Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1865-11-22
The Man who has not Slept
Since 1851.

The Rochester New York Express
gives the following account of a singular
individual in that city: There is a man
in this city, to make brief stay, who has
not slept a moment since August, 1851,
over fourteen yearsl He resides in the
town of Buffalo, Putnam county, West
Virginia, near where he was born, and
where he has spent the most of his life.
HIS business here was to bring the re-
mains of Mr.. Joseph Anthony, son OF
Mr. Asa Anthony, who died in Buffalo,
in consequence Of an accident, by which
a leg was broken, and not from typhoid
fever, as has been enormously stated
The name of the sleepless man is 0. D.
Saunders He is in his fOrty-sixth year,
and has wife and seven children. He
is a true patriot, and served in the Tbir-
teenth Virginia volunteers until muster
ed out this spring.
He visited our sanctUm yesterday, in
company with Mr.. Anthony, and from
his own lips we derived the facts regar-
ding his extraordinary constitutional pc
cuIiarity. He possessed a candid, open
cOuntenance, which goes far to impress
the bearer with the truth of his state
ments. He never feels fatigue, even
when working day and night. He says
he once worked on his farm forty-two
days successively, putting in thirty acres
of wheat, and during the same period
worked ali night, hanging up his tObac-
CO crop and huskiDg corn, without mo-
ment's sleep, and ut the end of the time
felt as fresh and vigorous as on the first
day. HeseIvedi in heShenandOah Valley
and was in Gen. Hunters army during
the celebrated raid on Lynchburg. When
the soldiers were leaning against trees
and dropping 10 the ground from the
! terrible fatigue of the march, Mr.. Saun-
ders felt no need of rest, but, with the
exception of hunger, was as active and
ready for service as when he set out.
He took part in all the heavy fighting
in the Valley under Sheridan, and vas
in the battles of Cedar Creek, Fishers
Hill, Winchester, &c. He was at last
attacked by chronic diarrhea, and was
sent to one Of the Philadelphia hospitals,
where he passed last winter. Here his
constitutional popularity attracted the
attention of the surgeons and nurses, and
a watch was set upon him. He was
closely observed night and day for forty
eight days, but was never detected asleep,
and it was then concluded that his ae-
count of himself was true. He made an
excellent picket guard in the army, and
years ago he worked on an Ohio river
steamer as night watchman, being able to
do duty in the daytime, and earning
double wages. His appetite and diges-
ton are excellent, and he required rath-
er more food than an ordinary man of
his build.
We have heard Of persons sleeping
continuously a sort of lethargie, morbid
sleep, but the case of a healthy man do
ing without sleep is a rare one indeed,
and almost incredible. THERE'S nothing
remarkable in Mr.. Saunders appearance,
except that his eyes seemed little wa
terry and slightly dilated. 1t is possible
that he is a humbug. but we give the
facts as he related them to US. We
should say that Mr.. Anthony, whom we
can vouch for as an honest man, is also
impressed with the truth of Mr.. Saun-
ders story.