The San Francisco call., 1904-03-01
CANNOT TELL
HIS own NAME
Mysterious Stranger Ayers
That His Memory Is Who'll
ly Blank as to His Past
SUSPECTED OF FEIGNING
Man May Be Rev. w. S. Ell
dredge, Episcopal Clergy
man, Missing From Butte

Is the man held for observation" at
the Central Emergency Hospital John
G. Meyers or Rev. W. S. Eldredge? Is
he shamming or has he really slipped a
cog mentally? Has he actually forgot
ten his name and his past. or is his
declaration of a blank In his memory
mere feigning? These are questions
which the Insanity Commissioners are
trying somewhat blindly TO solve. The
case is one of the most perplexing that
has recently come under their notice
The man came to the Emergency
Hospital last Wednesday afternoon.
SAYING that a little while before as he
was stepping of a car at Turk and
Devisadero streets something in his
brain went wrong and he suddenly
found himself unable to remember who
he was or to recall anything as to his
antecedents. He had a memorandum
book and an Episcopal prayer book in
his pockets. but these gave no positive
identification One of them contained
the name John d. Meyers" and he
said he thought this might be his
name Among his. few possessions was
a card of Rev. Henry B. Collier, an
Episcopal clergyman residing at S5
Bartlett street, but when Mr.. Collier
called on the patient at the hospital
neither was able to remember the other.
THE MANS OWN. STORY.
Yesterday morning Drs.. Wadsworth
and .I1ustig, the Insanity Commission
ers. spent some time in questioning the
stranger, but reached no positive con-
clusiOn as to his case. He complained
of seyere- pains in the. back Of the
head. No marks Of a blow were found,
however. and the physicians do not
take much stock in his story of physical
suffering. He told them also that his
only recollection Of anything preceding
his getting. off the car on Wednesday
was that he had been in Portland. Or,
about February 10, but how long he
was there. whom he met or what To-
caIities in that city he visited he pro-
fessed utter inability to. remember. .
. His conversation on other lines was
very. intelligent. indicating a good edu-
cation. He; is of refined appearance.
about 3s years old. with dark hair and
nlIsta.che and two weeks growth of
o. II
sioners by writing some amusing dog
gerel and drew for them several
sketches that showed him a clever
To the best of his
recollection. he said, his home was
formerly in. Virginia and he was
Yale graduate Dispatches received
yesterday from New Haven indicate
that no. Yale nan answering to the
'telegra phed description is known to be
missing -
= More definite and likely information
as to the 1ian's identity came last
night in dispatch from Butte, Mont,
saying that Rev. S. c. Blackisten, rec
for of ST. Johns Episcopal Church in
that city. declares that the man at the
Emergency Hospital here under the
name of Meyers is really named Ed
redge. and that he had called on the
rector several weeks ago; when he
acted irratfonally. He then had
small Episcopalian prayer-book with.
him. and admitted that he had de-
Serted his wife and two children at
Sheridan, Ment... adding that he was
then on his way. to: San Francisco ito.
take ain editorial position on = the
Examiner. =: -.