The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-03-10
ROMANCE OE 4 unBlEss NAN.
Ruined BY Rum He Becomes q Tramr
and Nearly Freezes to Death.

A wonderful sight Is William
Bell. He has neither hands nor
feet. In this winter weather, while
the horrors of the great blizzard are
still fresh in the memory, the story
of the loss Of the limbs will give
some approximation of the terrors
of the ice king. Bells history be-
fore his misfortune is romantic. 1t
is only few years since he was ad-
mitted to practice law in this State.
A number of medals had been
awarded him during his student
life for his mental endowment and
intellectual attainments. Nor was
he behind hand in physical prowess,
being athletic, robust and active.
The world before him was full of
brightness and joy. He had every
prospect of gradually rising in his
profession until he should reach the
top. His life and hopes were sud
denly blasted. He was engaged to
be married to a Philadelphia girl.
She was the flower of an illustrious
family which had lived in the Qua
ker City almost since William Penn
made his famous treaty with the
Indians. Wedding day came and
went, and in the house where there
was to be joy there was only the
deepest sorrow. The young lady
and her mother and sisters were
drowned a few days before in the
ocean off Sandy Hook by the cap
sizing of yacht during a gale.
Only the father and poor broken
hearted Bell remained.
1t was only a little while before
he became mental and physical
wreck. During the first severe
weather this winter, on bitter cold
night, he applied to the sergeant in
the Eighteenth Precinct Station
house for lodging. Bell remained
there only few moments, when he
told the sergeant that he could
not stand the place and went out.
The next morning he was found at
daylight, lying under the canopy
of stars, near the East River, frozen
to death, it was thought, when they
took him to the morguc.
Old Joe Fogerty, the morgue
keeper, when he was taking off the
dead mans clothes put his ear to
the chest. There was little heart
autter there, and DR.. Bennett was
called from lecturing in Bellevue
College. After ten hours treatment
the sufferer regained consciousness,
but danger presented itself. Such
a large amount of tissue had been
affected by the frost that it was not
thought possible that gangrene
could be checked. The patient was
put upon highly nourishing diet, |
but typhoid symptoms appeared
and then came the discoloration of
gangrene.
1t was decided that amputation
was the only means OF saving the
mans life. To prevent hemorrhage
the legs and arms above the point
Of cutting were tightly wound with
Both legs and arms were
cut off at the same time above
the knees and elbows, four surgeons
being at work upon the different |
parts, with their assistants, and the
four operations were performed in
The same time that one usually |
would be.
The patient suffered greatly from
he shock, and was thrown into
,omatose state that lasted for two
lays. Then the wavering life sud-
lenly picked up vigor, and the pa
lent rapidly improved. His health
s now fair, but it will take long
lime for the stumps to heal. His
I'D friends have come back to him,
md everything is being done for his
comfort. He will be supplied with
lrtifcial hands and feet as soon as
le can wear them.-N. Y. Press.