The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-03-17
DYING BY
INCHES OF
STARVATION
Richards, the Guthrie Fasting
Man, Nearing the End.
CAN'T LAST MUCH LONGER
Has Now Lived Sixiy-Five
Days on Orange Juice.

Guthrie. 0. T.. March 1s-J. NJ Rich
ards Or this city. has been fasting since
January 8. is fast wasting away and his
physicians state that unless he takes
/ nourishment soon he VIII be unable to
survive much longer. He is confined to
his bed a greater portion Of the time
Although ne sits up az intervals. Rich
ardss has weakened much duriag che past
few days. bur yet persists in not takius
food. with the exception OF the juice u
a norange each day. This peculiar man
has confined himself 20 his home GA East
Warner avenue and very people have
seen hin since he began his fasting
/ career. Richards ne3ghbors state that
I they have seen very little ~ him and
that he refuses 70 talk Go them about hts
strange actions. Fer the past few weei.e
Richards has rarely ever been ont OF hIs
home and those who have called % ses
him have been disappointed for not hat-
ing gained admittance.
Richards. bv his actions. has caused
much comment in Guthrie. Not only has
/ ne CAUSED discussions regarding bis ae-
tion here bu IL has extended over the
territory and people have even ysitea
1 this city 70 call upon HIM. They were
! disappointed. however. for Richards re-
fused 20 talk 70 them. conccrains hls
( strange Methods OF living.
Richards has resided in this city for
number OF years. re owns the property
where he now resides. 10 is a neat fittie
+ cottage and the grounds surrounding 81
/ are well cared for Evidently De hHs
+ given his home much attention previous
60 this time and it shows the Work &C.
voted 10 Il during bite summer az iast
+ year The home does nor vary much
from others ia Outhrie and the average
/ person. - see 10. would not lnow thaf 10
+ contained a man VINO persisted ia deins
something outside 81 the ordinary hne of
life. lie and ais family SIRE rsligiousr
inclined. Ar and AIRS Richards en-
members OF the Presbyterian church
and even members Of their denominniou
have awaited nothing IN their attempts
TO change Richards idea about Twins
without eating.
Previous 70 last january. Richards had
often talked O. this method Of living ana
had stated then that he thought that
ne would try g. u seems that ho has hsd
stomach trouble and prior % this Illness
had been a man with a voraclous aupe-
tite. After having stomach trouble ho
was unable 60 eat soiidd foods and think
inE seriously about the matter concluded
that ae wouid gve up eating entirely. Ira
conversation with a local physieian at the
time the ho commenced his fasting Rich
ards stated tina. be had been advised b. o
former resident of Guthrie "a physician.
that it would be the best thing be could
do. Richards friends nos thlnk that the
physician neglected. 20 complete bis state
meut.-that e VOID be thc best thiug hc
could de II a. wanted o. ale of starvation.
Imbued with the idea Of f8stng.-on jan
uary Q. BE- commenced che fast Witch has
only been broken once since that Time
This was on January %. ana on that aay
Richards took a little corameai Cruel
lie did not eat much ~ % and stated inst
he prcferre4 the juice of sn orange each
day To anything that De- might eat some
1ays after having taken the cornmeat
ggr1el. Richards called a physIcfan. ur.
X. y. smlta lie stated 90 ur emltb shat
he had taken the Cruel and that q portion
OF lt lodgea in hs throat ard alec fhat
on January 10th Waa sfu ia h.a stomach.
The physician. on fhe request ~ Richie
ards. gave him medicine ~ cause vemlt-
ing and after an action If thla KIDD Eleh-
ards fen much relieved he 8l not talk
80 Smith about h.a action. The physician
ls1ed some questions however. and was
aot satisfactoruf anawerea After have
ne made rho Ft ono has been called
~ a ID
saeting 8 Say. al because he does u1t be-
sese iu eating
Thie IS not the only strange acficr On
be part ~ Richards ffe hsa bera sen1-
ug hia Children r. schooi a1thaef trssA-
.aef. iaher-oe under IRE theofT taat tsev
eouid be more nealfhfnl uifho.f eating
ner their nights sleep. AZ TIE nsoa
.osr tnev were permitted ta ret Dee
richards Insisted cor dictauae tfat fheg
hosld nor Griuk shIe at tse tshle Ills
hndrsa aFs ret ferY a'd ap1 are ia tas
over rraIfe Ia aefcf Taeg a1 net sar
nythins about fhelf fafsfs and even
.hes aaAs4 choose h.m rsfsre 81 ansaer
= cH ~ che EeHer1a Boone asaas
gfhsas far tbe members ~ fhe fanly r.
see f1 nake stafelnrrfa caar.rrfrz fa
fllr ~ fhr naa us
sseE Tte sfefereaf matf r.rrefaE
e fm
cen hm reeeatlg aui p fasrasa.y 49,
see ahgsl5 - larsffrsfef Tt r. sfafef
-at ~ fr taat
.ers ere trcsa of
heffsr -F cafses at %
Esst H t 1st a