, 1875-02-14
LOCAL LETTERS,
THAT - MYSTERIOUS SICKNESS"

10 the Editor of The cA1eaqo 7Ti5uns:
CHICAGO, Feb. 13.-In yesterdays TRIBUNE I
saw the wonderful account Ut alr. Wiggins, who,
1t was iutimased, VAS suffering special punish
ment in consequence Of his sinfulness and
*'beiug bold and avo~ed d4sbelinver in revela-
iion." I3suow the man, md know him to be an
honest, outspokou. s9uars-dealing Irishman,
who, years ago, was addicted to the use OF
strong driuk became drunkard, hut never,
astue from this habit, "eave himself up to evil
living. pursuing tho dictates Of q corrupt and
vicious heart" Nor was he gambler. LIE en-
tered the WaAhlngtonian Home one year ago
last December, since which time he has not
tasted into1icating liquor till about three weeks
ago. he joined the temperance or
ganizat;ons connected with that institu-
ton, ~as m active worker in the cause
Of temperance, and induced several OF his
former fE,ends-unfortnnate ~ he had been
to renouuco "hsky-drnking &nd become tenn
Pefauce men. He often spoke in nesting, and
spoke With great earuestness and WAS very posi-
tive that lie shoElsl never drink again. When he
heard An inmate an:, s.Wiih tho Lelr Of God
shall never drink again." OF. II shall ask GoJ to
give ms strength to resist the tcrr.hlo .enp:a-
tlon, Or, II my friends would ou!y gcs me
position OF Get me- up in b:zsipess Eoud never
drank again, or similar expressions, he felt Tint
thele Mas either o xept OF sincerity or the in-
mata had rot fully made up his miod to quit
drinking folerer. To use his own expression,
he took mo stock in such men. ae believed
that man ia free moral agent, and tbat God has
given him poA er to wo1G out hia own salvation
and thlnks it cowardlv for reformed man to at
tempt to shift the responsibility of a drunken
eoree upon Ills Creator. lie has probably nsyer
read the Pilgrims Progress as frequently as your
correspondent, but think lie has read enough
of Revelation and accepted it a. truth to know
that it is "rot to bear falss witness against his
ueiehbor. v
It ia STATED in the article that he, .'becoming
desperate at tho falling away from lin OF his |
tEiends returned again to hls folly. and q week
ago became crazy drunk" . nnd 1.-the |
list condition Of tha: nan WAS worse than tue |
first" Now, tho facts III the case aro these |
Since his ,eformation ut the Home he has |
been constantly employed at his trade OF brick /
layer. aad las nov an unfinished contract OF len !
house near Ashland avenue, On Carroll! avenue. ,
end was ueye1 moro highly respected or mote
prosperous than he nas When attacked ~itb
severe pain IN bis baud three weeAs ago. His |
a:tack happened on Saturday, when he was
paying OF his Lelp, and continue. to increase
pass1ng up his arm, and finally reaching his
night side and resulting il spasns. Mustard
Fout:ces and pain-kIler were both applied, fol-
lowed BY vomiting, but no relief from tho iu-
tease rain. A piui OF Lra.:dy was also brought
aud Offered him. but he stout1y refused to taste
of It, After two hours more suffering, the pain
increasing ali tue time, lie. as last resort, con-
aGAA0A ~ +dAo o0A!0 u tI6 UIAuut Ad 60Qu AS !
as drank it. the effect was Like that produced
apon al reformed iDebr1ates. He wanted more. !
ne appetite cnce awakened, ho was puable to
-ealst It till lo returned once mere TO the
= Home, wbero he row is, bEt his condition or |
= state ia vastly superior 10 what it was when
10 came to the institution fourteen months ago.
1Ae idea advanced that there is anything IN
his case 80 wonderful - that the mouths OF the
coners might be stopped. is simply ridiculous
md the statements upon which sucL supposition
y predicated aro false.
drunken away until it 's about tho SIZE OF that
# 3-yeaI-old child, ,"''of an ash7 gray t,nt,"
nd that it's touch " Is exceeding dry Ike bit Of
ricd tendon" that ~ the whitening embraces
9th forearm &nd shoulder" and that ''au
be lair has come outs" that 1.-The arm has
l,runk in length about inchcs," and that
there is an apparent insensibility to pain, all
which statements ara false. And it Is equally
a'se that The sufferer sees n this affection the
nger OF Providence" for bis misdeeds, and !
That bis eyes h0ye Ceen opened Like those OF
, bring fol th fruit meet for repentance" Tins
will be seen that this terrible Judgment in- /
icted upon this man, who, PERHAPS, nsy have
1,d that lie hoped God uould st.iks down bis :
r1n with palsy before lie suffered him to drink d,
gain, turns out to be nothing very wonderful !
ter all, except it may have been to cause SOHO
got or CeEso1 who may wish 10 secure the favor
these rho belong to tho household Of the
I'tlful to put together series Of false State
ents rarely equaled,-even in tha ultra sonsa- {
Quail newspapers Of the day. 4. D. II. ..
MARKEr STREET VI. K1SzE STREET. :
thu Editor Of The Chicago Tribune:
CHICAGO, Feb. 13.-That thero will be ~