The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-10-23
A WEEK WITHOUT FOOD.


Horrible Expsrisnee Of . Six Days' Drifs
on the Chssapsaks.
A correspondent of the Somerset (Md.)
Herald, writing from Whitestone, Va,
gives the following terrible experience Of
family which was found adrift In sail
boat on the Chesapeake bay:
EARLY on Sunday morning small sail.
ing boat was seen drifting up to Chase's
Landing, q few miles distant from THU
place. 1t was brought in and moored,
and an examination made at once. Sin
persons, who appeared lifeless a stone,
were in the boat. The discoveries Of this
mysterious boat were filed with amaze.
ment and Mortified at the thought sug.
gested that the occupants had been strick.
en- down by starvation, or, perhaps, by
some fatal disease. None would venture
to investigate the matter properly O,
touch the bodies at first as the whole
scene wore the hidenus and solemn aspect
of death. The belief prevailed that it va,
q subject for coroner's jury. Mr.. L. N.
Lippo in the meantime came up and rec
ognized the people as a poor family named
Davis, who had immigrated into Lancas.
ter county about two months ago under
very peculiar circumstances of penury and
beeRary, but had disappeared suddenly
on Monday last for parts unknown. Up
on examining the bodies thoroughly he
discovered that life was not quite extinct,
and concluded that they might revive BY
careful medical treatment and nursing.
William Davis, the father Of the starving
family, was in the worst condition of them
all, and after being revived, lived but q
few minutes. He was cadaverous looking
and sank exhausted, a corpse. He and
his family had not tasted a morsel of food
for SIX days or more, and their sufferings
were intense and beyond the powers Of
human mind to conceive. Davis's death
was one Of severe bodily pain and mental
suffering, and was marked by frequent
outbursts of agony. Mr.. Lippo took the
surviving wife and mother and four chill
dren to his house where the kindest nurs-
ing and best medical attention were pro-
vided for them, and they will probably be
restored to health.
The man and family first came from
Sheltown, Md, to this place about two
months since in the same boat in which
they were rescued adrift. His voyage
across the bay was regarded at the time
as the brave act of brave man in
Strengthened circumstances, and the fam
lily upon their arrival were kindly vel
coined to the village of Wh.testone. A
house was provided for them, and the
neigbbors gave them fish, vegetables,
and everything they needed, but Davis
proved to be lazy, good-for-nothing, and
unworthy man. He could not be coaxed
to work, although he was able-bodied and
in perfect health. He traded off the pro-
visions, groceries, and produce for whisky,
and was in state of beastly intoxication
almost all the time he lived here. People
then shut down on him and would give
his family nothing to eat, hoping that this
method would AWAKEN him to his senses
and force nim to work. He preferred to
starve and, being without food for several
days, he and his family started for parts
unknown in the little sailing-boat. They
took nothing to eat or drink on the voy-
age, and no beds or bedding to lie upon
at night. Why he should 20 in this way
is a mystery. and looks like self-destruc-
tion or an attempt to murder mis- family
by slow degrees. The boat was not seen
from Monday till Saturday. and being
these six day without food, besides being
starved before starting out, rendered their
condition miserable beyond conception.