The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-27
AN AFFLICTED wANDERER.
Frank Martins Tale of Misfortune
and Suffering.

anu SuutEIn8s
With wealthy sister in the West aud
brother of means in the same state,
Frank Martin. aged 50 years, is poverty
stricken and wanderer ON the face of
the earth. Suffering with St. Vitus'
dance, which physicians in many states
have told him is incurable, Martin is un-
able to make living and manages to
exist on charity. while his brother and
sister enjoy everything that money can
purchase. He has appealed to them for
aid in vain and now realizes that In
the hour of affiiction even ones flesh and
blood may refuse to heed the appealing
cry for help.
night from Florida and secured lodging
at the police station. The hospitals re-
fused to open their doors for him. wan
derer with no home or means, and the
prison gates were the only ones he could
hnd ajar. Since his arrival he has re-
NAMED in the station house, telling his
story to the turkeys as they we. t
ON and came off duty. Each relief has
heard his story until a gloom has been
cast over the prison and in a few days.
maybe now, the officers Will wish him
to continue his journey.
The story is an oft-repeated one of a
cold and heartless world, story that
will be read with passing interest and
De forgotten in the rush of the days
events, one upon the other A Nor ing
News reporter talked with the palsed
man in the station house yesterday 1t
was sad tale of misfortune, and even
the prisoners in the cells stopped thei
idle chatter to listen to the words that
tod so much. II was more like a tale
iound in books of fiction and when he
mad concluded the prisoners rubbed their
eyes to see if they had been dreaming.
Martin was standing there, an exponent
OF the character in the story. 1t was
no delusion, but the cold and bitter truth
without the slightest coloring.
When the Civil War broke. out, Frank
Martin was only lad and lived with h s
parents in Douglas county, illinois. His
father shouldered his musket and gave
his life for the cause he thought was
right. His mother died during the war.
and Frank, who had learned the trade of
a bridge carpenter, moved to Texas,
shortly afterward. He married and had
four children. One by one they died
and only Martin and his wife were left
She died three years ago. He was a
strong man then, and in fairly good cir
Gums tances.
After burying his wife he sold his cf-
fects and started for San Francisco to
get away from his sorrows. He did not
travel by rail. He did not wish to min
gle with people. and started on his jour-
ney afoot On his way to the Pacific he
'eard that he could find employment on
some railway work in Arizona and
changed his course for that wild coun-
try. The Una desert was reached and
at the end of four days Martin found
himself without food or water. That wa
in January, 1885, and for five DAYS he
walked aimlessly through barren coun-
try without tasting food or water. He
had almost given up all hope when found
by lone traveller like himself Martin
shook as though he had the palsy, but
thought that his condition was due TO
the fact that he had neither touched fooi
nor water in five days. His condition
did not improve and after earning q live
lihood In Los Angeles for two months,
by driving milk wagon, he found that
he was helpless. He remained in a hos
pital In the California city for several
months and was tod by the physicians
there that his case was hopeless His
nerves and muscles had been shattered
n the Arizona desert, and his only relief
they told him. would be to go to a warm
er climate. Martin worked his way ba, *
TO Texas and, visited the place that
brought back such pleasant recoIlection=
TO his mind-days when he was strong
and happy. with his family OF Ave There
was no one for him to turn to in his
hour of trouble, and he started on his
tramp for the Land OF Flowers The peo-
ole Of Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami
took care of the unfortunate man for
weeks, and then he was given a ticket
and sent to Savannah. How long he will
remain at the police station is not known.