McCarthy - unknown - poor house fiasco
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal 19 April 1860 Edition 02
Strange Affair in a Poor House--Rats Devouring One of the Inmates. Truth is stranger than fiction 'We have the following facts from.an authentic source: There has been an inmate of the poor house of this county ever since its establishment, an old man by the name of McCarthy. He has had a fever sore on his left ankle, which has made him a cripple, although with the aid of crutches he has been able to hobble about. For the last three years he has occupied a kind of out house, solitary and alone." He was hardly ever known to leave his quarters, except to get his meals, when he would hobble over to the Poor House proper, and his meals would be handed to him, and he would return, and nothing more would be heard of him until he got hungry, when he would again appear at the gate with his plate, exchange it for one containing what was prepared for or allowed him. This has been ,his habit until recently, being too feeble to get out, his meals were taken to him. On Monday morning last, when his breakfast was taken to him, the discovery was made that the rats had eaten the flesh off one of his, feet, leaving it a perfect skeleton as high as the ankle joint. He was removed to the larger building and given more comfortable quarters and on Tuesday Dr. Mead, the county physician, amputated the leg just below the knee. When removed. McCarthy was found to be very feeble, and the doctor thought by amputating the limb his life might be saved, but it is very doubtful whether he can survive long. It was his right, foot that was eaten by the rats. the fever sore was on the left leg near the ankle. That the rats are up, McCarthy's foot there can be no doubt, and that he would have been literally carried out at the rat holes, there is little doubt. He had been removed only a few minutes when at least a dozen rats were seen on his bed. That the old man should have been neglected in the manner detailed to us is unaccountable. We hope for the honor of the Superintendent and the keeper some better excuse can be given for neglecting a human being in this manner, than any we have yet heard. We give the matter as it was detailed to us, and have every reason to believe the details above to be true.- thanks to Kim H for this sad affair :( :)