Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-09-09
A Maniac Chained for 81 Years,
A Horrible but True Story of a
Brothers Flendish Inhumanlt,.
RKADING. AUG %

Ell III this section OF the Ststs was the
taking OF man aged SIS, named Benja
min Sechler, to the County Aims house
| yesterday. He WAS dressed in \ simple
petucoat and from his right leg dsncled a
| rusty chain. This man had been chained
and confined in { log dungeon for 81 wears.
Inc truthful story OF this mans mis,or
tunes far exceed anything OF the kind
published II Eastern Pennsylvania for
many years. A few days ago the Direct
| ors OF the Poor OF Berks county were in.
| formed OF the fact that man named
Sechler, lunauc WAS confined by his
brother in filthy cabin, and that the
! poor unfortunate WAS being brutally treat.
ed. Accordingly, Mr. John III. Bower, of
the Board Of Poor Directors, acccmns.
nied by James W. Salade and John b
hporr, OF the Almshouse, and David
Helnly, Justice of the Peace of that sec.
lon, proceeded 10 the upper end OF Berks
county, for the purpose of making A
thorough investigation They were dl.
rected 10 wild and desoate region
81 spsrsely settled country along the
Blue Mountains, in Albany township.
On the premises of Joseph Sech Ter. A
| brother OF the lunstic, WAS found asm,u
wooden building, very strongly built of
heavy logs. 1t contained but one room.
\ small door or entrance to the dungeon
WAS bolted or the outside by a heavy
/ oaKen bar. The low root was covered by
thatch and brush. Under the den was
| roughly. Quilt fireplace, constructed Of
rocks. bere, fire was occasionally kiudled
! so that the heat could ascend through the
| cracks of the floor, to give warmth 10 the
Imprisoned lunatic. This floor was made
OF rough oak slabs.
CHAINED IN MS DUNGEON.
When the officials arrived, they were
met by oseph Secbler, brother of the
lunailc. He pointed out tho way TO tho
| dungeon, near the foot OF the mountains
The man In the hut beat the umhers Of
the sides OF his fearful abode with his
| hands, when he hesrd the noise of the Al.
| preaching footsteps. The clumsy, heavy
oak door WAS unbarred, and the 81 ght pro.
sented on the inside was fearful to behold
| Crouched down on a bed OF filth WAS an
old man. His gray and shaggy beard ex
| tended to his thighs, His body WAS nude
and brown with filth. His eyes glstened
ana his black teeth were firmly set. A
| heavy Chain ratified on the filthy floor !;
one end or il was fastened To 4 staple in
the middle OF the floor and the other WAS
| bound 10 one OF the legs of the nude
maniac. lie was violent His long con
! lnement had made him as vicious aud as
wiry AS bulldog. He was savage. The
officials had TO coax him, bat they might
as well have endeavored 10 make peace
with an angry hyena. The iorocious be-
ing shrieked out a series of Oaths and un-
intclligiole words, and beat his prison
house with his black and bony fists. 1t
WAS terrible moment Quick AS thought,
/ the poor lunstc was overpowered and
| ironed. The heavy chain had become so
rusty that blow from heavy sledge was
necessary to break it.. The iron band
about his ankle had to be filed of by the
| blacksmith OF the Almshouse, when they
arrived with the unfortunate at that instl.
tuition When the officials took the poor
man out OF his dungeon, he looked about
him as II he haS been suddenly trans,
formed Into another world. For twenty.
seven years the sun mad not shone upon
him. In all that time he had been neither
washed clothed nor shaved, HIS brother
stated that he had always gwen him
plenty OF food. This was showed into his
cell rs animals are fed. The officials
say tha the floor of the dungeon was GOV.
cred in some places by excrement = foot
in depth The sides were black with filth,
! and from the roof dGngled cobwebs and
the nests of bats. There was iittle or no
ventil .tlOn, and the stencil was unbear
able. The officers tried to get the poor
mal 10 tell his story, but his reason was
! gone lie was a mental wreck-more
brute than human. Filth had been 30
completely rubbed into his skin that the
body WAS like that of the most filthy AMI.
NAL, He made violent efforts TO free hum
self, but could not.
THE STORY OF HIS LIFE.
Thirty years ago he was young man,
| strong and vigorous, with a clear mind.
I He worked on a farm that his father
owned. On very hot day, and when his
system WAS In high state OF exertlon
and perspiration, he jumped into mouu-
tain stream of cold water Alter that
bath his mind bee ime affected. Finally
he became dersnged. II Is father died and
left the property TO his two sons, Joseph
and Benjamin. Joseph says that he did
not desire to put Bet amin into an insane
asylum, so he resolved 10 keep him until
| he died He thought his death would
take place before great while. Instead
Of his, the poor mar lived on and on and
| finally be became so violent that the
brother says he resolved 10 build the
strong cabin aud chain him. For twenty
seven years this horrible imprisonment
continued. What suiferings the poor
man endured msy be more easily imaR
ined than described. His fingers, tipped
with long black nails, looked like the
claws of wolf His toes we're matted
| together with filth, more resembling hoofs
| than feet He slept on loose straw like
! common animal. When he arrived at the
! poor house he was thoroughly washed.