The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-09-08
nlanitowoe pilot.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1881.
A LONG SLEEP.
JOHN GYUMBEREfs ACCOUNT OF HIS
LIFE. WITH ITS RECENT NAP LAST
ING NEARLY HALF A YEAR.

n. Y. Hearald: John Gyum-
bere, the Hungarian who was in a
trance continuously for 169 days in
the Lehigh county poorhouse, has
for the first time sufficiently rallied
to give the story Of his life and ex-
periences. He was first found in
sensible at neighboring inn. At
ter being satisfied that the man was
in a cataleptic state the officials re-
moved HIM to the county almshouse
This was over six months ago.
Since that time he has not spoken
half dozen words until now. Du-
ring his trance he was examined by
at least fifty physicians, who pro-
nounced his case the most remark
able on record. On the % of April
Gyumbere opened his eyes for the
first time and kept them opened for
four days. He never spoke a word
to anyone, but remained in a dazed
condition. A pril % he either fell
or jumped out Of the hospital win
dow, falling a distance Of twenty
five feet, but was not seriously in
| jured. April 90 he again closed
his eyes, and did not open them
until May 20, when he spoke two
words after a flower had been held
to his nose. Six hours afterward
he closed his eyes and kept them
shut until late last night, when he
was called upon by Polander nam
ed Frank Laskowiski, when to the
very great establishment of the keep
er and attendants the long sleeper
upon being hailed in Slavonic open
ed his eyes, raised up and made a
brief reply in the same tongue. The
sleeper conversed with his friend
about three hours. His talk is
translated as follows:
Il arrived in America about two
years ago. Ny father and one sis
ter live in the Old Country; two OF
my brothers died Of brain fever.
was well educated and [ paid spe-
cial attention to music and became
q fair violinist. | left Castle Gar
den and went to Virginia, and was
employed by man named Porter.
near Charlottesville. \ negro wo-
man there put red pepper in my
coffee, which nearly killed me.
Many very rough jokes were play
ed on me, and | thought they were
going to kill me by poisoning me
| fled from that part of the country
and went to Baltimore, and then
wandered into Pennsylvania. II
was after New Years day some
weeks when | became out Of mind
| fell asleep in a barroom near the
lplace where | now am, and from
that time up to about four weeks
ago-about 121 days knew moth
ing at all. | never felt any of the
many ways You say the officials
tried on me to awaken me. / knew
nothing Of my falling out of the
window, and knew nothing about
the abscess on my head. Foul
weeks ago | realized that | existed
1t was as if | had been sleeping very
long. When | awoke partially ]
thought | was in jail. [ cannot
| believe that | have been asleep near.
| ly six months. | feel very weak.
| don't know what caused me to &c
to sleep unless it was some drug, OF
the pepper that affected my brain
[ want to 90 to work again as soon
as | am strong enough. | am glad
that this is no prison. | know
nothing Of anything that has hap,
pened for the past five months
Ny head feels light, but my appe
tite is good"
The story Of the sleeper was lis
tened to with great interest. Iii:
voice is low and husky. During
| his trance he was tenderly nurseC
and fed by special attendants anC
carefully waited on by DR.. Erdman
the almshouse physicians.