The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-01-14

ton of men carrying their researches
into all the hitherto unknown regions;
but it may somewhat abatc our self
compaccncy to find at each step that
we are only re-discovering tho lost
wisdom of the ancients, and rcgaining
what later age permitted to be lost.
". c. Adr0cate.
A HORRIBLE BUT TRUE STORY.
An IDIoT's SUFFERINGs FOR TWEEN
TY YEARs-The following horrible
story appears in the London Times; it
is from the pen of Mr.. Sydney Hodges,
Secretary of tho Royal Cornwall Poly
technic Society:
"For some years past rumors have
been current that the brother of ma
son named Porter, living in comfortable
circumstances at Flushing, had been
kept for many years in close eonfine-
mept in u small room at the back Of
tha premises in which Porter and his
family reside. Heart-rcnding cries
and howls have been repeatedly heard
by the neighbors, especially on cold,
Swinter nights; but, although the SYM
pathy of many was aroused, no one
deemed it his duty to inquire into the
circumstances of the case, not dream
ing, probably, Of the horrors that were
to be revealed.
"Rather moro than year ago DR..
Byrne, well-knowp medical practi-
toner from the county Of Durham,
now residing in this town, was COM
pclled to seek the warm climate of
Flushing for his health, and incidents
ally heard Of these rumors. Not salts
fed to allow the matter to be uninvcs-
tigatcd, he collected all the evidence
he could, and was so satisfied that the
case was one demanding strict in
quiry that he communicated the facts
to the Home Secretary, who at once
appointed him special commissioner,
and sent down two other commission
ers, who, in company with DR.. Byrne,
went to Porters house on Thursday
last, and demanded admission to his
brother. Porter himself was absent,
but after some little parley with the
other inmates, DR.. Byrne who had OBJ.
tained some insight into the plan of
the premises, led the way through the
house, across u yard, and up ahight of
steps, where, concealed from view,
around a corner; they found q door
which admitted them to the miserable
den in which the poor lunatic was con-
fined.
"Thc sight which met their gaze
was too revolving to be described with
all its horrd details. The place con-
sisted of four bare, wet, plaster walls
with small window one side, and the
door by which they had entered a
doorway opposite, formerly communi-
eating with the house, was plastered
up, so as to cut off all communication
except by the flight of steps at the
back. In one corner of the room was
q wretched truclllo bcdstead, with
cross pieces of wood, rotten with filth,
about six inches wide, and the same
distance apart On these bare boards
was crouched u being morercsembling
q baboon than u man, drawn and
crampcd from long exposure and sut-
fcring out of all form Of humanity
stark naked, and with only two old
rotten bags fora coverlct. have said
like a baboon, from the peculiar form
into which the limbs were drawn; the
knees almost touched the chin, and
were pressed closely upon the chest
| imagined for warmth the feet close
together and bent one over the other
for the same purpose ! supposed the
hands clinched and brought up close
to the chin; the arms closely pressed
against the sides. The knees and hip
joints were anchylose the elbow joints
were also stiffening The floor and
walls were one mass OF accumulated
filth, tho floor had rotted from it, and
the stencil can only be described as
horrible; and there are other circum.
stances of the case too dreadful for pub
lication.
"For upwards Of twenty years the
tender mercios of his nearest relatives
have consigned HIM to this living
tomb-not rag to lie upon, not even
o whisp of straw-nothing but the
naked board, and the two old bags tc
cover him. Would q raging maniac
be consigned to such doom? God
forbid! What, let us ask, is the men
tai condition of this poor wretch
Simply imbecile. A most mild, be.
nevelcnt expression of countenance
a child like submission to all that is
done to him, no symptoms ofviolence
or even anger ofany kind, and strong
indications of intelligence in many
things, even after these many years o.
neglect and cruelty. On Sunday, ir
company of DR.. Byrne and some friends
1 visited the poor creature, for the pur,
pose of ofgetting sketch of the remark.
able position in which hehad adremained
for SO many years. The arrangement