Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-01
A REMARKABLE CASE.
The Influence Of Mind Over Matter-A
Wife Preserved from Violence by a
Red-rfddeu Husband

INc AbuucLCC VI ONCE
Wife Preserved from Violence by a
Bed-rfdden Husband.
Mingaut VALLEY, y. ", (Oct. 26) Correspond
ence of the New York Herald.
On Saturday last, an itinerant peddler
entered the house Of James TOlin, living
near this place, and proceeded to display his
wares to Mrs. Tolin, despite her assertions
that she did not wish TO buy anything.
Mr.. TOlin was confined to his bed, and
had been so confined for many years, being
50 crippled with rhumatism that il had
been long impossible for him to leave his
bed, unless carried from it. After show
ing his goods, and Mrs. Tolin not buying any
thing the peddler commenced a conVersa-
tion, in the course Of which be learned the
helpless condition of Mr.. TOlin. Finally,
he made an insulting proposal to Mrs.
TOlin, and she Indignantly ordered him
to leave the house. Instead, he
approached her and seized hold of
her, saying, with an oath, that she was in
his power, as her husband was as good as
dead. Mrs. TOlin, being a delicate We
man, ran screaming into another room.
The peddler followed her, and, before she
could escape by another door, caught her
again. A desperate struggle ensued be
tween them, and Mrs. TOlin was thrown
violently 10 the floor by the desperate vii
lain. Mr.. TOlin had been all the time a
witness Of the struggle, lying pOwerleSs in
his bed. At the sound of his wife falling
on the floor, however, and her frantic
shTieks for aid, he seemed to be endowed
with supernatural power. Under the in
1uenee of that power he sprang from the
bed he had been unable 10 leave for years.
c. ,so1, tl,,s !, n
bed, ne rushed into the room where
the struggle was going on. Mrs.
TOlin had succeeded in re-
gaining her feet, but the peddler had
grasped her around the waist, and was ell
deavOring again to throw her. As Mr..
TOlin entered the room the singular spec
tacle Of bed-ridden cripple fastening to
the defense of his wife seemed TO paralyze
the scoundrel, aud he stood staring as if in
a trance at the approach of the husband.
Mr.. TOlin, nerved by unnatural strength,
brought the crutch down over the head of
the peddler,a and felled him like an OK to the
floor. The next instant the excitement
and sUperhuman effort that had supported
ethe husband left him. With a Shrek that
told of the intense agony of the relapse, he
clasped his hand to his forehead and
dropped TO the floor aud almost instantly
expired.
Mrs. Tolin succeeded in getting the
body of her husband back in the bed, and
then started for ASSISTANT She was
obliged TO 90 over a mile before she was
able to obtain any. When she returned
with several neighbors, the peddler was
gone. lie had recovered Consciousness and
fled, leaving his pack in the house. When
the news of the attempted outrage and the
tragic death of Mr.. Tolin spread through
out the neighborhOOd, the most intense eX-
citement prevailed. Squads of men started
in cry direction searching for the peddler,
but as vet he has not been found. In the
present feeling, if he falls into the h n Is Of
the populace, that be will be lynched there
is not the slightest doubt.