The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-06-24
BARKER ALIVE AND WELL
OUT OF HIS HEAD SIX DAYS, AIM-
 LESSLY WANDERING.

| -Returned Here at Once-Hts Fiancee, l Whom He Was to Have Welded Wed- ! nesday, Overjoycd nt Ills Return. Samuel A. Barker, the stenographer, who has been missing for nearly week drowned while fishing off Johnson's Point, is alive and we'll and under doctors care at the home of his broth er-in-law, Samuel R. Avis, 54 Division street. Barker returned Saturday mid night and says he doesn't know where
 he has been. Miss Edith M. How'd, of
 T Bristol street, to whom Barker was
 to have been married last Wednesday,
 is overjoyed at his return and spent all
 yesterday with him. They are to be
 welded as soon as Barker recovers
 from the exposure from his trip. This
 will be in week or two
 Barker left the city a week ago to-
 day to go fishing off Mansfield Grove.
 He secured boat and during the day
 was observed by several persons on
 land. It was said that he appeared to
 be i'll from the rough water, and at
 times was lying in the bottom of the
 boat. Little was thought of this, how
 ever, until his disappearance was re-
 ported. His marriage was set for
 Wednesday and all arrangements had
 been made. His failure to return home
 prostrated his intended bride and she
 was made very i'll by the unhappy turn
 in events. As the days went by and
 no news came the case appeared darker
 and on Friday last it was generally be-
 lieved that Barker had been drowned
 MT. Avis offered a reward of $100 for information and Miss How'd practically gave up hope of ever seeing her fiancee alive. Saturday the boat in which Bar ker had gone fishing was found near the end of Johnson's Point, stranded on a sand bar. There was no clothing in the boat, the oars were intact and the | lines were set This seemed to settle l the few remaining doubts and Bakers | death was accepted in fact
 Saturday midnight. between F and l | o'clock, the inmates of MT. Avis house were awakened by heavy footsteps up stairs and made an investigation. They were dumbfounded at discovering Barker wandering about. seemingly in a daze After the surprise and joy of finding him in the flesh had found ex- he was led to his own room and advised to go to bed at once. He insisted that he must first visit Miss How'd and let her know of his return, but finally compromised when MT. Avis agreed to go to the young lady's home and break the glad news to her. She almost fainted away when she heard about 1t anti yesterday morning she made haste to the Avis home, where she spent the day
 Barker has told her and his relatives
 he story of his absence, so far as he is able to account for himself. His recol- ection of events is clear up to the af-
 ernoon of the day week ago when le was out in the boat. He remem- ,ered that he was sick and lay down n the boat After that all is a blank or several days He does not know where or when or how he landed from he boat. or where he left it. He says hat when he came to his senses, which f develops was Saturday evening about
 o'clock, he was alone, in piece of woods, near a big river. The country vas entirely unfamiliar to him and he Iad no idea where he was or how he : anne there His hands were scratched nd bruised, his shoes were broken, orn and muddy, his clothing was in ad shape and he was very hungry. He
 ad in his pockets the articles he had tarted fishing with, including some honey, the balance of a $10 bill which e took when he left home.
 After surveying himself and trying D figure it out he decided to walk own stream until he reached house r somebody who could enlighten him S to his whereabouts He soon met i, nan who gave him the desired infor- nation and he learned that he was on z 1e banks of the Thames river, about 1 1ur miles above New London. He [ lade his way to that city as rapidly = $ he could, got something to eat and c ade himself as presentable as possible o nder the circumstances He did not /. now that it was Saturday until he t, ought a paper and noticed the date, s nd then he was all the more puzzled |. nd greatly distressed. for he knew II L., ,er the day which was set for his we'd ,, ng. must have caused much suffering :,
 mind and body to those dear to him. ~, a took the first train for New Haven, l.. ached here toward midnight and 1t ,I ice made his way to the home of MT. , wis, where he boarded. 4, MT. Avis says that he has full faith a,
 MT Barker's account of his adven- ~ res. and his belief is shared by the l., her members of the family and by ,,i iss How'd, who yesterday was pro 1a unced to be 'the happiest little wo- an on earth" Barker shows signs of " posture and tramping through woods II, d fields, across streams and over oa nces. He is pale and gaunt and Mr ,,, yis says he looks haI starved. pr. a, mes E. Stetson was called to attend l n and spent an hour with him yes e day forenoon. He found Barker in '. highly nervous condition, much run Ii, wn and suffering from the severe rr ,ntal and physical strain which he th 6 undergone, but he says that com ,te rest and nourshing food will i,, ng the man around all right in a To, ,rt time MT. Barker and Miss How'd fo ,nt yesterday talking the matter i,,, ar and have decided to have their oo stponed wedding just as soon as MT VIZ