The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-12-28

"He never meant to hang himself?'
inquired the Chaplain, eagerly, but
his face fell.
"No, sir; he was only trying it
on.'''
Once more Twoshoes had missed his
mark, although the Chaplain was not
satisfied about the Tooley-street crime.
At his persistent representation, full
statement of the confession was for
warded to the Home Office. Mean
while, Twoshoes returned to his work
and chains. --sSss"
A week or two later, the warder,
who had special charge of him, spoke
as follows:
Il don't know what to make of
that Twoshoes; gets talking to him
self all day, and, when check him, he
looks that wicked hardly burst trust
him to handle pick or shovel"
The mans conduct was certainly
strange-sometimes moody and silent,
at others perpetually jabbering to him
self; generally with head downcast and
eyes on the ground, except when, now
and again, he upturned white gleam-
ing eyeball, with a wicked side-long
glance. Once or twice he yelled with
derisive laughter, then stood on his
head, so that his leg chains hung like
a necklace round his neck; anon he
took to devouring clay; last of all he
came to Mr.. Tightlock, and said he
wanted to go home.
81 live over yonder," he pointed to
distant village, with spire and
churchyard visible. 81 want to go
home"
After this he was sent into the hos
pital to be watched. He was doubtless
"doing the barney" pretending to be
mad, but of this only the doctor could
give positive proof. The Chaplain re-
turned with renewed vigor to the cry
of remorse. 1t was the memory of the
murder which had driven Twoshoes
out of his mind.
Shrewd old DR.. McManus was not
so ready to admit the madness. To
feign insanity is a common practice
with convicts; they do it with more
or less ingenuity, and with more or
less persistence, according to their
knowledge and force of character, and
if TwoshOes was "doing the barney"
he did it extremely well. The doctor
might have his suspicious, but they
were not very readily conirmed-the
imitation was so good-the part so
long sustained.
At one time Twoshoes took up a
parrot-like cry, which he repeated in
an unvarying, lachrymose sing-song,
rising now to a full diapason or sound,
then sinking into a low howl, like that
of a woe-begone cur baying at the
moon.
"Twoshoes Twoshoes ! oh, poor
Tommy Twoshoes p This was the
burden of his refrain-continue day
and night-till he drove the other pa
tients in the hospital nearly distract
ed; and it was necessary to remove
him to the "dumb CELL" a place con-
structed especially cell within a
cell-the space between rammed with
sand, 50 that not whisper from with
in could reach the outer air.
Twoshoes might be mad, but he was
wise enough to know that shouting
would not avail him in the " dumb
cell" His next act was to refuse all
food. Every scrap they brought him
he rejected; at first the regular diet !;
then, in order to test him, the doctor
sent up savory stews and toothsome
sweets. Twoshoes was not to be caught
in a trap. Even glass of champagne
he Indignantly knocked out of the
nurses hand.
But he could not be suffered to
starve himself to death. After five
days they fed him with stomach
pump, although he resisted violently.
Again he showed wisdom, and relin-
pushed an attempt which he found to
be futile. He went to the other ex-
IRENE and devoured all on which he
could lay hands, including his blankets
torn into bits resembling pancakes,
stones in the exercising-yard, and part
of the soles of his shoes. This diet
before long made him excessively i'll,
and he suffered such tOrments from
indigestion that he returned gladly to
more wholesome food. Now he had
excuses of violent rage; he threatened
every soul who approached him, he
would kill the doctor as he had already
murdered that woman.
"There," said the Chaplain, who
was told of this speech, 81 felt could
not be mistaken"
But he was: for just about this time
reply was received from the Home
Office, satisfactorily showing that
TWoshoes was safe in another prison,
at the very time he pretended he had
committed the crime in Tooley street.
This fresh proof of the convict in
corrlgible duplicity aroused the doctor
to further efforts. 1t became almost
point of professional etiquette with
him to find Twoshoes out. Yet was
he barred, day after day, at every
turn. AS last resource, he deter
mined to try galvanism. The battery
was prepared; Twoshoes was led
forth, grinning. To the officials he
made low bow, and expressed his
thanks, courteously, in few words
of choice French. He was grateful
for their hospitality, but would not in
trude further.
81 shall go home" he said, airily;
but just then came the first shock
from the machine.
VIVA what's this mean 90 he
spluttered out. "What yer doing to
Tommy Twosh-, poor Tommy
Twosh-''
Now he was quivering and fairly
dancing as the currents acted on him
with increasing force.
"Well?' said the doctor, when the
first dose was over.
II want to go home," replied Two