The times., 1901-06-11
A SOLDIER OF MISFORTUNE
While Clad in Army Blue Farrell
Lost the Power of Speech.
During Service in Hn Indinn Cam
pniEn, Narrow Escape From
Death Left Him Almost Helpless
Police Searching for His Relatives.

| Unable to utter a sentence owing to
| paralysis of the vocal chords, his body
! being more or less crippled by bullets re-
! ceived in Indian engagements On the from
/ tier. an soldier John Farrell. appar-
/ emily about fOTty-eight years of age, was
! taken into custody shortly after 10 o clock
| last night by Policeman Brown, and
brought to the Fifth precinct station be
| cause OF his peculiar actions. The man
was found roaming up and down Penn
sylvauia Avenue southeast. in a bewilder-
! ing manner, carrying a small red satchel
and apparently endeavoring to speak to
pdssersby. but all that came from his lips
was a low gurgIng sound The citizens
paid no attention To his actions, thinking
the man crazy, but informed the police.
The scene at the station was a pitiable
one The man with tears running down
his cheeks did his best to make those be
hind the station rail understand. him, but
it was impossible. Sentences were writ
ten on paper by Desk Sergeant Eberly,
hut to them all the soldier only shook his
head and wept the more. Finally, seeing
that it was impossible to secure the nee
essary information. Policeman Brown
started into search the unfortunate man
as Is the custom.
What is your name" again asked Eb-
erly, accompanying his request with a
gesture.
This time the man evidently understood,
for he made n frantic grab for his red
satchel and withdrew therefrom a num-
ber of sheets of typewriting, and passed
them to the desk sergeant The face OF
that official Immediately frightened. for it
was found by the papers that the man
was unable to talk. and that despite the
fact that he had Travelled over nearly all
the United States. and had made frequent
trips to England he had never uttered
word since 1888, when he lost his speech.
The papers stated that the man name
was John Farrell, a native of Galway,
Ireland. who came to this country in 1880,
enlisted in the United States Army, choos-
ing the cavalry branch; sent with a batch
of rockies to jefferson Barracks in Mis-
souri, and later transferred to Fort IN
ion. New Mexico, headquarters of the
Fourth Cavalry: had served gallantiy
with his command was mentioned Tor
promotion but was taken iii with typhoid
fever, and sent to the care of the regl-
mental surgeon ir an old wooden frontier
hospital
one day the institution caught fire. and
in the excitement. Farrell was lett IN a
weakened condition in the burning ouild-
ing. A rescue party was formed, ana
Farrell, severely burned, and in an un-
conscious condition, was dragged out. /
When he was revived sufficiently the sol
der was horrilied to finG that he was un- !
able to talk. despite his frantic endeaNors |
to do so. Day after day his conditlon vas
watched by the army surgeons IN the VI
cinity but their services were OF no aFall. /
He was finally discharged and sent TO /
the east, where his case during 1881 at /
tract ed the attention of many of the most /
famous surgeons in the Country,-but after /
applying the electric and other treatments I
known 10 their profession they all came I
to the conclusion that the mans 5 condition /
was hopeless. Time and again he has !
been taken to hospitals TO be operated /
on in Philadelphia, New York, Chicago,
and in this city, but always with the /
same result. He finally managed to Sc /
cure a pension, and il was learned by his /
papers that only recently his pension had !
been increased to $12 a month.
Farrell spent several months IN this city [
at the Soldiers Home, but left that /
institution several years ago. Where he !
came from or where he intended going II I
was impossible for the police to ascertain. Z
In an envelope in his pocket was found /
$3.50 and his satchel contained many let
ters from army officers, complimenung
him upon his bravery while in the army. /
What the police viii do with Farrell /
is not known. For some unknown reason /
the officials at the House of Detention re-
fused to allow the man to stop there,
despite the fact that he is so paralyzed /
that il is impossible for him TO walk.
Sergeant Kaucher. of the Fifth precinct /
station, took such an interest in the old
soldier that Farrell was not placed in 1
cell. but was given d bed in the scrgeantS 3
room. Police Headquarters has been re-
titled of Farrells s case and an effort viii
be made TO locate his relatives if possi-
HE