St. Louis (MO) Republic, February 20, 1891, p. 8.
AWAKENED BY PRAYER
The Sleeping Wonder of Seymour, Ind., Aroused by the Catholic Mass
[Special to The Republic]
Columbus, Ind., Feb. 19-Jesse Street, aged 13, the sleeping wonder of
Seymour, was awake when seen last night. He was lying in bed, though he
could not be induced to talk or move a muscle. His parents are Catholics,
and at five o'clock p. m. Monday, Father Conrad called and held mass over
the boy. He had then been asleep 88 hours-since Wednesday last. When he
awoke, he asked for something to eat, and getting up he walked across the
room and took a seat. This was the only sentence he could be induced to
utter. After taking some nourishment, principally milk, he returned to bed
and fell asleep again. His body was moist and warm, and pulse regular,
though weak. His actions now are entirely different from what they were
after he awoke from his 30 days' nap in June last; then he had free use of
his tongue. The case is attracting wide attention from the medical
profession and hundreds of people are flocking into see him. His parents
are poor people, and a contribution box has been placed at the door into
which each visitor is expected to drop his mite. Physicians are entirely
unable to diagnose the case.