The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-09-30

uesolate region OF sparsely settled
country along The Blue Mountains,
in Albany Township. On the
premises of Joseph Sechler. broth
er of the lunatic, was found a small
wooden building, very strongly
built, of heavy logs. 1t contained
but one room. a small door or en-
trance TO the dungeon was bolted
on the outside by heavy oaken
bar. The low roof was covered by
thatch and brush. Under tho den
was n roughly built fireplace,
constructed Of rocks. Here fire
was occasionally kindled, so that
the heat could ascend through the
cracks of the floor 70 give warmth
to the imprisoned lunatic. The
floor was made of rough oak slabs.
When the officials arrived they
were met by Joseph Sochler. a
brother of the lunalic. He pointed
out the way TO the dungeon, near
the foot OF the mountains. The man
in the hut beat the timbers of the
| sides of his fearful abode with his
hands when he heard the noise of the
approaching footsteps. The clum-
| sy, heavy oaken door was unbarred,
and the sight presented on the in
side was fearful TO behold. Crouch
ed down on a bed of filth was an
old man. HIS gray and shaggy
beard extended to his thighs. His
body was nude and brown with
filth. His eyes glistened and bis
black teeth were firmly set. A
heavy chain dragged and ratified
on the filthy floor; oDe end of il was
| fastened to a staple in the middle
of the floor and the other was
bound to one OF the legs Of the nude
maniac. He was violent. His
long confinement had made him as
| vicious and as wiry as a bulldog.
He was savage. The officials tried
20 coax him, but they might 3 well
| have endeavorod to make peace
with an angry hyena. The fero-
cious being 81 rieked out a series Of
oaths and unintelligiblo words and
beat his prison house with his black
and bony fists. 1t was a terrible
moment. Quick as thought the
| BOOt AhHstbAk was ONGA llpNNAAA AAAAA
iroued. The heavy chain had be-
come so rusty that blow from a
| heavy sledgs was necessary TO break
it. The iron band about his ankle
had to be filed OF by the black
of the Aims House when they ar
rived with the unfortunate at that
| institution. When the officials
took the poor man out of the dun
| geon he looked about him as ii he
had been suddenly transformed into
another world. For twenty seven
| years the sun had not shone upon
him. Ia all that time he had been
neither washed, clothed or shaved.
His brother stated that he had al
ways given him plenty Of food.
This was showed i1to his cell like
animals are fed. The sides were
black with filth and from the roof
daugled cobwebs and the nests of
bats. There was little or no venti-
latinn and the stencil was unbeara-
bic. The officers tried 20 get the
poor man 70 tell his story, bat '''o
reason was gone He vas mental
wreck more brute than human.
Filth had been so completely rubbed
into the skin that the body was like
that of the most filthy animal. He
made violent efforts TO free himself,
, but could not.
Thirty years ago he was a young
} man, strong a1d vigorous, with a
clear mind. He worked on a farm
- that his father owned. On a very
hot day, and when his system was
4 in a high state Of eXertion and per-
. spiratlon, he jumped into noun
s tain stream of cold water. After
that bath his mind became aztec
D ted. Finally he became deTangcd.
Y His father died and left the proper
!. ty 90 his two sons, Joseph and
y Ben jamIn. Joseph says that he did
It not desire TO put Benjamin into ar
insane asylum, so he resolved tC
n keep him until lac died. H'
a thought his death would tak'
t place before great while. Instead
Ie Of this the poor man lived, and d
" nally he became 80 violent that Tn
brother SAYS he resolved to built
the strong cabin aud chain him
For twenty years the horribl
~ Imprisonment lasted. What suilcrini
or the poor man endured may be NOR
ii easily imagined than described
,a His fingers, tipped with lorl
y black nails, looked like the claw
- of a wolf His toes we're matte
~ together with filth, more reseu
Ic bling hoofs than feet. He slcI
og on loose straw like common an
,0 NAL. When he arrived at the Poe
House he was thoroughly washe'
"a 1t will require weeks before he ca
- be made thoroughly clean. II
no long beard was cut on, and IL WI
- some time before he could be II
"a duced to submit 10 be shaved ii
no hands and feet were FIRST firm
in bound, then his hair was cut sho
"a and his scalp thorougly clenne
bv He was then dressed in cool con
nj iortable suit. The best attoniic
no il being given TO him, and j. is b
H. lievcd his mind may possibly
~ restored. There is cousidcrat
hg money due him from his fatheI
.ry estate, which will enable the autho
is tiles to engage additional eXpe
oc- medical assistance.
of