Ohio History Journal

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OHIO HISTORY CONFERENCE: PROCEEDINGS 275

OHIO HISTORY CONFERENCE: PROCEEDINGS                 275

 

mind gave way completely, Wolfley begged his superiors to grant him leave

and return him to Ohio. Two days later, on May 7, 1844, the surgeon was

admitted to the sick list as mentally deranged.24 When the Decatur put in

at Porto Praya, Wolfley's commander determined to leave him in the hands

of the United States Agent for the Cape Verde Islands.

The town of Porto Praya rests on a table-land, high above the harbor

of St. Jago Island. At the eastern and western limits of the village, the

ground falls off sharply into deep ravines. Near the town, and looking down

upon the ocean, stands a fort.25

Wolfley was lodged in the guard-house of this fort, and keepers were

detailed to watch over him. Early on the morning of July 21, 1844, he

succeeded in escaping from his prison and his guards.26 After making his

escape, Wolfley rushed to the edge of a cliff near the guard-house and hurled

his body into space. His life was crushed out on the rocks, eighty feet

below.

He was buried with full honors in the fort at Porto Praya.27  Many

friends of his in the navy joined with Captain Abbot in regretting the death

of this "excellent and worthy surgeon."28

 

Public Session of the Committee on Archives and Medical

History, 1:00 P. M., April 5, Ohio State Museum Library,

Jonathan Forman, M. D., Presiding

The second annual meeting of the Committee on Archives and

Medical History of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical

Society was called to order by Dr. Jonathan Forman, its chairman,

at 1:00 P. M. on April 5, 1940, in the Library of the Museum. The

program was concerned with "Ohio Medical History of the Period,

1835-1858," and was made up of eight papers which will be pub-

lished in full in the October, 1940, issue of the QUARTERLY.

 

General Session, 10:00 A. M., April 6, Ohio State Museum

Frank A. Livingston, Presiding

The final session of the Ohio History Conference was the

Saturday morning one sponsored by the Columbus Genealogical

Society and the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society.

 

24 U. S. Navy Department to Howard D. Kramer, January 6, 1938.

25 U. S. Hydrographic Office, East Atlantic Pilot, H. O., no. 134 (Washington,

1918), 331.

26 U. S. Navy Department to Howard D. Kramer, January 6, 1938.

27 U. S. Senate, Documents, 28 Cong., 2 Sess., 1844-1845, IX Doc. 150, p. 129.

28 Ibid., 146.