The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-05-02
Ike 8ulletim.
MEETING THE DEVIL.
An EngIishusan's Rerma rkable walk
Under the Influence Of RELIGIOUS
d Mania.
From the London Telegraph

From the London Telegraph
At the Uxbridge petty sessions, James
/ Rockies, %. described rs tailor, living at
| No. 8, Upper North street, Caledoman
road, l.lington, was charged with being
! found wandering, suffering from religious
mania, and not being under proper con-
troll. About midnight on sunday, Police
Constable Richard Milton. 101 y, was on
duty at Hillingdon heath, and saw the
prisoner walking toward London In a nude
state. lie stopped him aud took him back
to UXbrldge, a distance Of two miles. At
the police station the prisoner told the Of
I ticer on duty that he was released from
Colney Hatch a-ylum about a fortnight
previously, and that on sunday he re-
| solved upon attending a mission meeting
1t Exeter. He walked from London as far
a. Gerrarc's cross, and was there met by
the devil The devil looked into his eyes
to see If he was the right man, anC he
prisoner then remembered that he had
something to confess. lie had, however.
forgotten the words he should repeat. ami
the only way in which he thought he could
free himself from the evil one was by
walking backward for mile naked. He
accordingly undressed himself, and. leay-
ing his clothing in the road, walked back
ward.
After proceeding about a mile in this
way. he returned for his clothes, but could
not find then, and consequently determ.
lned II walk back to London. Tie distance
from Gerrard's cross to Iollingdon heath
j. six and halt miles, and man no
DOUBT passed through the Hight street,
tNbrtdSe, which il three-quarters.'o a
mile in length. His clothing and watch
and chain were found at GeIrard's cross.
He regretted having left them behind. be.
cause be felt extremely cold without them
lie was subsequently seen by Nr. Roberts,
the police divisional surgeon. who pro-
nOuLced him 20 be insane. In reply to
Or. Anderson, the chairman. prisoner
said he was attempting TO do what Jesus
Christ did eighteen hundred years ago.
The Lord, he believed, went on mission
from London TO Liverpool, and he tried 10
walk from London to Exeter. Wden at
Gerrard's cross be was under the impress.
ion that he was near Slough, and, "a he
was wet and footsore, he thought Of staying
therl ali night. one of the puDishments
adopted by the Roman Catholic church for
persons who did not confess q sin was TO
make them walk a mile the reverse way
but he did not carry il out properly.
Inspector Eames said he had telegraphed
TO the address given, but had not received
an answer. The magistrates ordered the
prisoner to be removed TO the work house
at iillingdon. Late in the day, prisoners
wife and daughter, very respectable look
ing persons, attended tie court. and ex-
planned that he left home at IL O'Clock on
the previous morning. re had been in
Conley Hatch ASYLUM for fifteen months,
and was released from that Institution a
fortnight since for month on trlsl. MIS-.
Rockies said it was impossible for her to
keep him under proper control Pri. oner
asked his wife ifthe houses in Upper North
street, lslington, were still in existence
his impression was tina. they had fallen
through rift in the earth. The magis-
tratc- decided that he should be detained
AT the work house until the authorities al
Conley Hatch had been communicated
with