Burroughs' Former Cabin for Sale on eBay Fri Apr 14, 12:40 AM ET


LAWRENCE, Kan. - It's a 568-square-foot cabin with narrow concrete stairs, outdoor shower and an incinerating toilet in the bedroom — not the first place a home buyer might want to drop nearly $160,000. But what makes the place outside Lawrence special is that it once belonged to Beat Generation writer William S. Burroughs, author of "Naked Lunch" and "Junkie." Burroughs, who died in 1997 in Lawrence, mentioned the cabin in his book "My Education."

Owner Carol Dengel listed the cabin on eBay on March 22 as a collector's item with an asking price of $159,950 and received more than 1,600 hits on her page.

Dengel first came into contact with the cabin in 1999, when she and Diane Fry, an old high school friend from Ottawa, decided to buy a place near Lone Star Lake where they could spend weekends with their families.

"I used to come here as a kid, so I wanted a place near the lake. When we found out who it belonged to we bought it for the asking price right there," Dengel said.

She declined to say what she paid, but the county appraiser lists the current value as $66,100.

As part of the purchase agreement, Dengel and Fry had to buy the cabin as it was.

"It was in major disrepair," Fry said.

Dengel said she didn't think Burroughs used the cabin much in his later years but that many of his acquaintances did.

"It was unbelievable. I mean, we hauled I don't even know how many truck loads of junk. It was nasty when we bought it," she said.

Among some of the items left were old bathing suits, garbage and dirty dishes. Some of the more valuable items, such as a desk and Burroughs' boat, were removed by the sellers.

Over the years, the friends with their families and help from others made about $40,000 in repairs, adding new features, including a deck near the house and next to the water, new windows and new appliances.

Three years ago, Dengel bought Fry's half of the house, while Fry and her husband bought two bigger cabins up the lane.

But the cabin had its downside. It was small enough that only she her husband and two children could sleep in it.

Dengel said she would keep the cabin up for bid until May 1. If no one has purchased the cabin by then, she said she would sell it to the current renters for an undisclosed sum.

This isn't the first time items once belonging to Burroughs have made their way to eBay. In April 2000, the Lawrence Journal-World reported stolen items from Burroughs' estate were being sold on the online auction site.

The items included identification cards, credit cards and prescriptions. After Burroughs' death, his estate went to James Grauerholz, a longtime friend and editor.

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