Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-05-17
A WONDERFUL STORY
4 Sick Man Lies in a Calm Over Five
Weeks Without Food, Fire,
or Water.
Things Do Happen That Are Hard to
Explain and the Following
is of That Glass.

1T is not generally known, but never
theses true, tnat there is q man in
Seattle" says the Post Intelligeuoer of
that city, entitled TO rank with the
famous DR.. Tanner.
about 6 O'Clock last evening gentle.
man called at this Office and stated that a
man had just been brought into William
Gross hotel, on Mill street, who had been
lost in the woods for six weeks without
food. A reporter hurried to the hotel
and there, near the stove, sat little,
emaciated man With his face resting in
his hands, az d he was pointed ont to the
reporter as the man he was looking for.
IA an honest straightforward, intelligent
manner the poor fellow related the story
of his eufferings
"Ny name is John LearF. I am al
Iriahman by birth aud past so years of
gge. l arrived in Seattle on March II
and put up az Our Home hotel, where
am as present. 1 remained all night al d
after breakfast on the morning OF March
Is put my blankets on my back and
started out, intending to find work on the
Seattle d West Coast railroad. WheB
about sixteen miles from the city my
legs suddenly became parai zed, and
fell to the ground. short distance from
where l fell there was an old deserted
cabin, into which ! cfawled, dragging my
blankets with me. There was 10 door
on the cabin, and | had little flicul-
| ty in getting inside. Being thoroughly
exhausted [ rolled myself IN my blankets,
and there for thirty-six long, weary days
and nights l lay without food, and no
shelter save that afforded by the old and
Leak oaolA and the pair OF blankets
took there with me. This old hut was
some distance from the road or trail in
the WOODS, and | could hardly hope for
human aid. Both my legs and one of my
arms were paralyzed, and | was utterly
helpless. The first few days and nights I
suffered terribly from hunger aud thirst,
particularly from the latter. Occasion
ally would drop off to sleep and dream
of running water and trees loaded down
with luscious fruit, when | would start
aud waken only to realize my miserable
and alpless condition"
"Could you get no water?"
"After | had lain in the caJin for some
days, only waiIug for welcome death
to come to my relief, l Aeard the
rain coming down, first very lightly and
then in torrents. Dragging my miser-
able self to the door [ stuck my had out
and let the water fall in my face. Just in
front of the door was block of wood,
fOremerly used by the occupant of the cab
in a. a step. This chunk of wood was slight
ly hollow on top and retained some of
the water from the caves. This water
would scoop up in the hollow of my hand
and pour down my parched and swollen
throat. After had swallowed all | dared
20 l seemed to revive, and for the first
time after reaching the cabin began to
hope that / might live to get back to
civilization auu friends once more. Days
came and went and still no more relief.
After the first ten days, during which my
suGerings from hunger were indescrib
ably terrible, my hunger ceased and
from that day 70 the present time | havs
not felt any desire TO eat. Every day 1
made ara effort to etupon my feet, and
as often failed, | iHally became recon
ciled to my fate and waited patiently for
the hour to cone when l should die from
starvation. During Wednesday night,
April %, strange feeling came over me,
and my legs began to feel as if they were
another of those horrid delusions, pinch
ed myself on the knee, and to my great
Joy realized that / would soon be able
TO walk, provided that | had the strength
left to do So Early this morning / arose
and walked about. 1 was almost over
come with joy, and As soon as possible J
bid fare well 10 the old cabin which had
sheltered me thirty-s;x long days and
nights e my blankets, being unable
10 carry them. All day long walked or
crawied toward town, arriving here at 6
o'clOck this evening. | was 50 changed
no one knew me, and I had hard work to
convince the proprietor Of the house that
was the same man who lett here on the
morning of March 49,"
The records of the house ow the mans
statement az to dates TO Uo true. Mrs.
Gross, the wife of the proprietor, on see
ing the reporter, said: II feel awfully
sorry tor Mr.. Leary, and have been TO see
the doctor in order TO find out what to
give him 10 eat. The doctor said if | let
MIN eat all he could it would kill him. He
said for me TO powder up some cracker
aud put it in warm water with salt and
pepper, aud only allow the poor fellow to
have a few spoonfuls every half hour, and
am having it fixed for HIM now
When asked if she remembered Mr..
Leary Mrs. Gross replied;
Law me- I should say | do! When he
lett here March Is, be was fat aud nice
looking, and now he looks like starved
person. Poor felcwl | think he should
be sent to the hospital. One of his arms
is still paraly ed
The story as rented bv Mr. Ieary seems
almost i'm probable, and will doubtless be
disbelieved by many, but the man would
have no object in lying about the matter,
and his very manner lmpresse7 one that
he is telling the exact truth.
cnMGR ESsrnM