Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-13
MAY BE ]. H. JEFFS
Stranded on Island on Coast 0i
 South America.

| Jeffs, formerly of Lebanon, Pa., bud until recently engaged in newspaper work in Waterbury, is supposed to be the person referred to in the fellow ing dispatch sent out from Washing ton yesterday:
 "A man by the name of Jeffs whose home is said to have been in Connec- ticut, is believed to be stranded on one of the Galapagos islands, of the west coast of South America. A prominent person in Connecticut in- terested in Jeffs case, has written to the department asking that one of the vessels of Admiral Evans fleet stop at the islands on the way from Callao, Peru, to Magdalena bay to search for him. According to the in- formation at hand Jeffs is thought to be on the island of Santa Cruz, which also bears the name of Indefatisabie. but anything definite is lacking.
 "A request made heretofore that an American war vessel search for the man had to be refused because there were no ships in that part of the world. This time, however, one will stop and orders with that effect in view will be given to Admiral Evans before he leaves Callao. EitLe: supply ship or the repair vessel ac- companying the battleships will con- duct the search. There is light house on one of the islands which are said to be now nearly unpeopled."
 The Galapagos islands are directly under the equator and have no in- habitants. They were formerly freg quented by many vessels which went there for guano. Of late years, how ever, the guano beds have become ex- hausted and vessels do not stop there unless driven to seek refuge. The captain and crew of the Norwegian vessel reached Indefatigable island, one of the Galapagos group, in small boat with some supplies. The wreck was reported to the Norwegian consul at Guayaauil, who got up a re- lief expedition, which went over to the islands where the stranded sailors were living.
 Everybody was taken away except Jeffs, who was absent from the camp on the other side of the island, and the relief expedition did not wait fer him to return. They left a plentiful supply of provisions. however, and sailed for Guayaquil.
 As soon as the captain of the Nor wegian vessel landed in Guayaquil he communicated with Mrs Cla- ridge of Norwalk, Conn, who is a sister of Jeffs and explained to her his predicament. Mrs Claridge is constituent of Representative Hill and she notified him of her brothers misfortune. MT Hill to-day sent a letter to the navy department asking that one of the vessels of the fleet be sent to Indefatigable island to rescue Jeffs. The Galapagos group is in the course of the battleship fleet after it leaves Calao for Magdalena bay. The fleet will pass within sighting dis tance of the islands. Secretary Met calf was not at the navy department yesterday, but he will find a recommendation of the bureau of navigation that one of the supply ships of the fleet be sent to Indefatig- able island to find Jeffs.
 Mir Jeffs was employed for a time on the Republican and latei on the Sunday Herald and the Sunday Tele- gram. He was a good workman and made host of friends during his short stay here. He was married and had one child. The directory gives his address as 4 Ann street.
 ! The family left here last fall, but nobody appears to know where they went, although it is known that he often talked of wanting to try his luck in Panama and other South Am erica countries. If this be Ieffs and he ever gets back to the United States he will have material for book that will read something like Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.'' He taught school for some time bu. gave 1t up for newspaper work and while the latter occupation didn't pay IS we'll as the other the fascination for Journalism pursued him, and he couldn't content himself at anything else. He was not connected with any organization, belonged to no church, and took a pride in s.atins that all human beings were alik. to him. His ancestors came from iiol- land. To use a favorite expression of his own his forefathers belonged 10 the early Dutch settlers of Penn- sylvania.