Connecticut western news., 1878-01-31
A Victim of Bad Luck.

A VACOAM O1 DHW AWCks
 John l.. Sturgeon was born in New Britain, Conn.,, many years ago, and fully illustrates the victim of bad luck. When boy he had all the aches and ills that boy flesh is heir to. He had his right leg broken twice before he was fourteen, and his left thumb was shot off while he was gunning at sixteen. He shot once at flock of crows, and set a hay-stack on fire, for which he was se- verely whipped. He was engaged to a young lady who ran away with another fellow. He married supposed rich widow, and then discovered the day after the wedding that all the property she had in the world was the house she lived in, and that took fire the first day he was in it, from the carelessness of an un- governable boy, that he did not know she was possessed of, and burned down. The insurance she had was in company that went into insolvency before the proofs of the loss could be made. He then started to go to California. The
 
 only man injured. He was swindled out of his money but went on. The party had not been four days out, when he hurt his foot in such manner that he fell behind the train, and was descried by party of Indians who had been fol- lowing the train for good opportunity to attack it. He was shot. The scalp ing knife had already begun it's denuding work, when a squad of cavalry in pur- suit of this very band arrived upon the scene just in tune to save his life, much to MT. Surgeons disgust, who had be- gun to believe that life did not mean much for him.
 He overlook and rejoined his party, and was taken on with them. At Green River he lost his entire baggage by fire, and from that on was supported by the others of the party. At Hoop-skirt Gulch he broke his leg, and from that point onward was carried in wagon
 He accumulated $6 ,OOO in the mines and Mexican stole that and ran away. The next day, his claim was claimed by another miner, the decision was against him, and he was forced to seek other fields. Again he did we'll for time, but flood which swept away his cabin and his accumulations left him stranded once more. ..Ga.... t..
 Not discouraged he kept on and accu- mulated $20, ,00O and went into business in San Francisco. Along came his wife and insisted her son should go into busi- ness with him. The young man turned out badly, and after one short, brilliant year at the faro tables of the city, the concern was hopelessly insolyent. The youngster had stolen most of the capital. He ran away with what was left, and the mother firmly declined to die, which left him with the major part of his troubles on his hands after all
 Nothing went we'll with him, and he was beginning to assume picturesque appearance. There was an immense bald spot on his head which the Indians had ornamented him with. His left leg had been set badly every time it had been broken, and was shorter than it's mate by four inches, which required the wearing of cork sole of that thickness, and, in addition, he lost the muscles of his left arm in threshing machine, and had three fingers of his right hand cut off by buzz saw. His left ear had been taken off by drunken miner, and his nose had been broken by fall down shaft. However agreeable he was in conversation and manner, he could not be said to be handsome. Then his wife added to her natural ugliness of temper the habit of drinking, and altogether life was not to him rose-tinted dream.
 An aunt in Connecticut left him $1O, 900 and he went to Chicago and went into business. The great fire left him completely ruined. He went to Boston and started in small way and the Bos- ton fire treated him just as badly. He travelled around and short time since was at hotel sick and out of money. A relative in Hartford, to whom his con- dltion was made known offered him an asylum for the rest of his life, and his friends made up purse and sent him thither. He was on the train that went down at Tar1ffville, and had his other leg broken in two places, several ribs frac- tured, and was otherwise bruised. His | Juck is after him vet