The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-21
DIED OF STARVATION.
4 olro Prosperous Man Dies for Want of
Food In Allegheny.

OIro Prosperous Man Dies for Want OF
Food In Allegheny.
PlTrsBURGH, Pa, Nov. 20.-Under the
shadow OF the Allegheny City home
John Wells was yesterday found dead.
Starvation killed him, and in his death
struggles he had burrowed deep into
the mud OF the township road.
William Wells was once the ideal
happy village blacksmith. At Vernon
for years he had worked at the forge,
surrounded by his wife and children.
Misfortune several years ago came to
him in many different ways and he lost
his reason. One day while forging out
horseshoe piece OF iron struck him
in the eye, putting it out. The pain OF
the wound, coupled with some financial
losses, drove him mad The little homo
was broken up, Wells was sent to the
asylum, and the wife and children dis.
appeared. They have never been heard
Of since.
Two years ago Wells was released
from tho insane asylum. Since then he
has wandered about the country beg
and lie was frequently Eighty. For n
while past he has been around Sharps-
burg considerably, spending the most
OF his time ut the mills watching tho
men at their work. Several days ago
he disappeared from his usual haunts
and the men missed him much. In
quiry was made about town, but no one
had seen Wells.
Yesterday morning Charles Bremen,
a farm hand employed by Mr.. Cook,
who lives on the Ross estate, while on
his way to work, stumbled over the
body OF dead man OH the road just
outside OF the Allegheny City Home. 1t
was that OF Wells, and there was every
evidence that there had been an awful
death struggle. The mans clothing
was covered with yellow mud, his hands
were tightly clinched across his breast
and his lace told OF indispensable agony.
Tie ground where he lay was torn and
rooted as though hog had made the
place its feeding ground. There were
no marks on the BODY to indicate foul
play and everybody was Tor u time at
loss to know what caused death. The
body was removed to an undertaSers
in Sharpsburg and Coroner Mcdowell
notified. The more the coroner worked
on the case tho more mysterious i
grow. Last night the inquest was held
and DR.. Mcintosh, OF SharpsbuTg, made
q post norton examination. 1t re-
vealcd an awful met,
Wclls's stomach showed that not q
particle OF food had entered it for sew
cral days. and that death was caused by
starvation. Charles Brcnnen Mt the
hearing remembered OF having seen
Wells on Thursday evening Mt Ross
station. He was walking slowly up Nni
down the depot platform with his head
bowed low. A lady had seen him Fri
day night going across tho fields toward
tho poor farm. He was moving very
slowly and his features were worn and
haggard 1t is probable that Wells
was on his way to tho poor farm, when
what little strength he had left him,
and death camo in this horrible form.
When Wells was blacksmith ~
Verona he was line specimen oil man,
He was nearly six feet tall and was
built accordingly. Yesterday when his
body was found it was but a shadow Of
the former John Wells. lie was awful.
Is emanciated; in fact this strong man
OF wore was nothing but skin and bones,
Coroner Mcdowell has not been able
so far 10 find friend OF the dead man.
At Verona there are mNny who knew
him in his happier days, but not one