The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-07-03
GREAT SLEEPER
Ihs New Jersey Man Who Is Fitting
Rival for Rip Van
Wrinkle
Said to Have Weakened Up Only Few
Times Since His Wedding Night
Thirty Years Ago.

In the Pennington river valley. two
miles from the little town of Ringoes, N
j., lives man by the name OF John
Stipple, who has slept almost continu-
ously for over 80 years.
The case is a remarkable one, and 1t
has puzzled a good many physicians who
have visited the little farm house in
which Stipple does his slumbering from
time to time for the purpose of making
a study of the case. The man is now
about 80 years old, and but for the fact
that he looks haggard and pale his face
has the same appearance that it had 80
years ago, when John was hearty
youth of 20 years.
Stipple's long sleep began under pc
culiar circumstances. 1t was in the WIN
ter Of 1865. He had married the daugh-
ter of farmer who lived in the vicinity
OF Copper Hill, and the wedding party,
consisting of dozen orso young friends
of the couple decided to take sleigh
ride on the Pennington river, which was
frozen over and supposed to be safe.
During the trip Stipple's horse stepped
into an air hole, and in floundering
around broke up the ice so that the
sleigh containing the bride and groom
went into the water. The young woman
was saved with some difficulty and Stip-
pie was at last got out, but he was I'M
conscious and to all appearances dead
He was taken to the home that he had
after
couple of physicians had worked over
him several hours in the hope of restor-
ing him they declared that he was be-
yond human aid, and in less than ~
hours he had apparently ceased to
breathe. Stipple was supposed to be
dead, and he was prepared for burial
The day was fixed for the funeral, and
the young widow was nearly crazy.
The night before the man was to be
buried, Henry Wilcox and Jason Dalton,
two of his friends. were sitting up with
the corpse. They had euchre deck, and
were doing their best to pass the time
pleasantly with the cards. About
o'clock in the morning Wilcox had
picked up the cards for shuttle, when a
voice in the room where Stipples re-
mains lay shouted Whoa, there!"
That was all, but it was enough to
bring Wilcox and Dalton to their feet
weth their hair up in the air and their
eyes hanging out. They finally braced
up and went into the room with the pur-
pose of finding out where the voice came
from. ; There was nobody in sight but
Stipple, and to the amazement of the two
men he had turned over on his side. He
was apparently dead. and after trying
all the ways with which they were IA
mAliar to discover if the man breathed,
and falling, the watchers Strengthened
Stipple out on his back, covered his face
again and left the room to talk it over.
No more sounds came from the room
that night. but in the morning the sup
posed corpse was found lying on his
side again. The story of what the watch
ers had heard and seen was told, and
Mrs. Stipple refused to allow her hus-
bands body to be buried.
The physicians tried every means
known to the profession to restore Slip
pie to his normal condition, but without
avail, and at last they gave up the un-
dertaking, declaring again the man was
dead. This, however, the wife refused to
believe, and she could not be induced to
consent to the interment of the body.
Six weeks Stipple lay without mani
Testing signs of life, and then one morn
ing when the wife was attending to
household duties in the adjoining room,
she heard somebody shout, Whoa,
there!' She hurried into the room where
her husband was, and found him sitting
up, with his arms extended, as if he was
driving a horse.
Overjoyed at the sight. Mrs. Stipple
threw her arms around her husband, and
fell to weeping. Stipple showed no signs
h1,t 20 hisocr
to eat and drink. His wife brought him
some meat and a glass of milk. He re-
fused to eat the food, but drank the milk
and called for more. He eagerly swal-
lowed several glasses of milk, and then
lying down resumed his apparently
breathless sleep.
1t was two months before Stipple was
again heard from. One day a preacher
who had a wide reputation for being able
to cure obstinate diseases through pray
er, came to the Stipple residence at the
request of the Sleeper's wife, and, kneel-
ing by the bedside, began to pray When
he had reached a point in his appeal for
the restoration of Stipple to health he
was interrupted by the man crying OUT
Whoa, there!' The preacher stopped
praying. Stipple sat up in bed as before
and with an expression Of great anxiety
on his face appeared to be struggling
with horse. He soon fell back ON the
pillows and feebly called for food. AS
before, meat and milk were brought to
him, but he swallowed only the milk He
drank, nearly a gallon of it before he
was satisfied, and then became uncon-
sclous again. The preacher, at the ear
nest request of the mans wife, once more
began to pray, but Stipp1e showed no
further signs of life.
For 10 years the man remained in this
condition, awaking at irregular inter-
walls and always shouting: Whoa,
there!" and appearing to be engaged in
holding horse. The excitement of the
night when he and his bride broke
through the ice on the Pennington river
seemingly remained on him. Whenever
he awoke he would drink large quanti-
ties Of milk, and refused to eat solid
food.
One day, about 20 years ago, Mrs. Stip-
pie was engaged in sweeping out the
room Ia which her husband lay, when he
suddenly cried out, "Thank God, Susie.
yoN was saved"
Mrs. Stipple was wild with joy, believ-
ing that the spell upon her husband had
at last been broken. He appeared to be
In full possession Of his mental faculties,
ana talked with his wife about the &C.
currencea Of the eventful night 10 years
before. What had takenp place since then
was a blank to him, and he talked as if
he had awoke from nights sleep. He
asked IL the farm hand had MIXED, and
how long before breakfast would be
ready. Fearing the effect that the krlowl-
edge might have on her husband, Mrs.
Stipple did not tell him how long ago
1t was that those affairs he had been
talking about took place. She told him
that John was then doing the chorse at
the barn. and that she would have break
fast ready in a short time She sat ON
the edge of the bed with her arms around
her husband. her heart hrira,,i,nec o,ro.