The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1910-02-05
MISSING MAN
WAS FOUND
LAST NIGHT.

SPENT ALL NIGHT WITHOUT
SHELTER ON THE PENINSULA,
THREE MILES. SOUTH OF THIS
CITY SEEMS NONE THE
WORSE FROM THE EXPERIENCE
John Searles, the old gentleman
announced in yesterdays Daily News
as missing, was found in an almost
miraculous manner by his nephew, J.
T. Searles, last evening.
AS stated yesterday, the. old gentle
man who is spending the winter with
his nephew, ]. F. Searles, and wife,
in the Van Dorm cottage on West Vo-
lusia avenue, started out for a walk
about nine o'clock Thursday morning,
saying he was going to the ocean
beach. Mrs. Searles asked him if
he would be back to dinner and he
replied that he would probably not
return until evening.
When he did not get back by dark
they grew anxious about him and Mr..
Searles started out to look for him.
The only definite information he
obtained was from the toll keeper Of
the South Bridge, who said the old
gentleman had passed there at about
ten o'clock on his way to the beach,
hut had not returned.
A colOred man thought he had seen
him on Keating's pier later in the
Cay and possibly this may be so, and
that on returning he passed the en-
trance, from the beach, to Halifax
avenue. and continued south.
The lost man himself says he could
not find the road across the PENN
sula when he started home, and af-
ter walking for some distance he
became tired out and very thirsty.
He walked into the ocean and drank
heartily of the salt water, getting
wet to the waist in so doing.
He then made his way up the bank
and some distance into the scrub
palmetto and lay down to rest and
slept, it then being Just about dark
He remembers being awakened by the
>, rain which fell just before midnight
but he was probably in a state OF
mild delirium from the exposure and
salt water he had taken and did moi
realize anything very clearly. He re
members OF being fearful Of meeting
, with rattlesnakes, but he had los
his stick and concluded he would have
10 take his chances with the reptiles
His nephew says that when n
found him he looked like a wild mar
Z from Borneo, being soaking wet, GOV
cred with sand, his face bleeding
from cuts he had received on th'
sharp edges Of the saw pelmettos an'
his mouth covered with froth or foam
. from the sea water he, had drank.
The manner Of his finding wa
most strange. The young Mr.. Searle
was searching for him on his blcy
: Gle and when, he thinks, fully tnre
miles south of the automobile club
: bouse felt impelled to dismOunt am
70 explore the scrub growth Of the pen
insula. When he had penetrated a
most half way across the penlnsui
r he called aloud for his uncle and tn
: old gentleman arose from the bushe
r near at hand.
After getting his uncle back TO IN
= beach Mr.. Searles was in quandr
D as TO how to get him home, but
p marty in an automobile came alon
d and kindly relieved him of his charg
delivering the old gentleman TO III
: home on West Volusia avenue. IN
peopIe In the auto would not CIV
their names, but both the yOungt
. Mr.. Searles and his uncle expires
themselves as deeply grateful Il
y their kindness.
!. When seen last night by Dan
News reporter, the old genuems
= was toasting himself beside the stow
in a full change Of clothing, and seel
= ed little the worse for his trylI
experience and exposure to the Ell
ments- Had the night not prove
9 much milder than usual he might ha'
persisted.