The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-11
STARVING MAN
IN JACKSONVILLE
Peter Anderson, a Swede.
Was Seven Days With
out Food.

So weak that he could hardly stand,
haggard and worn, footsore and weary
| from a long walk across the country,
Peter Anderson, a Swede, staggered
| Up Bay street at a late hour Tuesday
night and soon fell into the tender care
of Rev. DR.. r. j. Bateman of the Cen
| trail City Mission, but the deadly
pangs of hunger had its grasp on him
and he died last night, says the Jack
sonviile Times-Union.
Anderson, who was a young man,
! had been working at saw mill plant
at Silver Springs, but left that place
| for Jacksonville.
Having only a few pennies in his
possession he was unable to purchase
| food for many days and finally, While
| In deserted strip of country. with no
farm houses in sight, he found himself
gradually starving.
On and on he beat through the
scrubby woods. stumbling and half
crawling, eager to find some place
where he could be given the necessi-
ties of life.
Starving and Alone.
Hungry and with his lips parchej
for the want of water, he staggered
into the railroad yards and there
found whitewater that he had been
in search of for many hours.
1ulS QutnCuSu HIS lulISL anu sum u
lated him for a short time; then
came that deathly sinking feeling.
He fell; his form remained on the
cold ground in the dark for a time,
then gathering himself together, he
struck out with faltering steps for the
city.
He was half walking and halt
crawling, supporting himself from
post to post on Bay street when found
by DR.. Bateman. Questions were ask
ed, but the man was too weak from
the want of food to give any reason
able account of himself.
Come, my good man." said DR..
Bateman, come with me for food and
shelter
Anderson was led tenderly to the
Central City Mission. given a chair
and meal was hurriediy prepared.
Was Giving Food.
Sitting there starving for the want
of food, smelling the food being pre-
pared. but too weak to rise, one can
imagine the thoughts that passed
through the mans mind. Death was
staring him in the face only few
moments ago, but now he was seated
in a cosy house with tender hands
busily engaged in attending to his
wants.
After a few minutes wait he was
taken into the dining room and he ate
not like a human, but like a beast
rayenously taking great mouthsful OF
food and swallowing so fast that DE-.
Bateman feared he would injure him
self. He was not allowed to eat much
and was put to bed and given medical
attention.
Moved TO Hospital.
Yesterday morning his condition
was such that DR.. Bateman requested
that he be removed to the county hos,
pital. which was done at once and he
was given medical attention there.
1t was not believed that Anderson
could live, for he was in such a state
of starvation when rescued that he
appeared TO be beyond medical aid.
In his rambling way Anderson told
of how he started out to walk TO the
city and of how he roamed about in
the woods for seven days and nights,
| finally seeing in the distance the
lights of Jacksonville.
Looked Like Heaven.
This sight. he said, looked like
heaven to him, for he well knew that
! IL he could reach the city some one
would give him food and a place TO
rest
! How he got into the city he could
not tell. only that he stumbled along.
/ falling here and there and again pull
ing himself together in his battle for
| life.
/ DR.. Bateman stated yesterday that
he has seen many such cases since
/ ne took hold of the Central City Mis-
Esion, but that this case of Anderson
! is the most pathetic he has ever wit
messed.