The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-02
A FINNISH SAILORS YARN.
HE WAS FOUND STARVING IN AN OUT
OF THE Way SHE'D

How ne cot There H. = Mystsry-Hs says
| Enemiss Wanted 90 XIII Him-He Was
Four or Five Days without Any Food.
over on the west side. near the foot OF Fifty
second street. Is an old three-story frame
house which has been landmark for upward
| OF seventy-fve years. About nifty feet to the
| rear Of the house a narrow ravlne separates
| the yard from some vacant lots. On the edge
| OF the ravlne is an old dapiiated shed. On
| the side facing the house tho shed is one story
| high and is used by Joseph Treadwell. the
| owner OF the place. as hen coon. Under It
\ is a sort OF cellar. with narrow door opening
into the ravino. which is filled with rubbish
| and ls seldom visited. A fence eight feet high
separates the ravine from the vacant lots.
On Friday morning while Mrs. Treadwell
was In the shed feeding the chickens she fan
| cied she heard some ono coughing family.
| This was followed by a noise like groap. The
| sounds we're not repeated. and Mrs. Treadwell
| did not think OF the matter again until even
| ing when hcr son Charles spoke OF having
heard somebody coughing violently appar-
cntly in the ravine Then Mrs. Treadwell told
| what she had heard.
Perhaps it's ghosts" said Mr.. Treadwell,
laughing. but l guess II you heard any
coughiag, II, came from some one passing
through the lot back OF the, she'd"
Then tho family forget all about the noises
while young Treadwell and his friend Ed
ward Weber. we're smoking their pipss in
u muiIted cry coming from tho rayine. The
young men wont into the shed. and presently
to come from the cellar under their feet
They got q lantern ana explored the cellar.
dust.covered rubbish. The dampness OF the
place had depressing effect. and Weber sue-
rested that they get into tho open air again as
ii guess we've made fools OF ourselves,
began Trcndweil, but I'd like to be sure"
aud he finished the sentence ~ kicking pile
OF boards. a cloud OF dust flew into the air
and from corner Of the cellar came a faint
Water! water For Gods sake get me
The light Of tho lantern revealed man
lying under pile OF old wagon wheels.
Who are, you any way. and what are you
doing herer demanded Treadwcll, bending
Take me out. I'm dying and"
The rest was lost In groan: IL was dis
covered that tho man was pinned down by tho
wagon wheels. Whom he was oNtricated and
fS @n E had
blue eyes and shock Of light eprly hair; HIS
s cSsss SSe and and his sYss
classy with suffering.
beg for water. When water was given TO him
upon a sofa apparently unconscious. After
vigorous rubbing he opened his eyes and re-
was John Hendrlckson. that he was n native
OF Finland. and that he had been sailor all
his life. In MAY last he shipped as mate on
the brig W. H. Macy Of Camden. Ne, and re-
ceived his discharge papers on Dec. *
But how in the world did you get into my
hen COOP" asked Mr.. Treadwell.
climbed oyer the fence said the sailor.
been in the cellar ever since"
With nothing to eat2" broke In Mrs. Tread
we'll
crawl out. and when called for help no one
heard me. / managed to reach n little ice.
my forty second birthday. and had made UP
my mind that I'd never see another one"
But what induced you to climb the fence
and crawl into my shed any way" said Mr..
II was running for my life and didn't know
where | was going" replied Hendrickson.
Then he drank bowl OF coffee and alto piece
lice were notified.
They got an ambulance from Roosevelt Hos
pital. but the surgeon refused to take charge
Of the sailor. saying that there didn't seem to
be very much the matter with him. Later
Hendrickson was taken to Bellevue Hospital
The doctors found that he was in serious
condition from prolonged starvation and that
both feet were frozen.
Hendrickson repeated at the hospital his
story about having climbed the fence in order
to escape from some enemies who were trying
to kill him. Once In telling his story he said
he had been lying in the shed eleven days.
The doctors say that he is perfectly sane, but
imagined himself pursued by enemies. He
did not show any signs OF alcoholism. however
The doctors say that he had evidently been
without food for four or five days at least