Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1883-06-02
Tombstone Madness.

"oo"S ~ oeleuse tHey must oe k4iteo WITH
rare and peculiar mental organization So
many men have lost their reason through
watching graves at night that persons in
that position have come 10 believe that they
risk lapsing into a state of melaneholia per
fectiy distinct from any other form OF In
sanity. Sextops and g-ave-diggers call
this affection tom bstone Madness
A startling realization Of this fact vas tele-
graphed throughout the country yesterday.
1t was announc ID that several Of the soldiers
who do sentry duty day and night at the
tomb of Garfield, amid the dreary solitude
OF Lakeview cemetery. near Cleaveland,
have become insane Anything or any
device Is used by the men to get away
from this ghostly muster OF tonbstones or
the dark array Of mounds.
An old Waterman g. G'enwoo1 cemetery
explained this to a Times reporter yester-
day by saying that in all probability. the
soltiers detailed at the graves were not
picked.
Take half a dozen men from any walk
of lite he continued, "and place them at
night to watch g~raveyards, ard the chances
are that il a short time FIVE of the six will
feel like retiring permanently to a lunatic
asylum,
If a man wants to enter this profession
and be a success at ii, he must be about as
Irpressible as brick and mortar. Ii he has
the last bit of imagination he had better
abandon the business, for when the moon is
obscured by clouds and be is walking about
a cemetery, shivering from his heels upward,
he will mistake tombstones for ghosts. He
will think that the owls, as they whiz past
his ears with their m~ouruful boots, are un-
quiet spirits come to haunt the receptables
of the bodies which they once %permeated.
When the noise of his footsteps makes the
rats disappear with r~ustling sounds into lit
tie thickets of evergreens ho will start and
grasp his weapon. The very whine Of his
dog will make him feel nervous. and bit by
BIZ his reason would become impaired.
II could give you some sad reminiscent
ces of people who watch graveyards," said
one of the oldest watchmen at Laurel Hill
cemetery, in a strange, solemn tone. Then,
half jest;ngly, he added: But they re-
buried in the past, and it's my business to
let what buried remains So" He did not
mind tell lg one story, however.
II used to work in a Brooklyn cemetery
before l came to this city" be began ut
was then that the terrible scene ] shall
speak of occurred. We wanted an assistant
night watchma IN very badly, but none OF the
| persons who presented themselves could en-
dure staying up with the graves for more
than two or three nights each. At last
there came an unfortunate man whose
health seemed shattered by overwork and
privation. 1t was his last venture. He had
tried to get employment everywhere withou,
| result, and his wife and children were suf-
fering. We took him on. | don't think
shall ever forget his face the morning after
his first night in the graveyard. He said he
had unheard of agony, but was hopeful Of
getting over it in time. The following night
was dark and windy. Rain came down in
torrents, and there We're flashes of light
ming every few minutes. AT about ten
| O clock the head Waterman heard a loud cry.
there was a sound of running feet. followed
by the report of a pistol. A search was
made, and the unfortunate man found lying
on his back across a grave, dead. There
was a small hole in his temple, and his own
revolver, one barrel Of which was empty
lay three feet from away. where he had flung
1t, imbeded in the ground. 1t was certain
that some fearful creation of the imaAina
ton had so terrified him that he took hi:
life to escape from it."
When the old man had finished this mar
tive he Was silent for many minutes. He
sat perfectly still, with a vacant look, and
allowed bright tears to chase each ether
down his cheek. Suddenly be. made a brisk
motion and forcib|y forgot the subject or
his narrative. There are amusing things
sometimes.' he said speaking at frat witt
an effort. "A short time ago a man was
put to work at night in a cemetery not fal
from here. He strolled around in an eEec
ted. Indifferent way, wfstling tunes dear Il
his countrymen- In the course 0. Is ram
bling he tunbled bodily into a newly-mad'
grave aud a LOT Of loose earth fell On hin
when he reached the bottom. He struggled
wildly. and in about an hour and three
quarters managed to get olt, screaming
Justly that the devil had dug a grav'
and tried 20 bury him IN il With a singl.
bound be cleared a tour-foot fence, role:
down q forty foot hill. and that the las, 0
him, for no one about here ever Sc, eyes o,
him again, dead or alive. He must hay
gone back to Ireland. for be wasnt hur, 8
all Some practical jokers onre tried t
scare a Waterman, a friend Of mine. Ii va