Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-26
A WILL OF IRON.
Strange Case of George Harris,
of Newborn, Ills.
He DETERMINES To DIE FASTING.

A II speless Invalid. He Tires of Suffering
aI.i Nerves Himself to End 1t by Sui
eide by Starvation Extraordinary OBJ
stinacy of the Suherer-No Appeals
Move Him, and for Month He Has
Persisted in His Course.
ALTON, Ills, Jan. 26,-In the little town
of Newbern, twelve miles from here,
George Harris lies on a sick-bed from
which he will probably never rise. Last
evening closed the twenty ninth day of his
fast with the determined man still alive
but he is lingering in a condition of the
most CHASTITY weakness, stupor and
emaciation. The entire community is
wrought up over the horrible features of
the case, and Harris friends and relatives
are moving heaven and earth to save him
from the awful form OF self-destruction he
has so desperately chosen.
Suicide by a New Route.
From his appearance last night, how.
ever, Harris has passed beyond the hope
of rescue, and il is almost certain that he
must soon die from the frightful effects of
combined starvation and incurable dis.
ease under which he is now sinking. When
death does come ii will mark the close of
probably the most grim and stubborn
march to the grave ever made voluntarily
by man tired of living and George Har.
ris' fast will break the record rs an in
stance o. a deliberate and prearranged
suicide By a new and peculiarly appalling
route
Cause and beginning of His Fast.
Harris has been a hopeless invalid for
sCrne time, and on Deco. - he announced
his determination to starve himself to
death, and has not tasted a mouthful of
food since. He first refused water also
but was told that thirst would NAKED cath
horrible in the extreme, and has con.
scented t. drink little water daily. He
has resided with his sister, Mrs. Mellow,
for several years, and despite threats of
self-GeStr uctlon, the first intimation had
OF his CHASTITY resolution was when. on the
morning of Dec. Is, he ordered his break
fast sent back to the kitchen untasted
Refuses to Reply to ApneaIs.
Since that day no morsei OF food has
passed his lips. Harris is of good family.
we'll known here, and has relatives in high
standing IN various parts of the state. He
is Tenuesseean by birth, having been
born in II at state in 1S41 He will not re-
ply 10 appeals to save his own life. and the
scene last night at the house Of his sister
was one that can never be forgotten.
Friends Of the desperate and obstinate
man had been gathering about him all
day.
natures Vain Struggles.
He lies In a sort OF strange stupor nearly
all the tine, a condition of framework
ness that Keeps him oblivious of his sur
roundinCs, and OF the sorrow felt BY
his relatives and friends at the
frightfUl fate he is bringing on
himself Occasionally, however, the pangs
OF hunger grow so keen that his sufferings
rouse him from his lethargy. Then be-
gins struggle between his will power
and his craving for food, which is the
most horr Die feature of his effort at self.
destruction. The iron will of the man in
variably wins.
Resolved on Using Force.
Almost too late in the strange fast his
friends have determined TO use force in an
endeavor 10 save Harris life He has al
ways stlbbornly refused to al.
low Il physician To be called and
so far his been suffered To pursue
his suicidal course without hind-ance. save
that Of entreary and supplication. There
l. but little doubt that he could have been
prevented rom starving himself 10 death
had means been adopted some days ago to
force him | o receive nourishment in some
form. 1t : nov practically too late tc