Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-25
SIMPLE LIFE INTERRUPTED
VETERAN LIVING IN WOODS
PUT UNDER ARREST.
Capt. Mayer Had Disappeared When
Discharged From Treatment at
Soldiers Home Hospital.

Capt Robert Mayer a Spanish war vet
eran and former member of the regu-
lar United States Army. taken into Gus
tody Yesterday afternoon. apparently in
hewildered condition. while living alone
In the woods of Rock Creek Park by
Foiicemen Trenis and Cornwall of the
| seventh precinct. was arraigned on the
technical charge of vagrancy this morn
ing before Judge Aukam of the Police
Court. and, following a hearing, was dis
charged
capt. Mayer was taken into custody be-
cause the police knew the mans relatives
were hunting for him. Those who know
capt. Mayer are inclined to believe he is
| suffering from some excessive nervous
trouble which has temporarily affected
his mind
Friends Notified.
After his discharge in the Police Court
this morning Mayors friends and rela-
tives in this city were notified. They
will probably take charge of him, at
least temporarily.
Efforts were made to inform Lieut..
Sprinkle of the second precinct OF Capt
Mayors predicament. but he is away
from the city on leave. Lieut.. Sprinkle
is a brother-in-law of Mayors and has
been greatly worried over his continued
absence and the failure to ascertain his
whereabouts.
| In the Police Court the bare statement
was made by the police that they mad
! found him in the woods OF ROCK creek
| Park in a destitute and pitiable condl-
ton. Mayer told the police he had been
| living in the woods for several weeks
| subsisting on berries and other wild
| fruits.
He lived like hermit in small shanty
| in what iS az ThnmnSOn WOODS In
| Rock Creek Park. Asked why he was
| living in the woods, Mayer said he liked
the open air and proposed to live In the
woods as long as the weather was GOOD.
He told the police he was satisfied with
| the life and had suffered no discomfort
except when forced to go without food for
| several days at time, when Wild fruit
was not accessible.
Served in Spanish War.
At the outbreak of the Spanish war May
err. who is a graduate physician. left his
practice in the city and went to the front
as a captain in one Of the District regi-
ments, and was for while adjutant to
Brig. Gen. George H. Harries. He served
through the war with distinction and on
his return to this city was commended for
! his services.
In addition to the District commands it
| is said he has served with the regular
army.
! While in Cuba Capt Mayer suffered
| from a severe attack of fever. After his
| return to the United States he was in Ill
| health for some time. Several months
ago he had serious attack of illness, said
| to have been directly the result of his
experiences in Cuba.
At the instance of friends and relatives
| he was sent to the hospital at Soldiers
| Home. where he was to undergo treat
| ment for three months. He was dis
charged from the hospital June % last.
! Before his relatives could locate him he
completely disappeared until found in the
| woods yesterday.
/ Mayors statements as to his movements
| since he left the Soldiers Home hospital
are not quite clear. although he gave the
/ impression that he had lived where he was
! found since the day he left the home
| Several people reported to the police
| they had seen a man acting strangely
| the past week or longer in the section of
| Rock Creek where Mayer was found. This
gave the clue to the police.