Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-12
A RIP VAN WINKlE.
The Connecticut Man Who Has
Slept Since Christmas.
ONLY One Exclamation in Two Hundred and
Thiry-nine Days-His Midnight
ramps Along Lonely
Railroad Tracks.

FRlp.EpoRr, Conn, August 5.-In De-
cember last, two days before Christmas,
sherman ". Plat, residing with his father,
Wer2ar Platt, q well-tO do farmer OF Nor.
gau's -Four Corners, town of Newtown,
twenty-three miles distant from this city,
tell asleep after retiring early, as was his
habit. Had he awaked with next mornings
.uu, as people generally do, the circum'
stance would have attracted no attention,
out he did not. Continuing in sound re-
pose his parents, and afterward his friends
snd neighbOrs, became alarmed AT his long
slumbering and began studying as TO what
induced IT, The case was put into the care
OF the best physicians, but the wisest OF
them, after diagnosis, could give no intelh-
gent solution. Mr.. P.att lay in
HTS Bed MOIionIssS.
suffering no pain, and exempt, seemingly,
frum those calls which thirst and hunger
mske. Early in July, lSS2, Mr.. P!att, who
is IS wears old and unmarried, was at work
in a hay field. The sun beat down with
force, affecting his head and he reclined at
noon under a tree on pile OF hay, think
ING after q short nap to feel better. On
rising from the hay he complained OF
strange feeling in the back Of his head, and
he was assisted TO the house and rest0ra-
tiyes applied. Nothing awaited 70 allevl'
ate. In the autumn he was attacked with
mslsrial fever and II is believed the Two
causes combined tended 10 bring about his
cumatose condition and render him the
most protraCted sleeper OF modern times.
Prom Christmas Till March
be scarcely moved in bed, and took no
uourishment save what was forced into
mis- mouth. With lengihening DAYS he ex-
EIbited signs of returning animation, but
not lill the arrival of May and the apple
blossoms did he move from his recu'noent
position, utter an intelligent syllable or
open his eyes. Presently, however,
he submitted 10 be bolstered up i'll bed.
and finally, like an infant, was put into his
clothes and led 10 a chair. He could not
bp induced TO speak. and the muscular
Effort, ii such il may be called, re-
uUired iOr him to pass from
the bed To the chair, was invariably
followed by deep sleep, which lasted till
bedtime again. In June hunger asserted
Itself and during his brief waSetul mo
mtnts he daily found his way, unaSsisted.
to the pantry 10 appease the same, his eyes
all the while Cli Sed, and returning TO his
chair resumed the sleep which his friends
we're impellei to feel would never know
waking Thus he continued till July 10,
when, to the surprise of his family, he
strobe to the front veranda. Seated IN
rustic chair he heard passing tesmster
address his cattle, and, as if IN mimlcry,
sang out, "WhOaP'-the first exclamation
he had made during 2l5 days.
ON Monday night last week he went to
his room as usual.
During the Might
he left il stealthily, and, clad in his thin
garments, slippers, an apology for hat,
and no money, started to walk TO this city
He must have reached Hawleyville before
midnight. otherwise the depot Waterman
there would have seen him, and following
The tracks of the Housatonic railroad,
reached here Tuesday morning. Among
the crowds swarmiug at the station in this
CITY he did not attract attention at first,
out after a while Mr.. George Arnold OF the
police force, saw his actions, and conyiuced
that ere was something wrong, took
HIM into custody. The description
of Sherman W. Flatt and the story
officer. and he set about the task OF max
ing an Identification. Mr.. Arnold called
I'm ex. Mayor Daniel \. Morgan, who form
erly lived in Newtown, and one glance
from that gentleman sutlced Ii was indeed
Mr. Plat. At the office of Chief Marsh
various expedientS were adopted to eXtort
word from Mr. Platt He danced, walked
and smoked pipe when asked to do so,
but exhibited no inclination or desire 10
sueak. and il is asserted, did not utter q
word while in Bridgeport. Mr., Wenzsr
Plat. his father was notified, and he, IN
company with Mr.. William Dick OF Dicks
Hotel. NewtowR, conveyed the hero OF the
longest nap heard of or written about since
Irying's Rip Van Wrinkle, by railroad train
to his home.
Lewis Jaeger. OF Hamburg, Pa, has Meth