The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-27
NO FOOD FOR FIVE DAYS
SAD STORY OF A MAN SUPPOSED TO
BE A KOKOMo PREACHER.
Came Here Two Weeks Ago, Hunting
for WOrk-Sent to the City
Hospital.

young man who Is supposed 20 be II.
P. Studdiford a Methodist preacher from
Kokomo, has been starving in this city for
a week And yet all this time he has mad a
room at the Enterprise Hotel and has neen
about the hotel at night. Police Surgeon
Christian, after cursocy examination of
Studdiford, said the indications were that
Studdiford was starving. At the CITY Hcs-
pital, where Studdifo-d was taken, the rhy-
sicians stated positively that he was starv-
ing.
Studdiford went into the receiving room
of the police station yesterday at noon. lie
sank into a heap on char and his head
fell forward on his breast. The desk SER
geant saw the man was i'll, and called DR..
Christian the police surgeon. The physi-
clan went to the man and asked him what
was the matter.
He replied. Its only lack of food"
The physician then felt the mans pulse.
1t was clipping along at about 100 His
hands were tremulous and moist with cold
perspiration. His face was pale, and there
was q. feverish odor about him. Several of
the attaches of the police station had gath
cred about. DR.. Christian motioned to them
to come away with him. He wanted to
see what Studdiford would do. When the
tears Then Dr. Christian returned to him.
The man was too weak to talk. seeming
ly. He put his hand in his pocket and drew
out letter and card. These he handed to
the doctor as if to let them tell what he had
not the strength to say. The card was
printed certificate that H. P. Studdiford is
preacher of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. 1t was signed by an authority of
the church. The letter was as follows:
Indianapolis, Ind, July q, 1898.
my Dear Wife: Your letter received
and 1t has caused me great anxiety Tor
am powerless to help you in any way.
You say that the gas company has shut
off the gas because you could not pay in ad-
vance for July, and that the landlord has
served ten days notice on you, and you
ask me what you can do.
50 / do not know what to say, for / have
not even got two cents to buy stamp for
this letter, and l am afraid will be un-
able to mail it after writing. The twenty
three cents l sent you yesterday was every
cent / had.
knows that | am a local preacher, and he
also knows that the difficulties we are now
in were caused by the ten weeks sickness
you passed through, and that from the 9th
of May up to July q I was compelled to
stay at home, and take care of you and our
little ones. Surely he ought to be willing to
[ would not have thought there was a
property owner in Kokomo who would act
SO inhuman.
about the baby holding up piece or stale
bread and saying, Please, mama, put some
butter on my bread! for know that you
that the flour is out do not see what you
can do. If there were only someone could
go to for a temporary loan.
Let us continue to pray. Tor surely zoo
il faithful who has promised, and he Will
not suffer our three little children to starve.
God bless you and help us 10 Provlus Lor
LII evaA ~
together and not to have our family scat
tered is the earnest prayer OF your al
iec'i0iia'e A"'':'H III. P. sTUDDIFoRD.
"P. s. Saturday, July g. 1898.
at am afraid I must say goodbye, Tor TINS
is the third day have gone without 1000,
and I am beginning to get TOO weak 10
look for work much longer.
Several of the men in the room read the
letter. DR.. Christian asked Studdiford how
long he had been without food He an
swered, "Since last Wednesday"
Dr. Christian then called up the City
Hospital and asked that the ambulance be
sent after Studdiford. This was done. Be-
fore he started for the hospital DR.. Chris
tan told Studdiford he would mail his letter
for him. Before he mailed the letter he
wrote at the bottom of it: ''Mr. Studdiford
has been sent to the City Hospital for care
for the present. Dr.. c. H. Poucher is the
superintendent"
Before mailing the letter DR.. Christian
carefully studied it. He found in it some in
consistencies, but he believes they may be
explained by the supposition that the mans
mind was weak from being long without
food.
When Studdiford arrived at the hospital
he was examined. and the decision was that
he was starving He was Immediately put
under careful treatment. Last night it was
learned that Studdiford had been stopping
at the Enterprise Hotel. An inquirer was
told the following by the clerks:
''Studdiford came here two weeks ago to-
morrow. He paid So for a ticket good for
twenty-one meals and paid for his room a
week in advance. When the ticket ran out,
at the end of the week, Studdiford said he
he be carried on the accounts for short
time for his room. This was done. Studdi-
ford did not ask for meals. At night he
would go into the office of the hotel and sit
down and read until midnight. Then he
would go to his room. In the morning he
would go out again. If we had known he
was starving we certainly would nave gwen
him something to eat. He seldom spoke to
any one. Every day he would say he ex-
pected money, but none came.
letter was received at the hotel yester-
day for Studdiford. In the corner or the
envelope was card stating the letter was
from the supreme recorder OF the Fraternal
Mystic Circle, Philadelphia, Pa. Evidently
there was no money in the letter. 1t had
been forwarded to the hotel from Kokomo.
The letter to his wife was addressed to
Mrs. H. p. Studdiford, 447 Home avenue,
Kokomo, Ind.
Studdiford apparently is between twenty
five and thirty years old. He wore black
suit and a frock, ministerial-looking coat.
His clothing is in good condition and shows
it has been taken care of. He has mus
tache and is small in figure, and wears
glasses.