The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-12-18
A NIGHT WITH THE LUNATICS
THE REMARKIBLE STORY THAT Is
TOLD BYA CRIzY WOMAN
way Some Sane wohen are Inwstes % the
Aesphab-Astonishins Gases cited by Aaed-
sc~i Superintendent Wnliam w. strew.

on Blackwelrs Island. A woman beckoned to
him. and SAID: "Ihavea story % tell YOU sir;
WANTED X printed. VIII you write 1t for me ?"
With pleasure"
"Did you ever hear the story Of tho man who
accused h mselt OF murder and tried to procure
q sentence Of death p
Il never did; is II Interestingly"
Extremely. The affair occurred many years
ago. and has passed out Of the memory Of most
people. have forgotten the names. but they
are not necessary The maniac lived In an east
side street. at that time quite respectable. His
apartments were opposite second. rate board
1ng house and he could look into room occu
pied by very pretty girl danseuse In avariety
theatre. She had two lovers The maniac spent
hours In watching her. Night after night found
him In the parquet OF the theatre One Of her
lovers wac lieutenant In the navy. The other
was a man OF different mould. and strangely
interested the maniac. His frame was that OF
young giant. The gifl's Irritation with the two
men furnished food for gossip to the whole
nelghborhood. Some laughed at the gay leu
tenant and some ut his rival; but all amiably
united In condemning the poor danseuse. This
state OF affairs continued for some months.
ss was % that tS M"Ty %Rd
spectiyely. were afilanced., The lieutenant was
sfys es % SS end SIan wG Shadow
<Yet. though Mary went TO church with John on
SUNDAYS. she still wore the leutenants roses in
Ono morning serysn, rpshed into the ma,
crowd and passed, qnquesiioned into the room
Gs lean 2 he sf mrs
kissing T. There seemed no doubt that it was
a cnse OF suicide. The door was found locked.
,the, key on the inside the furniture undis-
tr 5,.r j; ogt No instrpmcnt was, found with
windows
'ieast thirty feet from the ground. II would be
ppess dIS for psrsGn to nmp that far even
-" The, day after the murder the msniac
d dnrc,ssed WIN grea, care. went to the sherr's
person who murdered the young danseuse He
was, Of course, instantly arrested. A day after
and truly remarkable conversation followed
The prlsonersaid. You know, John, l have re;
s SaiGsTi Ss e e Ssq &St dSSas$ i$ai r.
after she mad gone TO the theatre / entered the
iunobscryed 10 her room. Where secrctcd my.
sell und,T Tie ted. or in small cothespress
~ o'clock Mary returned While she was in
thf sf ol liehting tlis gas ! pressed handker-
,mguth. You know the effect Of chloroformf
w., w,l h hs 20 into ,deels threw my gloves and
there wac n3i ire enough to consume them.
John walked NJ and down the cell. greatly
hflta'ei. Al length hr seated himself and ex-
claimed. Ours" your Tho maniac continued:
eAtinguished the ligh' ana proceeded To
max NY - az" ,,om thu roam. which did in
2 manh"rso simlle that the detectives, through
Their desire e. ferret out wonderful things will
never dis ovor II. Tho might was foggy; it was
)mnus It'll 70 discern an object at four yards
distance: his was favorable, to me. | raised
the window sash aud let myself out cautiously.
holding on tv the sill. until my feet tou he'd the
-mouldlng which caps the window below. |
then drew down the sash BY standing on the
eStreme ieft Of the cornice j was able 10 reach
and b TIA, den ID 1s to Ip hc sSew SEd1 81
gaining the street found that | had brought
the chamber to have gvun to tho whole thing
the bdnder, 50 throw the knife -
Into the river! exclaimed John. involun-
III the maniac smiled.
How did you know | did iti' shrieked
b" il ,Soe go plain m day. Luo,v /, boforo
hhd been ~" minutes in the room. First be-
cause you -nrank ii stinctively from the corpse.
Though YOU seemed 10 be caressing IT, Second
~ whe ! looScd into the stove -iw glove
aqd 9aufker NET, partly consumed; and then
which mad Effected me before the room was
fe,niiat.t. It was cnlorof2rm Thirdly when
paint Wa scrhi od on the brackets which held
.hr AT io the nest house. Tn conduit had
been newly painted two days previously; the
L4in oA tn. bracket was thicker than any
whete e. ard h4i not dried. or looking At
H. Won. s..w tia, the leather on the inner side
OF each t"ul Was slightly paint marked. 1t is
II you intend 70 betray me
on, r, Tut don't. or should not be here.
alone with you. am not n fool
ms ed. sir, you are rs subtle AS
y u!dL mention him.
The devn
John Wac silent
:" A. lensth he asked: What do you Intend to
.. Remain here
IT, don understand you, said John with an
49, You shall. ! believe there are Intense sen.
sstlon iI1m which We are excluded by the fear
Dt certain KIND OF death. This pleasure Is
ncck. Worlds could not tempt me to diyulge
your gum. nor could worlds have tempted me
T. commit your crime. for mans conscience
shouli pe ~ ease, to ENJOY to the utmost this de-
Ic,ou9 death. Our interview is at an end.
MI. On word seid he man; did you send mo
whh!tyh was scrawied. Watch them
These words were the indirect cause Of the
Whole nilair watched them Thon. after IA
S SS io is Sh'l e. iar from here egnpot, YIN
untii stand trout to front with him. They vii
not harm you-yon are madman
his wR i" l hsd was not hung Two friends Of
o. thm murder, proved an abi. and no was
literally turned OFT Of the Tonts Tor he insisted
That ende the story ?" asked the reporter
~, ~ would be grateful to YOU for a
:, \ little silver was thrust through the bars into
W. Wyhhn bands, and the reporter Lassed on
I.
W Slr'w. Medical Superintendent of the insti-
tulloi. who sand: Ny dear follow, YOU are not
Solhs ba'k t. New York; Come over 10 ny
house ana pas the night. and we Will have Il
social ci.' IL ny library" The reporter gladly
glnlr IRE, he asked.
pr. s'rew If there any foundation Of truth
" the rtoTiee 20 often hashed over in novels
asylums r
right here. "
TEL ne abou, some OF them"
We'll one case is that Of woman seventy
years OF age who kept cheap store in Third
avenue She had considerable properly, some
OF WHOM Was III diamonds. Her children got to
De rather extIavaRant in the matter OF dress
hhu some Other matters. and the old lady drew
the lines too tight TO suit them The result was
mat they had her declared insane, and brough.
here soon after her arrival two Of her neph-
cws came over and told me the true inwardness
OF the case They wanted me to discharge her
ana they agreed 10 take care OF her and pro-
vide her with home. 1t was not in my power
T. DO this without consulting her children. and
uley insisted on her being retained here. 1t is
know of.
Ahother case is that OF a pretty German
woman, whose husband has become enamoreI ~
lN