The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-04-19
A Homeless Stranger.

parently poor and afflicted man, past the
age Of eighty. One eye had been de-
stroyed by cancer, and the other by
sympathy was so swollen and affected
as to be sightless. One leg was paral-
ysed and the poor sufferer seemed utterly
helpless, destitute and friendless. No
one knew whence he came, nor whittier
he was bound, except from the desire he
expressed to be taken to Memphis. AS
the Union was going no further down
the river, he was taken from the steamer
and placed on Messrs. ORiley & Co.'S
wharf boat, ON the deck of which he
lay unattended and uncared for, from
Saturday evening till Sunday afternoon,
when his condition became known to DR..
A. G. Hallock, our Good Samaritan, who
visited him and found him in most az
flicted carbohydrates, blind, suf-
fering with pain, and mind wander
ing in delirium. The doctor, by inter
cession with old "Aunt Hannah" the
black nurse, induced her to give up her
only bed and take him in, and attend
upon him. He was bathed-clean clothes
were procured for him, and his cancer
dressed. lie refused medicinc-appear-
ed to have perfect professional know
ledge Of the nature of his disease and
condition;-said there was no medicine
that could help him, and that he only
wanted care and quiet. He remained
with his faithful nurse, who was unre
hitting in her attentions day and night
by him, and was visited daily by Doc
tors Hallock and Casselberry, who min
tered to his necessities. The progress
ofhis disease was rapid and he sunk fast
under its effects, and on Thursday night
he expired alone in the house Of the good
negro woman, who had given him shell
ter, with no friend or clergy to soothe
his spirit in its last mortal agony.
He was respectfully buried by the
Sons of Temperance in the Oak Hill
Cemetary.
On examining his effects after his
death, papers were found which proved
him to have been Doctor JOHN PoC0CK
HOLMES, member Of the College o
Surgeons Of London. Among them was
an original certificate of Sir Ashley
Cooper, testifying to his qualifications a:
a Surgeon, With numerous testimonial:
from other eminent Surgeons of hi:
ability and faithfulness as member o
their profession. 1t appeared from othel
original papers that he had been, previou:
to 1927, sixteen years Surgeon in thu
employ Of the Hudson Bay Company, a
their various posts on this continent
In 1927 he was practicing Surgeon il
London, holding intercourse with tn
most eminent men. Among the paper
10 appears to have preserved with care
5 card of invitation from the Lor
Mayer and Mayoress Of London to din
at the Mansion House on the 18th q
May, the year omitted. But the paper
which he seems to have deemed tn
most precious, are a package of letter
from CAPT. PARRY, the great Arctic ex
plorer, with whom he seems to have en-
joyed free and cordial intimacy. 1t ap
pears that the deceased had renders
some useful service-as chemist and fror
knowledge he had gained in the Hudson
Bay Company's service, in the manufac
ture Of Pemmican for the exploring el
pedition-for which Capt. Parry give
him much praise, and the Admiralty vol
him an acknowledgement Of fl50.-
Capt. Parry invites him in free ar
familiar terms to call at his house
London, and at another time to visit III
on board the Hecla at the More, befo
sailing. The notes and letters of Il
celebrated explorer are interesting al
valuable as autographs.
Among his effects, found since h
death, were two large and beautiful so
medals awarded to doctor John POGO,
Holmes by medical societies for his va
liable inventions Of obsteterical and su
gical instruments" There are also
large number of letters from emine
professional men-from the nobility, al
medical and scientific societies, acknow
edsing the receipt Of doctor John
Holmes very valuable an d able treati
on consumption and asthma" The
are two cards Of invitation to Doctor
P. Holmes and lady to dine at CRU
Hall, on the occasion when Queen Vict
ria honored the Mayor and Comm
Council with her presence.
There are letters from eminent a
highly respectable gentlemen in II
nessee and Mississippi, whose friendsl
and intimacy he. has enjoyed, and wh'
esteem for ilim is expressed i'm their C.