Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-01-23
FATAL SOMNOLENCE
Deadly Sleepiness of Man in
New York.
WILL DIE IF NOT KEPT AWAKE,

And the Latter an Impossibility for More
Than Few Days-Picked Up for a
Drunk" by the Police He SAUNDERS
Continualiy-The Doctors and officials
Turn Him Over TO His Wife to Await
the Inevitable.
New YORK, Jan. 23-Charles Gillick,
aged so years, a peddler, who lives with his
wife and family in Eighth avenue is suffer
ing from peculiar disease which the doctors
say will cause his death in few days The
fact is, so say the physicians, that if he is
left alone for a certain length of time he will
sleep himself to death. Last Thursday night
policeman attached to the West Forty
seventh Street station found Gillick sitting
on the curbstone with his back against a
telegraph pole at Forth-sixth street and
Eighth avenue. Gillick had all the appear
ance of being in drunken stupor.
Bad Case of sleeping Drunk
The policeman worked himself into per-
SEPARATION rubbing Gillick'; ears and shaking
him before he showed any signs of vitality.
Then Gillick slowly opened his eyes and
asked what the trouble was about The po-
liceman lifted him to his feet and held him
up against the telegraph pole while he raped
for assistance When another officer came
up Gillick was sound asleep again, standing
upright against the p ole The officers agreed
that 1T was the worst case of sleeping drunk
that they had ever encountered, and after
once more shaking up Gillick until he
showed slight signs of life they started with
him to the station house, where he was
locked up.
Wouldn't Wake for His Rations.
Gillick was sleeping soundly in his cell in
the morning, and was awakened only after
heroic treatment When arraigned at
Yorkville police court he acted stupidity,
and almost fell asleep while standing at the
bar before Justice Ford. He was in too
dazed a condition TO give any account of
himself, and was committed for examina-
ton. He fell Off in a trance-like sleep as
| soon as he was placed in a cell in Yorkville
prison, and when Keeper William Cover
tried to awaken him TO give him his rations
Gillick did not respond
Took Him to the Hospital.
After two or three more unsuccessful at.
temps to arouse him, Cover became alarmed
| and summoned an ambulance from Bellevue
hospital and had Gillck removed there
Gillick was again arraigned in court Tuesday
police by the hospital authorities, who claim
that they can do nothing for him. He wa,
| just as sleepy as ever, and the policeman
who had him in charge presented certif
cate from the doctors at the hospital, which
| said that Giliick was afflicted with peculiar
| brain trouble and would probably sleep him
self to death, and they could do nothing
with him. AS his wife wanted him home s(
that she could care for him herself, tn,
hospital authorities turned him over to tn,
| police.
| Turned Over to His Wife.
| : The unfortunate mans wife was in cour
| and had a coach outside TO take her hus
band home in case the court decided to turf
| him over to her. She wept bitterly, anC
said she was unable to account fer her hus
bands strange affection. He was not
drinking man, she said, and always attend
ed to his business. He never showed sign.
| of such disease before. The court dis
| charged Gillick, and his wife took hin
home. His case is said to be incurable ant
the only way to keep him alive is to keel
waking him at certain intervals.