Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-04-04
In Chains awaiting Mad.
ness.
An Expected Fate Worse Than
That of PrOmetbeus.

ueIe Is Iarm. mouse about tW,
miles from Arnold Station, Cla,
county, over which sadness, ant
sorrow, and terror are broodinc
for in one of the rooms of tn,
house are two strong men, heavil,
ironed and chained to the floor.
They are waiting there for
most terrible malady to take pos
session of them, and after puttins
them to torture a thousand times
worse than that of the inquisition
to destroy their lives.
Wh1n a mad dog killed By
Campbell, at Liberty, several days
ago, was on its destroying mission
throughout the country, those two
men crossed its path aud received
its terrible bite. The mad stone
was applied, but, fearing and
doubling its efficacy, they prepared
for the fearful ordeal of an attack
of hydrophotia. Not knowing at
what hour the fell disorder might
make its appearance, and fearing
for the safety of their wives, Ht-
tie ones and friends, they had
heavy irons made for the purpose,
aud bound themselves so securely
that it would require almost the
strength of a Samson TO break
their fastenings. Their hands are
securely manscled, q strong iron
band is locked around their waists,
and to this band is welded heavy
chain, one end of which is fast
ened to heavy ring bolt in the
floor = and there they stand wait
ing.
Waiting for the dread approach
of the awful maddening stupor
that announces the flow of the
poison through the blood and the
brain waiting for the stupor from
which they will revive by the
quick and sudden twitching of
the muscles, deadly pains in the
head and through the body, and
burning eyeballs, while poisonous
froth will gather at the mouth.
They will be seized with an un-
controllable longing to bite, to tear,
to destroy. The stupor gone,
they will be writhing, swapping,
snarling, growing, bowling, tor
tured demons-pressing hard up
on their fastenings, gIaring saw.
agsly upon all around them, the
ties of love, OF Flood, of humanity,
obliterated from their understand
ing--going into horrible convul-
sions of rage and pain, clanking
and rattling their chains in order
to free themselves from restraint,
and with but one thought, one
desire-to kill and destroy-to
rend with teeth and nails every
living thing, and after this, with
hot, scorching eyes strained and
twisted back in their sockets, and
blood and foam streaming from
their parched and burned lips, to.
die-to die amid the convulsiye
agonies and tortures of hydropho-
bia, worse even, it is said, than
the pains of hell itself.
This is what these unfortunate
men are waiting for, and there is
terror in every breath they draw.
Little children, with saddened |
faces, fondle and caress them with
increased love, for the dreaded !.
fac of their fathers have been
whispered in their ears. Fond !
wives and mo hers, with fearful
eyes and duttering hearts, tender
ly care for them, and see that
every want is supplied and their
bondage made as light as love and
sympathy can render it. These
loved ones are also waiting, watch
ing, not knowing what hour they
will be drawn away out of the
reach of the two men, whose very
touch may soon be almost sudden
death. |
Up to this time no indication Of
madness has been manifested, and
as the time has already passed in
which the disorder attacks It's
after the poison has been
infused into the blood, the friends
are very hopeful that the mad
stone has proved effective, but
the men declare they will wear
their irons several days yet, 80
fearful are they that the poison is
still lurking within them. !
The St. Louis Dispatch has been ,