Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-01-20
IHunAx GoBbLER.
what a Cell Ia an Indiana Mad-House
Developed.

What a Cell In an Indiana Mad-Hous,
Developed.
About twelve miles north Of Law
renceburg, Ind, in Manchester town
ship, on dreary road which is rarely
trod by anybody but paupers, anc
which, Il il leads any where, nigh
lead to the mythical section of Hade,
Familiarity known as the 'Half-acre,' il
located lot of dilapidated, broken
down, rookish old buildings which
taken together, constitute the County
In6rmary. In the rear Of this God.
forsaken spot stands an old stone. pile
covered over by roof, under which
exists being which resembles mascu.
line humanity, but which exhibits all
the traits and characteristics of tur.
key gobbler This thing is called
Bradley, and has probably existed
about forty years. The antecedents of
the creature are unknown further than
that it was picked up In Lawrenceburg
Township some fifteen or twenty wears
ago, and carried to the lnfrmary and
thrown into cell in the stone building
dedicated to the hopelessly insane.
When seen by the writer Bradley was
sitting--or rather, roosting-on a cot,
which was stretched across his cell. He
was squatting, and appeared to rest
entirely upon his feet, while his body
swung between his legs, his head
nearly on parallel with his knees.
This, said Mr.. Duncan, the Infrmary
Superintendent is his uniform posture
when lot moving. In the position
you now see him he will remain for
halliday and even a.day at time
Bradley was dressed in simply blue
drilling loose slip made in the shape of
a bag. From his mouth protruded
handful of tobacco stems, all of them
eight or ten inches long, and in his
hand he held another bunch of stems
of the same weed. He was surround.
ed by lot of tin cans and cups, from
which he never parts; no more does he
part with his tobacco stems. With
them perched upon his cot he toys con-
stantly and, save when eating, he never
ceases to~-wobble in his mouth the
stems. In few instances the expert
ment has been Tried of depriving him
of his toys. Instantly the creature las
become wild, and making noise pre-
cisely like turkey gobbler he has
dashed about his cage furiously, but
ting his head against the wall, as if in
tent on self-destruction. The expert
ment has always had the same result.
and when again in possession of his
trinkets and stems Bradley has invari-
ably assumed his accustomed roost, and
become calm. Save the noise of COB
bier no sound has ever come from the
creatures throat During the cold
weather, because of his meagre dress,
Bailey is always kept confined. When
summer comes, however, he is occas
ionally trusted out doors On such oc-
casions hs uniformly wanders off into
the lots gajofnipg the infrmary, climb
IN tEs and fences, and balancing him
self on aIimbor board, and, squatting
down, roosts there Hour after hour,
frequently altering the singular 'oble-
y goblety' sound. His tin.cups and
tobacco stems he always carries with
him on these expeditions.
In speaking of this singular speci.
nenof the human, DR.. Kyle, who for
Years has been the Infirmary Physi
ian, said; 1 have again and again
een Bradley, while off in the fields,
get frightened, and then seen him in a
tooping posture (he has never been ,
een erect with his traps gathered up /
N his arm, the stems sticking out of
us mouth, run as no dog anywhere ,
n this whole region can run. When
le comes to a fence he runs up over it,
sing his elbows and feet and in the g
peration is almost instantaneous. In
peed the creature can almost outstrip \
fast horse. Bradley has very coarse 7
air all over his face. He obeys only
few commands, but does not recog- c
ize his name. When slowly moving
yer the ground he frequently hops, in 8
'ead of planting one foot after the
ther. In his habits he is as helpless :
baby. His food Is princip ipalIy !
ranivorous, he rarely eating anything
ther than that food made from grains.
y every body who has seen Bradley
ere he is regarded as one of natures