The daily gazette., 1880-03-27
Crased ov the Gem Puzzle.

1T UNTIL REASON GIVES wAY-HE
BECOMES A RAvING MADMAN AND
ATTEMPTS TO MURDER HIS FAMILY.
From the Erie (Pa.) Dispatch.
A sadder spectacle than that which
was presented at the home of Mr.. Dan-
iel Conroy yesterday cannot be well
imagined. Mr.. Conroy is well known
in the city, and all who are acquainted
with him can bear witness to his tenn
perate habits, his devotion to his fami-
ly and his manly qualities. And yet
this man, with the physique ofan ath-
lete and with a normal disposition as
gentle as the lamb, stood in the pres
ence of his family transformed into an
unnatural being, capable of putting
his child to most horrible death. To
mention the game of Fifteen" in con-
nection with this sad affair. and to say
that this mans madness Is attributable
to the little game, may provoke
smile of incredulity but such is the
well-authenticated fact. For nearly
three weeks this man, who is a first
class stonecutter and does the princi-
pal work ON the Cathedral, has been
greatly exercised over the game. His
| fellow. workmen noticed that he would
frequently stop his labor to make some
| calculations on the game, and during
the last week his wife became aware
that the solution of the puzzle was a
| subject of more interest to him than
was his family, 1t was soon evident
that his whole mind was absorbed in
the game. On Saturday last he walk
| ed into Alderman Wodo's Office and
wanted toexplain certain combinations
but the Squire had no time to give to
! the subject. He then walked to Neu-
bauer & Geib's restaurant and offered
to bet Mr.. Geib $25 that he coulfsolve
the problem. All day Sunday he was
engaged in manipulating the blocks
and when demonstrated with by his
patient wife he declared he would do
it in spite of all the powers that be.
Far into the night he worked, moving
and moving until, wearied out, he sank
into fitful slumber.
The discovery Of his condition was
made about $50 yesterday morning.
Mrs. Con oy saw him arise and take one
of the twins and pace about the room in
most singular manner. When she
spoke to him he turned upon her with a
yell Of rage, and she saw by the terrible
look in his eye that her poor husband
was out of his mind. She called i'm
neighbors to appease him, but it availed
not. The sight Of the people enraged
him the more, and only served to accel-
crate his strides through the house,
Great fear was felt for the little boy he
held In his band, and an effort was made
TO get it away. The infuriated Fifteen
player drove them of, and in his frenzy
was about to place his child upon the
hot stove, when in rushed Capt. Sullivan
and posse of police, which had been
sent by Chief Crowley to secure the
poor man. Officer Sullivan succeeded
in getting one handcuff on, but the other
hand was held aloft and grasped the
child, which all unconscious of the terri
BILE danger it was exposed to, smiled at
its maniac father as if the noise aud con-
fusion was created for its own diversion.
The officers threw themselves upon him
and finally succeeded in getting posses
sion Of the infant and securing the mad
man. The scene during this fearful
struggle Is beyond description
The cries of the children, the shrieks of
the mother, fearful for her babe in the
powerful grasp OF the maniac, the sharp
EXPLANATIONS of the officers, the fearful
yeils of the lunatic and the>prattlings of
the little boy in such dreadful clutch,
made up scene the reporters pen can
not do full justice to.
The officers took the unfortunate
man to the County Jail for security,
and he was lodged in a cell on the
ground floor. AS may be supposed,
the journey from Conroy's home to
the Jail was not accomplished without
great difficulty. Frequently the fren-
zied man threw himself upon the
ground, and put forth strength that
none but madman could possess, to
free himself from his captors. A few
hours after his incarceration a report |
er was conducted to his cell by Ward |
EN- Staples, and there saw this wretch |
ed victim of Fifteen" Conroy was
seen crouched at the furthermost end |
of the cell chalking out the game on
the wall. Upon being discovered he
sprang up with a loud cry, and flung |
himself with all his might against the |
iron-barred door.
"Ho no! ha ha p' he cried, 81
have it, / have it at last Oh, thank |
God, can do it-13, IA, Is. Let me
out-6, 2, 8, 8. Where's my children |
I'll cut 'em into fifteen blocks-1, 2, 3, |
4. Give me some water, wretches-13, |
10, IA. On, my 0ou III heaven, what |
shall l doP Ha ha ha She's daisy! |
She's darling ~ and then the de- |
mented Conroy commenced to dance a |
breakdown. ''See here" he exclaim-
ed, beckoning to Mr.. Staples and the
reporter, "Pll show you how to solve
it."
He drew nail from his pocket, and
lifting his manacled and bleeding
hands high over his head, he traced
out sixteen squares on the iron wall.
"There is 81 900 reward for a solu-
tion of this puzzle" said he, "and I
have won it. 1t is mine minel mine |
and then he commenced beating his
G hest with his ironed hands.
The reporter next visited the home
of the afflicted Conroy family, on Short
street. Mrs. Conroy was found in
tears, lamenting the trouble that had
fallen upon her
'He is a kind, good man, and he
would not harm worm," said she to
the reporter. The woman held q twin
in her arms and another was gambol-
ing about on the floor. "My husband
has not touched drop of drink since
Christmas" replied she in answer to a
nuestiOn ssNO sir there was no