Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-07


surroundings the contest Will begin, but snake
fight, it appears, cannot be calculated with the
rattle snake win destroy the Kings, it being SO
much larger, when the battle does come of, If it
ever does.
| A Curious Case Of Feigned Insanity.
| HOW EXPERTS WERE PUZZLED BY CoLORED
| PRISONER.
The theory OF some people that Guteau Is feign-
Ing insanity recalls the case Of one Howard, col
ored prisoner in the District jail few years ago.
who for a long time bafied the doctors and others
He was arrested here In the winter OF 70 80 for
burglary and was indicted in seven cases. Had he
Deen convicted on all he would have been SELL
fenced TO the penitentfary for abcdt 60 years. and
probably have ended his days there. The fact that
! he had been thus indicted was published and made
WICK 10 ns IN rt cone mot far RI from that
morning found hanging by the neck. He had tied
himself In such manner as to make it look i'm
possible for him to have done the tying himself.
he was at once cut down and it was found that he
had apparently lost his reason, as also the use of
his legs, and the jail officials, not then dreaming
,s,1 ne could have another prisoner to keep
l nun company and walt on him Here Howard
move. He ate nothing so far as could be observed.
Never spoke TO any one, and apparently was
were at FIRST OF the opinion that the case was a
genuine one, and so was Gen. Croker and most OF
the Jail ose He was watched with more care
came one for study, and some outside physicians
were given an opportunity to examine 1t. It was
not until Howard had spent several months in this
condition that the officials became satisfied that
he was feigning 1mbecility as well as sickness
Experiment after experiment was made with him
In the summer time flies were attracted to his cell
in large numbers While he was lying on his
couch perfectly motioniess they crawied into his
| ears and nOStr1lS, and seemed to bother him so
little that the most careful observer could not see
muscle move. DR.. Young, after a careful exami-
| Howard, and with Gen. Croker finally became
| Suspicious that he was playing 'possum,n but
they could not bring their minds to the belief that
this man had sufficient will power to act the role
he had essayed continuously. Towards attend
ant one night discovered some of the food which
the prisoner had hid away, and about the same
time the colony of flies in the cell having become
reinforced a closer watch was kept on him. One
afternoon when there considerable noise in the
building one or the guards walked noiSeleSSly
to the cell and there found Howard industrfously
tanning the flies away. As soon as the Sick and
came helpless. The physicians then determined
TO cure him, and giving him a shock OF the gal
vanic battery soon found that it was not imposs-
afterwards apparently as bad as ever, and being
brought into the rotunda one day, having to be
difficulty that the strongest men could hold him,
and he soon found voice to yell OUT ''Are you GO
ing to kill me?" After this he was taken to court,
tried, convicted and sentenced to the Albany pen
| ltentary. Before going there he needed several
other applications OF the battery. On the journey
| the mere mention by one OF the guards that
his comforter" the battery, was at hand greatly
improved pro MS condition and he was safely landed
| Albany are to the effect that Howard is now one
OF the most efficient workers, is in fine health and
as Intelligent as any colored prisoner they have.
the late George w. Riggs returned inventories OF
! his estate into court as follows: Money, cash
SIZE, sOS 81 debts due $780, 40; other personal
estate s97, sS1. total 1914 7755 The will of Mary
1. johnson was filed yesterday. She bequeaths
her estate to her sons, Thomas E. and w. II.
Simpson, and appoints DR.. R. Reyburn and w. R.
Brown her executors.
TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS DAMAGES CLAIMED.
The case OF Moore against Barber and Others pro-
| pr1etOrs OF LIE DrOit Park, for maintaining nui-
sance, in which $1,000 damages claimed, was
commenced In the Circuit Court yesterday. The
plalntH owns the property to the east OF the park,
and having refused to allow a sewer to be run
line, and the contents run over the surface OF his
land. Thls morning the jury, at the invitation OF
the counsel for the defense, were driven to LIE
Drolt Park and looked over the premises, and on
| their return the trial was resumed
THE POTOMAC FRUIT GROwERs-At the regular
monthly meeting of the Potomac Fruit Growers
Association last evening, at No. 2l1 AZ street, DR..
$. A. II. Mckim In the chair. and Dr. E. P. How
land, secretary, Dr. Mckim read an essay on ssThe
Cultivation of the Dwarf Pearl The essay was
discussed by several of the members. The execu
tive committee was authorized to make arrange
ments for the annual festival, and a report from
the Potomac Fruit Growers Improvement Com
pany, stating what progress had been made in the
GiymOnt project, was received
RIVER TRADE-Harbor Master Sutton reports
arrivals at the river landings as follows: Str Sue,
Seognegan, with With cargo OF general merchandise to
$4,000 feet lumber to dealers; schr j. o. Gross,
Greenlong, $4,000 tons stone to J. NJ. Mcknight;
Bros. schr Wicomico, with wood for market:
| schrs. Brewster, Caroline Chief, 8. A. Douglas
Mary Frances, Mo1lle, Lizzie, Regan, virginia,
Shining Light John Henry and Martha Wa pdHss
! ton and soops Sarah Jane, Addie and imagery, all
Merrlman, III tons coal for Inland Steamboat Com
pany barge Dflligent, 11S tons coal for s. Emery;
barge Hunter Lee, Barger lls tons coal for G. l.
| coal for Potomac Steamboat Company.
ELECTIONS OF OFF1CERs.-Last evening the
stockholders OF the Great Falls Ice Company
elected directors for the ensuing year ,s57 shares
son, E. K. johnson, j. NJ. johnson, DR.. F. Howard,
2. Pilling, A. H. Herr, T. A. Lambert and Dr. d. II.
HaZen.
George G. Meade, Post No. s, G. A. R., last night
elected officers follows: NJ A. Dillon, post com
mander; Levi Nagle, s. v. c.; Daniel Ratmey,
hirt, surgeon; P. II. Burghardt, chaplain; J. B.
Burke, o. D.: John A Bryan, o. G.; representa-
William H. Sterne, John Gilmore, A. w. Hodg.
man, j. B. Burke; alternates, H. G. Ellis, w. h.
Maxwell, John A. Bryan, George A. Williams.
washington Chess and Checker Club, at its
annual meeting last evening, elected the follow
Townsend, Thomas M. Redd, vfce-presidents; N.
L. COllamer, treasurer; John =. Jeneris secretary;
William G. Finney, George w. Brown and w. e.
Burford, trustees.
Company A, Washington Cadet Corps, has
elected the following officers: Captain, c. A. Fleet
wood; first lieutenant, George s. Contee; second
lieutenant, r. F. Owens; brevet second lieutenant,
James A. Perry; James B. Wright, secretary; E.
BrOckenbOrOugh, treasurer.
The Shakespeare Club has reorganized for the
coming season by the election OF the following
officers: President, Ralph Jefferson; vice-presf-
dent, MIS- L. Pilling: secretary, Mrs X. H. Ste
vens; treasurer, Miss Annie Hertford; executive
committee, James K. Bangs, j. II. Whitaker, Mrs
Mcconnell, Miss Annie H. Hyperion, Miss
Schmidt.
The societie Franchise de Bienfaisance held