The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-12-19
FOUND IN A wRETCPED HUT.
The Pitiful Tale of an Old Blind
Artist and His Brave Young
Wife.


Artist and His Brave Young
Wife.
From the New York Sun.
An old blind artist, lis young wife,
and their six-year-old son were discov-
cred a few days ago on the verge of
starvation, living on the deck Of .
half sunken canal boat on the Erie
Basin, In a shanty that had been made
ofOld planks and odd pieces Of tin and
oilcloth. The man, when the police
found him, spoke with the accent of
an intelligent and educated person.
The handsome young person dressed
in mems clothing who was with him
seemed to be q gently bred young
man. The old man, however, voIun-
tarily acknowledged that be was his
wife. He said that his name was
William G. Yerke, that his wife's
name was Mary, and that his boys
Name was William L.
II am, be said. ''or was, because I
am blind now, marine painter, and
| come from Maine. l am an old
man now-past 6O-but for many
years each summer / have lived upon
the water in ny swp yacht, with my
family, painting marine views. Ny
first wife died ten years ago, aad my
present wife was then my pupil and
was but fifteen years old. A year
later she consented to be my wife. and
we continued the career had led.
earned enough in the summer to keep
US through the winter, but I was net
able to save any money. For several
years | have sailed about this harbor
in the summer filing orders. Every
thing We had in the world We kept on
the yacht, and we had no where else
to live. One year after We were na FRIED
our boy was born, and We kept him with
us. but Intended to place him at school
this winter. Yin the 9th of last Au-
gust, while We we're. sailing of Bay
Ridge, our yacht was run down and
sunk by the ID. r. Martin. one of
John H. Starin's steamboats,. We
were fortunately on deck at the time,
and, although pitched overheard,
were rescued by the steamboats, hands.
A flying piece Of wood struck me in
one eye, and destroyed its sight. and
my other eye was ST. badly injured that
it too mas since ceased to be Of use.
My wife's leg was broken, and as ]
didn't have the means to have her
cared for. size has become a cripple for
life. All of ner clothing was destroy
Ell, and all my property, nv books,
painting materials, $50 in money, and
everything that l had il the world,
went down with the Yacht. We were
kept aboard the D. 4. Martin several
days, and collection of about $50 was
taken up for US. ! was then asked to
sign u paper releasing the owners of
the steamer from all responsibility for
the accident, and / did so.
1--WE heard Of this old canalboat,
and We came here. My wife had no
clothes. and we were too poor to buy
any. So she dressed up in q suit that
vas given to me. She has since been
known as nv SOC Joe. She cut her
hair short. aud her disguise has not
been detected. We haven't had much
to eat. because We wouldn't beg, but
We have managed to keep alive. We
built this shanty ourselves, and got an
cd stove"
Police Capt. Reilly found that the
brave little woman, in spite of being
cripple. had cared for the whole FAINT
ly, although she had scarcely left the
house. Her face was bronze.l by ex-
posure. and she passed readily for a
boy. She sad smilingly that she
didn't have much cooking to do, as
they didn't have mrch to cook. They
had had no fresh meat since they came
there, and all there was in the place
to eat could have been put into a Cob
let. They had just 90 cents lett.
T. icy had obtained a broken down stove
about the size of q coal scuttle, and
had picked up fuel in the vicinity.
Those who bad learned of their dis
tress had offered food and aid, but
they were too proud to be paupers.
Capt. Reilly saw that their rude home
was made little more comfortable by
satisfactory supplies. and he cent to
The Society for the Prevention of Cru
liz IN Childrou tn take care Of them
Sinner; ntendent Wilkins found the case
not in his jurisdiction, but wrote full
of tie facts to Mr.. John III.
Staris. Mr.. Starin promptly sent
for the family, ano lodged them in
one Of his boats now IN winter quarters
at Staten Island. Mu. York has re-