The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-09-16
Report Of COMMITTEES.

We, the underSl gned, citizens o.
Ferry Pass, having been appointed at
/ meeting of our fellow-citizens to
collect for publication the facts in re-
gard to the fna4ng of an unknown
/ sick man in the woods near Ferry
! Pass, do submit the following, which
we, personally, know to be the eX-
act truth: The first heard of the
man was on Friday evening when h.
called at the residence Of Mrs. D. NJ.
Merritt, near Olive, where he asked
for some milk, which was given
him. AS he talked very broken Eng
lish, they were unable to under
stand much That he said, but he pro
duced a letter from a captain, in
Galveston, recommending him az
worthy and asking the people to as
sist him. They gave him a small
amount of money and he went on to-
ward Ferry Pass until he reached
the house of Mr.. EI Williams, where
he asked for a drink of water and
wanted to buy some milk. Mrs. vii
liams gave him the milk refusing the
money
The next seen of him was Satur-
day evening, whep a negro told Mr.
p w Mclean there was a man lying
UP there in the woods. Mr.. Mclean
went to him and asked if he was
sick He said, mo, only hot" Then
Mr.. Mclean asked if he wanted any
thing to eat. He said: mo, but
would like to get a horse" Mr. No
Lean told him to stay there and he
would so home and get his horse ana
wagon, his intention being to take
him back to Pensacola. He said he
would go on up the road a little way
and Mr.. Mclean. leaving instructions
with a negro to watch him, went
home for his horse and wagon.
When he returned the man was no
where to be found, and there was
nothing for him to do but return
home, which he did, suppOsing the
man had gone on. Sunday at three
O'Clock p. m a negro reported thai
the man vas lying in an old field
near there ~ sick. Mr.. ]. Nj.
Weaver went Immediately to the Of
fee at Escambia and telephone Dr.
Porter, who replied that he would
sene' out and get him as soon as he
could find conveyance. In the
meantime the people learned of the
case and Mt. John Gates took him a
mattress. Mrs Gates made him hot
coffee and biscuit and toast with
butter and fried a squirrel for him;
they also gave an umbrella. to spreaf
that he might be shielded as much a.
possible. At ten O'Clock Sunday
night Mr.. James Mccain took him
hct coffee and he was kept supplied
with water.
Monday morning the health au-
thOritiss we're again telephones 10
come and attend to the case, but no.
till eleven O'Clock did they come.
when Dr. HargIs came to E5cambia
on a special train, where Mr.. Tippin
met him and took him in his buggy
to where the man was lying. Dr.
Hargis called for a wagon to convey
the man 10 the railroad and for men
to assist in putting him in the wagon.
A horse and wagon was readily
procured and Mr. Tippin. Mr.. George
Parazine, Sr., Mr. John Clarke, Mr..
John Gates. Mr. Axel LOfgrene and
Mr.. Rufo Bryars were in readiness to
render what assistance was needed.
Mr.. LofgTene being a Swe5e and fel-
lOw-countryman Of the sick man
talked with him in his own language.
At DR.. Hargis' request, he asked his
name, which he gave as johnson.
He said he lost his wife and six
children and his property in the Gal
weston strom and had an arm and leg
broken. which crippled him so that
he could not do much but peddle
Mr.. Lofgrene had known him for two
or three years. and Mr.. Parazine and
IT. Hargis both recognized him as