The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-16
A Twenty.rour.Days' Fast.

the following details OF the ca Oh Loub
Anderson, the man who was found re-
duced 10 skeleton In a hay-stack, Drlei
mention Of which has already been made
in an Associated-Press telegram
Only the bare details OF one OF the
strangest cases OH record, that OF a man
living for twenty-four days without food
or water, prisoner under haystack,
could be obtained until to-day, when the
following particulars were received rom
La Crosse On the afternoon OF the 10Th
instant, while a party OF boys were playing
around haystack belonging to John
Wacher, near La Crosse, one OF their num-
Der noticed q movement OF the hay, ana,
on close inspection, discovered an ema-
ciated man with his clothes almost torn
from his body. They gave the alarm, ana
Mr.. Byrne, together with Officers Duncan
and Jackson, repaired to the spot. On
reaching the place horrible picture OF
suffering was presented to their view.
The skeleton OF man, still breathing, was
lying upon the hay, where the boys bad
uncovered 1t. His clothing was hanging
in shreds. Mr.. Byrne asked the man how
long he had been In the hay, to which he
responded, "Since Saturday, November
l7th.v THAT can't be possible" re-
sponded Byrne. "Do you know what day
OF tue month 1t is now" The poor TEL
low answered that he did not, and Byrne
told him the date. He said he was posi-
tive rs TO the date on which he was imprl-
soned He stated that his name was LOUIS
Anderson. He left ST. Paul, where ne has
two brothers, John and Andrew, about
two mouths ago. he went to work for a
railroad contractor at Chippewa Falls, who
was doing some grading. He quit work
Wednesday. November l4th, and was paid
of lie sent Sl5 in money-order from
the Chippewa-Falls pOst-ofice to his bro
Their John at It. Paul, and started of with
81 or &c for La Crosse, where he expected
TO get a Job in the woods. Most OF this
money he spent for railroad fare. lie
reached La Crosse Friday, and put mp that
night at clearinghouse IN the Flfth
Ward and took breakfast there the next
day. His money was all spent, and the
next day, not finding work, he went to
this haystack to sleep.
During the night violent storm came
I'D. II rained very hard, and he got wet.
Then the wind blew, and he became very
cold. Suddenly the top OF the stack rolled
over on him. His hands had been PIN
toned by the falling hay in such manner
that he was unable TO eXtricate himself
from his living tomb. He shouted and
struggled, but without avail. He heard
people pass by frequently, but could not
make himself heard. He heard the ears
90 by every day. He got over being hun
CRY, and did not know when il was night
or day. He slept some. He did not feel
very cold. He had given up all hope
Of any one coming TO his aid. He could
not tell now many days he had been in the
stack, but said it seemed 10 him as though
it must be about three weeks. When he
went TO sleep he weighed about l35 pounds,
but he does not now weigh more than
seyenty-fiYe. He had worn two pair OF
pantaloOns, the inner pair OF which he
had worked himself out OF as he had OF his
shoes. The outer pair was held by the
suspenders, which fell TO pieces on beng
handled. His hip-bones protruded through
the skin and exhibited raw spot two for
three inches in diameter.
The hay ia which the man had been was
reduced to q compost by the heat OF his
body and moisture from repeated rains.
On his person were found a receipted bill
paid in st. Paul, a rusty old brass watch,
and a watch-key Of the kind supposed to
wind any watch. He had been imprisoned
in the place where he was so proyidentlally
discovered since saturday night, Novem-
Der 18th, so that he had been in the stack
twenty-four days without a particle OF food
or a drop OF water. The story was almost
beyond belief, and details were eagerly
sought for. The account given by the man
is cOrroborated by all the facts In the case.
The condition OF the patient was eagerly
Il, ,.ftor fhf- unnrnlnU In PnmnnnN
with DR.. Anderson several newspaper re-
porters went out to the poor farm this
forenoon to see the man and learn from
him further details OF his narrowing eX-
perieuce. DR.. Rengglery, the city physi-
clan, and Dr. Marquadt arrived at the
same time, and all proceeded to the room
where the living skeleton lay stretched
upon a bed in one OF the small rooms.
He took no notice OF any one. His breath
ing was short and inaudible. When
spoken TO, however, he glanced toward the
speaker with All intelligence that showed
that he still knew what was going on about
him, He Is young man Of twenty-one,
was born in Sweden, and has only been in
this country two years. Nevertheless, he
talks English quite plainly, and under
stands all that Is said to him. HIS mind
seemed clear considering his painIully-re-
duced physical condition. His face has
death-like pallor; his eyes, which are light
blue, are sunk deep into the forehead,
and are the only features which
show expression when he speaks.
Still the face does not appear so
badly as one would imagine. His
limbs are somewhat stiff, and have to be
moved slowly TO avoid pain. His hands
are dry, and stained with some dark-color-
ed matter. HIS hair and nails do not seem
to have grown much during his imprison-
ment, but thi. can be accounted for on the
theory that absorption was going on very
rapidly. The thorax and abdomen were
devoid Of flesh. The pulse was 100; respi-
ration, "a; temperature, 80 4-l00; tongue
dry and clean.
After careful examination the doctors
concluded that Anderson would probably
fully recover. He never asked for food on
being discovered, but begged continuously
for water, which was given him sparingly.
He clutched at the wafer when 1t was Of
fered him, and be priced II more than any
thing in the world. He seems, however,
to feel the Importance OF needing the doc
tors orders not TO take too much water.
Two cases only are suggested at this
time that compare with Anderson's. One
Is that OF coal-miner who was confined
underground for twenty-three days. but
he had few drops OF water for ten days
Of that time. He died three days after
being rescued. The other case is that Of
man who was shut up for sixty days, but
he, too, had little nourishment in the way
Of orsnge-iuice.
4 Philadelphia telegram says: -Four yes-
sells which departed from and were bound