The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-05-27
4 HORRIBLE DEATH.
Suicide OF a ManIa at the st. Louis
City Hospital.
From the 81. LOUIS Times. May 8.

From the st. Louis Times, May s.
About a month ago. young nan not more
than 26 years of age. named Jese Morgan,
whose father resides at Connersville, Henry
county, Missouri, came to Kirkwood. He
was prepossessing in appearance, but his
actions were so strange as to render 1t ap-
parent that his mind was shattered. his
eccentricities increased, and the poor fell
low wandered about the streets, evidently
unconscious of his own movements, or of
the fact that his singular conduct was at
tracing universal attention. At time
he would shrek as though in great bodily
pain: at another become perfectly quiet,
and lie down in the streets, or wherever he
happened to- be. Sometimes he would
pause in the midst of a group Of boys
scores of whom, impeIled by q desire to
witness his freaks, almost constantly fol-
lowed him-and make wild, incoherent re-
-hgious or political harangues. Finally, one
day, in the presence of a large s~ssemblage,
he stripped himself of clothing, and when
perfectly nude, ran down one of the
streets, shouting that the "'devil wanted his
eyes"
After this most extraordinary demonstra-
ton, it was resolved to place him where
he could harm neither himself nor others.
He was arrested and sent to the st. Louis
city hospital for medical treatment. bis
conduct there varied from that at Kirk
wood only in the increase In violence ana
frequency of his parOxysms. he was closely
watched, and the attendant physician
thought it not improbable thatan improve
ment might be wrought in his condition.
His conduct was wholly ~inotfenslve. Not
even children feared to approach him.
There was nothing to indicate malice to-
ward any one. Sometimes he would con
verse and act quite nationally. But 1t was
impossible to divest his mind of the belief
that the devil desired his eyes. Occasion
ally, when in the height of one of his par
oxysms, he doubtless thought the evil one
literally present, he would cover his eyes
with his hands and beg piteously for pro-
lection. Assurances that he should not be
harmed were of little avail. The fantasy
had complete possession of him. Ahor-
rid specter, it followed him day and night
1t seemed to p~aralyze his whole being.
Nothing could break the terrible spell,
which. while he seemed to shrink from 1t,
vet appeared to fascinate and lure him on
to destruction.
Yesterday the end came. Poor Morgan
had been for nearly an hour slowly pacing
the floor. His head leaned forward on his
breast, and he was so quiet that those
present began to feel more hopeful of his
ultimate recovery. He had spoken but lit.
tie, and his words were properly chosen.
Suddenly he startled everybody by shout
ing: 'The devil must have my eyes 7 and
before he could be restrained, he
with his fingers tore both eyes from
their sockets and threw them on the floor
The horrible act was Scarcely the work O
a moment; and when the persons present
realized what had occurred, the maniac
sightless, his face crimson with BLOOD
which flowed in torrents from the ghastl!
sockets, and was already forming paddles
on the floor, stood before them, quiet a
though nothing had happened. Medica
attendance was at once summoned, bu
without avail. He fingered a few hour
and then death came and ended a life o
| sorrow,