The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-11-06


man was arranging on the seat in front of
me collection Of brigh, steel instruments
which he took from the mahogany box
which [ have mentioned before Was
there any help for me-! / tried to re-.
member how long il was after we left
NJ before | went to sleep, a. tho.
il we got to F. the maniac would be
discovered, and / should be relieved from
the horrible death which now seemed i'm
minent: but as had been doing some
time before | went regularl. of to sleep.
found that could not 10 the least remem>
Der what time had passed.
After some time spent in preparing his
instruments, my prosecutor commenced to
prepare me by unbuttoning my xaistcoat
and barring my breast. AT length every
thing seemed to be to his satisfaction. aud
he took up 4 long, keeo-bladed knife l
shall never forget my sensations when
saw tina, little gIittering instrument, SO
soon to he dyed with my blood felt a
cold sbudder run through nv BODY, and
longed tc close my eyes. but thew seemed
to keep open by sort of fascination
Alter trying the edge Of the knife, and pre-
pairing pis' e of cloth, and giving one f
mel look towards his instruments, nv &C.
centric friend pressed bis finger close above
my heart, and said:
This Is how | am going to manage it,
my friend ! am going 10 cut a circle 10
| he flesh, above the heart, with this knife ::
it will not hurt much, As shall only cut
,hrong!, the skin, aud the knife is exceeA-
ingly sharp. l shall then proceed 10 dig
deeper. with this instrument, and 6ually
extract the heart with this
The reader may imagine my sensations
during this cold, bloydy recital, for / am
utterly unable to describe them; but
when tho sharp steel first pierced my
flesh. and I felt the warm blood flowing
out, and nv pas, life seemed to pass be-
fore nv mind IN a moment of time, onp
to make nv desire of still living, and the
horror OF An ignominious death, tenfold
greater.
Slowly the sharp knife powed in nv
flesh, making my blood freeze 10 nv
veins, and my eyebaI. burn and seem
eadv to burst from their sockets and
now felt my reason gradually leaving
me; the strain upon my nerves was too
much felt they mus, give way; but |
considered that if they did my only hope
would be gone; for if | moved should
be choked with the rope around my neck
slowly The sharp steel impe'Ied by a
steady hand. continued its deadly course
and now the circle was nearly accom-
plished, when | felt that the speed of the
train was gradually diminished. A raw
of hope illuminated m, breast. | looked
into my companions eyes 10 see if he toe
noticed that We were nearing F.. but he
was too intent on bis horrible work.
At length liz leaned back, and said:
There now, only about an inch more
and | shall commence the deep cutting
Only about an inch And the station
was yet some way off. Only about an
inch My life hung upon the meresl
thread.
1t was not long that the experimenter ad
mired his disbolical work-he soon fell &c
it again, 5u, saw the lights of F-Station
flash past tbs Window of the Carriage;
saw = strange arm seize nv tormenter;
heard loud and appalling cry, like that o.
a batfl-d wild beast, and became insen.
sihie
For weeks after this Law between liz,
aui death, in brain fever brought on by
the intense excitement and fear of chose
twenty minutes.
afterwards learned that my pleasant
companion had been doctor and surgeon
but that when he was young man and
just married, having performed an opera
ton TO extract cancer from bis wife, Of
which she afterwards died. he went out OF
his mind, and had ever since been attempt
ing to escape, in order that he might per
form the dreadful experiment which so
nearly resulted In my death,