Compulsive Hoarding

May 2, 2007 7:33 AM

It's been said that the more things you own, the more they own you -- and apparently, they can also kill you! By the late 1940s, two brothers had hoarded over 100 tons of junk in their Manhattan row house, including pickled human organs, a horse's jawbone, fourteen pianos, a dozen chandeliers, and more than 25,000 books. After rumors of their death proved true, it took authorities almost three weeks to find the second compulsive hoarder's body buried beneath the clutter.
posted by vanadium (11 comments total)

I bet their mother could have found him instantly, they have powers for this kind of thing.
posted by rosswald at 7:42 AM on May 2, 2007

and ever since mothers have been telling their messy children to not be like the Collyers.
posted by caddis at 7:47 AM on May 2, 2007

double
triple
quadruple
quintuple
posted by caddis at 7:49 AM on May 2, 2007

See also.

I don't know why, but this topic always fascinates me. Thanks for the link.
posted by fallenposters at 7:51 AM on May 2, 2007

The way I see it, it's not a double-post if the links aren't the same.

Chill out caddis.
posted by pjdoland at 7:54 AM on May 2, 2007

The same subject has been covered five times or more now and this recent link does not really add anything to the old story that many people have heard prior to metafilter anyway. That is why I think it is a double.
posted by caddis at 7:57 AM on May 2, 2007

It may be a double, but it's new to me. And interesting.
posted by adamrice at 8:06 AM on May 2, 2007

Top of the Heap! A number One!
posted by kuujjuarapik at 8:09 AM on May 2, 2007

A frontrunner for Worst Neighbor of the Year.
posted by Armitage Shanks at 8:10 AM on May 2, 2007

Double or not, at least you spelled 'vanadium' correctly...
posted by Venadium at 8:12 AM on May 2, 2007

This is an interesting topic, but seriously, if this is new to someone they must be logging on from their bassinet in the maternity ward.
posted by DU at 8:16 AM on May 2, 2007