A NYPD officer climbs over debris to enter the junk-filled library in the Collyer house. Anthony Camerano/ AP
In the early 20th century Harlem, two brothers named Homer and Langley Collyer inherited their family’s fortunes and their mansion. Both men were well educated, Homer in the field of law and Langley had a degree in engineering. After their parents passed away, life took a dark turn. As the neighborhood of Harlem began to decline, the brothers isolated themselves from the outside world while slowly creating a fortress inside their home out of hoarded goods.
Langley, who was concerned about people breaking into their property, barricaded doors and windows and fashioned traps (relying heavily on his degree in engineering). Homer, who had lost sight in one eye due to a blood clot, became entirely reliant on Langley for the next decades of his life. Over the years, the brothers assembled newspapers, books, furniture, and even live cats that amassed, totaling over 140 tons of junk in their home.
The police entered their house in 1942 for the first time, only to be amazed at the deplorable state of the brothers and their poor living conditions. A few weeks later, Langley paid a significant sum to forestall eviction, retreating deeper into isolation. Police returned five years later, drawn by foul smells. Introduced by police, officers discovered Homer’s body, and weeks later discovered Langley’s body trapped under a pile of rubbish from an accident, long after his brother had been dead.
The brothers’ estate was demolished, replaced by a park. Their tragic story, the event, has since claimed the name of a psychological syndrome, and the eventual demise of both brothers is an ominous begat of obsession and isolation.