Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-04-08
A Partisan Excitement.

The Pari .ians are determined to have
mystery now and then. They have
been fond of something of the kind ever
since the time of the Tour de Nesle.
Only the other day they were Mortified
with blood-curdling descriptions of a
house in an obscure suburb, which had
)een rented by a stranger, forbidding in
appearance and evidently bent upon
the contamination of some hideOus
crime, judging from the preparations
which he had made. Rumors ran in
the neighborhnod that he was darby
engaged in plotting against the life of
some one, for he had brought to the
house huge case made of solid wood,
lined with heavy cloth and pierced
with air-holes.
1t seemed just the sort of thing in
which to imprison some helpless crea-
ure whom he was DESTROYS of torturing.
The woman of whom he had hired the
house spled his movements in most
indiscreet manner, and when one day
she saw him bring in q half dozen
chains, such as are ordinarily used for
dogs, she could not reStrA IN herself any
longer, she went off to the neighbors
with a terribly magnified version of the
whole matter, and the result was that
the police were called in. Meantime,
the mysterious stranger appeared to
have gained some knowledge of the
movement against him, for he disap-
peared and was heard of no more-at
that period. The police agents came
out from Paris and spent q day or two
in the house. There stood the wooden
case, gaping wide open, with its cush-
Toned sides and the staples driven into
them seeming to indicate that human
being was to be chained in there alive.
The agents began to think that some
attempt at blackmail was to be made
by band of clever criminals. Every
.endeavor was made to catch the sup
posed culprit, and the concierges, shoe
makers and water carriers of the capt.
tai, with bated breath, nightly discussed
the mystery, until one fine morning the
Project of Police received letter from
a wealthy gentleman who lives but
little way from Paris, explaining the
whole matter. 1t appears that several
weeks ago this gentleman was bitten by
one of his dogs in such a manner as to
awaken suspicious in his mind that the
dog Wiz mad. He cauterized the
wound, Tut the thought that he was a
possible victim of hydrophobia SO
preyed upon his mind that he deter
mined to separate himself from his
family for a time, and to experiment
upon certain animals by inoculating
bhem WI Ia his own blood, in order to as
certain Mthe rage were really lurking
in his systAQ.
With thisN Intention he hired the house
in the suburbAand prepared q case in |
which he prop ed to shut up three of
his dogs, and otudy their symptoms
until he felt sure Aher that he was free
from danger, or TN there was crisis |
tofear. Just as he s about to bring |
tie dogs to the cottag md to inocula,e
thsm there, he found : the NEEDLE |
some neighbors were II y to Get him
;ntn trouble, so he gave &his desion. |
IT, incloed to the Prefed he fa7se |
a aud spectacles with VI he had !
a,aisguised when he rent6 70 cot
....t the Project smiled the ,i;s-
IN which, men do when comp tn
.admA that they are sold, and the ~
nmstsAv was at an end. Let rs
hat curious ending viii debar
sgstle,San who fears hydrophobia frdl
snymo, Hhsuch experiments: PerhaP
he w MHr re gone mad with fear hA'
eircuD,staa = sllowed him to keep or
l.sr; sE 2 pe r, e is inventoried /.
sli iii; s 1r5sa'Adelpl