New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-08
A singular Mental Phenoneaa.
EXTRAORDINARY HALLUc1NATIoss.

In the beginning of January last, resident OF
this city, in the prime of life and full health, fell
into an excavation, in the burnt district, and in
iured his head severely He was in precarious
condition for some weeks, but eventually recoT-
cred, with the exception that he has ever since
been subject to some of the most extraordinary
Authorizations that has ever come under ur no
tce. His fits not constant, but return at Irreg-
ular intervals and during their continuance he has
mere strange fancies than are generally crowded
into the heads of a score of men.
First of all. he believed himself to be dog, and
| crawled about the house on Lis aIffours. to the
CONSERVATION of his wife and family. All night.
long did he howl and bark, and upon one occasion
the sight of cat led him into fight, in which the
| dog was badly scratched and bitten. The con-
slant racket that he made was not very agreeable
to the neighbors. When the fit again seized him,
| he Imagined himself TO be the Angel Gabriel and
stood upon his head in the corner, holding in his
month a small teaspoon, which he solemnly de-
clared was the 4 last trumpet Sometime after
wards he changed his tactics, and vowed that he
was a solid diamond, infinitely more valuable than
| the Knbsfnoor or Regent, or any otheF leading
| light of the order. He begged and implored his
wife to chip piece off him large enough TO make
hrs fortune and her Owa. Of course she respect
fully declined; and he then avowed his determine
ton to do it himself. After hunting all over the
house. he succeeded in finding hatchet and not
until he had chopped off the end of his little finger
did he confess that he was nothing more than com
mon flesh and blood.
One of his favorite amusements is to believe
himself a talking newspaper; md in this capacity
be dips his fingers IN an Ink-pot, smears ms face
with inire and tells the most marvellous and won
derous yarns about people and things that never
existed, except ia his own foolish brain.
Every description of treatment has been tried,
but without effect, and one night during last week
his imagination reached the climax. He had been
living perfectly quiet for several hours, when he
began to cough and splinter at a terrible rate.
His wife ran to him. but he declared he must die.
He refused to explain at first, but at last he con-
fossed in lugubrious tones, that he had swallowed
the State capitol, and that the knob Of the flag
staff was sticking out of his mouth and gradually
choking him.
On yesterday morning, after walk down town,
he became very much excited, and screamed out
that he was the Devil. No one paid any attention
TO what he said until he wrapped some rags
around his head, threw mantle over his shout
iers, took broomstick in his hand, and shouted,
in stentorian tones, that he had mission to take
possession Immediately of the bodies Of the most
violent men in the world. He started OF at q run
and has nut been heard of.
Eoe-since writing the above we hear that the
unfortunate monomantac hiss been seen travelling
at full speed towards Washington.