a recuperation resort for tuberculosis patients. Consequently, the brothers grew up in this unconventional household, marked by their exceptional intelligence and eccentricities.
Homer, the elder sibling, possessed extraordinary intellectual prowess, gaining admission to Columbia University’s prestigious law program at the tender age of 14. Langley, five years Homer’s junior, also graduated from Columbia University, acquiring dual degrees in engineering and chemistry. However, Langley’s talents extended beyond scientific achievements; he was a remarkable musician, particularly renowned for his piano skills. In fact, his musical abilities were so impressive that he graced the stage of New York’s iconic Carnegie Hall with his performances.
Despite their remarkable achievements and substantial wealth, Homer and Langley never entered into matrimony. Following the passing of their parents, the Collyer Brothers gradually became more reclusive within the confines of their mansion. Then, in 1933, a full 14 years prior to the arrival of a solitary police officer investigating a deceased individual at their residence, Homer Collyer suffered a debilitating stroke that left him completely blind. Remarkably, this occurred when he was just 55 years old and still at the pinnacle of his career as a lawyer, but he was compelled to abandon his legal practice. Langley, on the other hand, despite his flourishing piano sales and dazzling performances at Carnegie Hall, also had to forsake his pursuits to care for his ailing brother.
Subsequently, the two siblings seldom ventured outside and neglected to settle their utility bills, resulting in the discontinuation of water, phone, and electricity services. Instead of settling their debts to restore these amenities, Langley took an unconventional approach by purchasing a Model T car and ingeniously transforming its engine into a makeshift generator.
As their unpaid mortgage accumulated, law enforcement eventually arrived at the mansion to carry out an eviction. When Langley greeted the officer at the door, he promptly wrote a check covering the entire cost of the mansion, effectively settling the matter on the spot, before instructing the officer to let them be.
Now, let’s fast-forward to March 21st, 1947. A solitary police officer stood before the decaying mansion, his gaze fixed upon its deteriorating facade. After a moment’s contemplation, he gathered his resolve, maneuvering past the scattered debris and furniture strewn across the front yard. Determinedly, he ascended the steps leading to the front entrance. Rapping on the door yielded no response, and an eerie silence enveloped the premises.
Given the officer’s solemn duty to investigate a reported deceased individual within, he recognized the imperative need to gain access, regardless of the dubious circumstances. Consequently, he resolved to breach the front door. After a few more unanswered knocks, he announced his intention, declaring, “I’m entering.” He then threw his shoulder against the door, which, after a brief struggle, gave way, but only slightly. The officer attempted to squeeze through the narrow opening, yet his considerable frame prevented him from passing. Peering through the gap, he beheld a substantial, man-made obstruction barring the door from opening any further.
As the officer pondered the reason for the wall’s presence, an unsettling odor emanated from the mansion. It raised suspicions, prompting the officer to consider the possibility of a deceased individual inside, leaving him uncertain about the situation. Consequently, he urgently requested backup. Upon the arrival of additional officers, the group endeavored to force their way through the front door as a united front. Despite all seven officers exerting their strength, they found themselves unable to breach the interior wall intentionally constructed. In the end, the police retrieved a ladder and positioned it alongside the property. One of the officers ascended to the second floor, shattered a window, and entered through that route.
Once the police had successfully infiltrated the second floor of the mansion, it became immediately apparent that the information provided by Charles Smith was accurate. Within the confines of the mansion, a lifeless body was discovered, none other than Homer Collyer, the elder sibling. Seated in a corner alcove on the second floor, Homer was clad in a worn bathrobe, his posture slouched as his head rested on his knee. A surreal scene unfolded around him, surrounded by scattered orange peels.
Upon closer examination, the coroner would later estimate that Homer had likely passed away approximately 10 hours prior. Curiously, Langley Collyer, the younger brother, remained elusive despite an extensive search of the mansion. It was as if he had evaporated into thin air, leaving the police both baffled and suspicious of his absence. Speculation arose that Langley might be linked to his brother’s demise, prompting questions about whether he had orchestrated the tip provided by Charles Smith before vanishing into the unknown.
Therefore, a police officer was stationed at the Collyer Brothers mansion with the primary responsibility of remaining on-site in case Langley returned, where he could be apprehended. Additionally, law enforcement authorities issued a wide-reaching alarm spanning nine states. Essentially, neighboring states around New York were alerted to be vigilant for Langley, as he was being sought for questioning regarding his brother’s demise.
While police agencies across the East Coast tirelessly scoured for Langley, yielding minimal results, New York detectives persisted in their quest to unearth clues within the Collyer Brothers mansion. These clues held the potential to unveil Langley’s whereabouts and shed light on any involvement he may have had in Homer’s demise.
On April 8, 1947, 18 days after the initial discovery of Homer, a significant breakthrough in the case occurred. It all began on March 21st, when a solitary police officer responded to a distress call regarding a deceased individual at the Collyer Brothers’ residence. As the officer forced open the door, little did they know that they would soon stumble upon a crucial piece of evidence – a concealed man-made wall positioned right behind the entrance.
The man-made wall in question wasn’t constructed using conventional building materials like bricks or wood, as one would typically expect for a wall. Instead, it was fashioned from an assortment of items such as chairs, beds, a sewing machine, and an array of miscellaneous junk – essentially, it was constructed from discarded items. This peculiar trash wall originated right in front of the inner side of the main entrance and stretched back towards the interior living space on that floor. However, there was virtually no recognizable living space to be found anywhere within the mansion, whether it was the second, first, third, fourth, or any other floor. This was because every available surface inside the mansion was entirely covered, from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, with a chaotic assortment of items. Among these were 14 broken pianos, an x-ray machine, a horse’s jawbone, an astonishing 25,000 books, and, not to be forgotten, their father’s collection of glass jars containing various human body parts.
Over time, the Collyer Brothers had developed a belief that their mansion might one day be invaded by their neighbors or strangers passing by, who would attempt to pilfer the valuable possessions within their home. It’s worth noting that the Collyer brothers indeed possessed substantial wealth, including a substantial amount of cash and valuable jewelry – genuine treasures by conventional standards. However, to them, these material riches were not the true treasures. Their real treasures consisted of the items they salvaged from dumpsters throughout the city. Consequently, their primary concern was safeguarding these salvaged goods from potential theft by random individuals outside. As a result, they embarked on an effort to fortify the interior of their mansion in anticipation of the inevitable break-ins by these intruders.
Essentially, their mansion’s interior wasn’t merely transformed into a massive heap of garbage; instead, they had meticulously constructed an intricate network of tunnels amidst the clutter. These tunnels and specially designed passageways were festooned with genuine traps. It was during a police examination of one of these trap-laden tunnels that they stumbled upon the crucial evidence that cracked the case wide open.
Based on this significant clue, the prevailing hypothesis regarding the events of March 9, 1947, concerning Homer and Langley Collyer, unfolds as follows. On that fateful night, Langley stealthily departed through the front door wearing worn-out attire and ventured to Brooklyn, embarking on a dumpster-diving mission. However, his objective extended beyond the mere acquisition of curiosities to furnish their mansion. Instead, his quest was laser-focused on a very specific item for his brother – oranges, the fruit. This particular dumpster in Brooklyn was strategically located behind a fruit-selling store, thus consistently harboring a substantial supply of oranges.
Langley was earnestly dedicated to caring for his older brother, Homer. He had embarked on a research journey, delving into his father’s vintage medical textbooks in a quest to find a remedy for Homer’s blindness resulting from a stroke. Eventually, Langley became convinced that he had stumbled upon the solution. This solution, in essence, revolved around Homer consuming copious amounts of oranges. In the weeks leading up to that particular night, Langley had already implemented this dietary change for Homer. For every meal, he sourced oranges from a nearby dumpster and fed them to his brother. Remarkably, both Langley and Homer held firm belief in the efficacy of this cure, and Homer consumed the oranges without a trace of doubt.
On March 9th, Langley retrieved the oranges from within a dumpster, hoisted them onto his shoulder, and returned to his mansion. His slim figure allowed him to squeeze through the narrow crack of the front door, just barely. Once inside, he made his way to the second floor, shutting the door behind him. The most perilous leg of his journey lay ahead – traversing from one end of the second floor to the other, where Homer awaited.
Essentially, Langley had to navigate a narrow two-foot-wide tunnel he’d constructed amidst a clutter of debris. However, this tunnel was rigged with various traps. Notably, a particularly perilous one awaited at the tunnel’s far end, where a pile of hefty metal boxes was stacked, brimming with newspapers. These boxes were strategically placed so that the slightest touch to the lowest one would trigger a calamitous cascade.
Langley had traversed this path numerous times, a daily ritual to visit his brother through the tunnel. However, on this particular occasion, as he cautiously maneuvered through the narrow passage amidst the refuse, he inadvertently nudged the lowest metal box. The boxes cascaded down upon him, immobilizing him on the ground. These crates were undeniably weighty, yet not sufficiently so to be fatal; instead, they ensnared him, rendering escape impossible.
Therefore, it is highly probable that Langley, upon becoming trapped, desperately cried out for his brother Homer, who happened to be just a mere 10 feet away. However, Homer was facing his own challenges; he suffered from blindness, illness, and severe fatigue due to his exclusive diet of oranges, which was gradually taking a toll on his health. Consequently, Homer lacked the strength to even rise from his chair, let alone rush to his brother’s aid. Thus, for what must have felt like an excruciatingly long period, Langley likely continued to call for his brother, until the immense weight of the accumulated boxes ultimately claimed his life.
Homer found himself utterly isolated in a house where his distress remained a secret, and even if someone wished to assist him, they couldn’t reach him. His fate was sealed. For a fortnight, Homer remained seated in that chair, slowly wasting away, possibly hearing the unsettling noise of rats feasting on his brother’s remains.
The pivotal discovery that cracked this case wide open occurred when the police spotted Langley’s stripped white foot bone protruding from a trash tunnel, located 10 feet away from Homer. During their initial search of the Mansion, it was so cluttered with belongings that they had overlooked this bone, as it had seamlessly blended in. However, 18 days after discovering Homer, they suddenly realized that Langley had been right there all along, concealed within the remains of a skeleton.
Regarding the tipster known as Charles Smith, whom the police initially believed to be Langley reporting his brother’s murder, it turned out that Langley couldn’t have made that call as he was already deceased when the tip was received. Therefore, Charles Smith was indeed a genuine individual, and it is highly probable that he simply happened to pass by the mansion, detecting the unmistakable odor of decomposing corpses, prompting him to report it.
Four months following the discovery of Homer and Langley’s lifeless bodies amid their labyrinthine hoard of refuse, their grand mansion received a designation as a fire hazard and was subsequently razed. Presently, a modest expanse known as Collyer Brothers Park occupies the site, adorned with a mere scattering of trees and a solitary bench.