The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-05-21

|
elapsed without any return of his
trouble; at the end of that time he had
begun to hope that he had outgrown the
liability to the attacks. On the Odd of
August he called at the house of O'Grady
and spent the evening. The next morn
ing, while employed in his office with his
boy, in removing the accumulated sam
Piles from the shelves, ne was knocked
suddenly off the chair upon which he
was standing, some six feet into the
room, and fell covered with -four of
sulphur, bismuth, Paris green, and
argols.
A marked change now took place in
the life and habits of the subject of this
memoir. He neglected his business, be-
came melancholy and taciturn, and lost
flesh. He was still under the treatment
of DIR. Morse, who insisted that the oc-
curence of the 22d of August was an
other manifestation of nervous disorder,
and invited the attention of two other
eminent medical practitioners to it. A
consultation was held ON the 25th, mt
which were present three well known
physicians and the patient. The exam
ination took place in the parlor of the
Merchants Hotel. The conclusion ar
rived ut was that Mr.. Surden was suffer
ing from hysteria, whose symptoms were
convulsive and cratic, and that he need
ed change of occupation, air and scene.
This decision by no means satisfied the
subject. He persistently refused to be-
lieve that any disorder of the nerves
could operate as physical force outside
of himself to throw him six feet The
physicians regarded this stubbornly held
notion as an unfavorable symptom denot-
ing monomania. In accordance with
their advice Mr.. Surden closed his Office
and gave himoelf up to amusements. He
purchased horse, spent great deal of
time riding and visiting, and was thrown
more than ever into the company of the
OGrady.
On the Sd of September he was out
driving through the park and Harlem
lane in light wagon. The O'Grady ac-
companied him. They stopped at Muir
cots to lunch. While there Surden met
with former acquaintance, one Armi-
tage, sporting character, and they
drank together in the bar-room. The
conversation was of the most friendly
and commonplace character, but while in
the act of lifting wine glass to his
mouth Mr.. Surden was struck on the
side of the head and knocked over upon
the sanded floor, his head falling under
billiard table. He shouted "Murder I"
twice, jumped up in great state of ex-
element, and accused Armitage of hav-
ing inflicted the blow. That person was
both amazed and indignant, and protest
ed that he was innocent of any such in
tention. The barkeeper, young Irish
man, although he had not seen the blow
struck, was inclined to take the side of
Surden. His summary of the occurrence
was: "You see, he must ha' done it.
There wasn't anybody else. An if L
didn't see the punch, 1 heard it plain
enough !"
There was one other person present, a
lounger, who was knocking the balls
about at the billiard table, and he cor
roborated the views of the barkeeper.
Mr.. Surden then made q complaint of
assault and battery against Mr.. Armitage;
the suit was brought in Justices Court
at Yorkville, and on the evidence of the
two witnesses the defendant was prompt
ly fined and reprimanded. With this
official recognition of the nature of the
occurrence Mr.. Surden presented himself
before DR.. Morse. The interview was
an angry one. The Doctor assured his
patient that Mr.. Armitage had been I'M
Justly accused, and that the action of q
Police Justice could not be held to de-
termine the nature of such phenomena.
Mr.. Surden asserted his intention to
promptly prosecute every fresh assault
The peculiar nature of the case, as now
! n
upon an investigation of the recent cir
cumstances. His inquiries at Murcot's
were, however, unsatisfactory. The bar
keeper saw no mystery about the affair
A man had been struck while at the bar
and knocked over, and there was only
one person to do it" unless" said he,
"you think it was me that fetched him
the sock(lologer from this side of the
counter that took the wind out of him. +"
Mr.. Armitage appeared to be COM
pletely bewildered by the affair. He
vehemently asserted that he had none
but the kindliest feelings for Mr.. Surden
up to the time of the prosecution that
he never struck man in his life and
that when Mr.. Surden fell they were
laughing in the most amicable manner
and tipping their glasses.
DIR. Morse soon after transmitted to
the faculty of the College of Medicine an
account of case of hysteria accom-
panied with local inflammation" which
described Mr.. Surden's case exactly and
drew the attention to him of several
practitioners who had made nervous
complaints specially. The man, how
ever, was not disposed to submit further
to medical examination or treatment. He
became careless in his habits and some
what dissipated, drinking freely and
keeping late hours.
The next incident in the chain comes
to us through an entirely new channel.
On the night of September Is Policeman
162, while passing the house No. West
Washington place, heard screams and
cries of "Help," and ran up the steps
to try the door. 1t was not fastened, and
he made his way into the hallway and
and thence into back parlor used as
a family room by the persons who
worked at fower-making in the front.
He found man with q swollen face and
disordered attire, in great state of ex-
element, leaning against the sliding