Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-17
HtLPIEss WITH TBElR DEAD.
Terrible Experience or Two Kentucky
Families.


An Evansville Qnd.) telegram says
Township-Trustee Spreget was notified
Yesterday that his services were wanted
at the river. lie was directed to a
small family boat lying near the
wster-works. The craft was monde
script vessel, and bore evidences Of
hard usage. Its bow was STAYED in, and
nearly the entire roof blown off. The
cabin Of the boat was about ten feet
long and twelve wide, and in this niser-
able, cooped-up box were twelve per-
sons, whose appearance was an evidence
Of pinchiDg poverty. Hollow.eyed, ema-
ciated, and with scarcely a rag of cover
ing, they lay upon the bare, dark floor OF
tho boat huddled together, and all con-
tending with malarial fever. In the
midst of them lay the dead body of an
sged woman, partially decompoSed.
Over this piece Of rag carpet had been
thrown, the living occupants being too
i'll to move the body. The trustee at
once sent for patrol wagons and re-
moved the sufferers to tho hospital, and
then On inquest was held, verdict OF
death from malArial fever being rem
dered. Mr.. George Bush, one of the
occupants Of the boat, was seen at the
hospital tonight. He was very i'll, but
able to give clear narrative of the ter
rible and sickening experience to which
they had been subjected. The story,
almost beyond parallel, was as follows:
Until three weeks ago George aud
John Bush, brothers, were farmers IN
Meade county, KY, about twelve miles
from the mouth Of the Salt river.
Their land was poor, and it was With
much difficulty that they obtained suf-
ficient food to keep the wolf from the
door. They finally became disheartened
and determined to try to better their
condition further West. To this end
they constructed small boat, and on
Sunday, July 18th, both families, con-
sistipg of the brothers, their wives, and
nine children thirteen in altogether
with their little belongings, embarked
in the boat, and started on their trip
down the river. They reached the
mouth Of Salt river late Sunday night,
and when Monday morning broke were
in the Ohio. Two weeks ago to-day
Nancy Bush, aged fifty-seven, Georges
wife, was taken i'll with malaria, aud,
not being able to procure necessary
medicine, it soon developed into typhoid
malaria. The other members were
stricken down one by one until finally
all were helpless. In this condition
they were oyertaken on Thursday night
by a heavy storm, which tossed their
craft about like an egg-shell, throwing
them from one end of the boat to the
other. Their possessions were oil swept
away by the waves and the roof taken
off. During this fearful night Mrs.
Bush suddenly grew worse and began
pleading feebly for water, which no Que
could give her, and just as dawn broke
she died in intense suffering and agony.
AL day long they drifted with the
current, the hot sun beating heavily
down upon the little group of sufferers.
The approach of darkness gave them
some relief, but the overpowering thirst
and hunger nearly deprived them Of all
reason. This morning they had drifted
nearly opposite the city, when some
fishermen ssw the apparently tenantless
boat and boarded it, discovering the
condition OF its occupants. They Sc
cured their lines and ran the boat
ashore, after which the authorities
were notified. All the sick people are
being tenderly cared for tonight, but
hopes are only entertained for six OF
them, the fatal and fetid atmosphere,
tainted with the corpse, having had its
effect upon the remainder. Mrs. Bush
has been buried and the boat burned.