National Republican., 1883-06-21
CRAzEn RY FEAR.
A Youth OF Sixteen, HIS Mother and
a Young Farmer Driven Insane by n
Supposed Appsrltion--A Peculiar Case.
PhRade,phia Press.

Young Farmer Driven Insane BY n
Supposed Appsrltion--A Peculiar Case.
Philadelphia Press
SNYDERTowN, PA, June 19.-The most GU
rious cases Of insanity ever heard Of in this
region are reported from Brush valley, some
distance from here. About Eve years ago
man named Moore was killed in the mines
near hero. He left widow and son of IL years
of age. They moved into a farming region
and by dint of hard work managed to exist.
Both mother and son were practical, sensible
people, quiet but sociable.
Last night, about 10 o'clock, Mrs. Moore
was awakened by hearing q terrible outcry
in the room adjoining hers, occupied by the
son, now a boy of 16 years. In haste she ran
TO the room and found the boy almost paral-
yzed with fear, standing by the open window,
with beads Of perspiration on his brow With
difficulty she calmed him, aud questioned him
as TO the cause of his trepidation. Still quak-
ing terribly, he told that he had been awak-
ened by some one opening the window, and,
turning, saw the figure of n man peering in.
Horri6ed he gazed at it, unable to move, and
after n few moments discovered in the intru-
der the face of his dead father. Then he gave
utterance to the shrek which had so startled
his mother.
After he had finished his tale the mother
turned toward the window and saw some-
thing which caused her to lose her mind,
aud, with q wild yell, she sprang through the
window and fell to the ground below, injur-
ing herself fatally.
Tho shrieks of tho boy brought few
neighbors to the scene, and they carried the
injured woman into tho house. From the
son these facts were learned. When the
woman recovered consciousness she gazed
about her for an instant, and then, as her
eyes fell upon her son, she went into a
-. A I..!l
upon his shoulder. Instantly the young
man became seized with tho laughing fit,
and in few minutes sank exhausted to the
floor.
In short time the laughing fit passed
away and it was followed by violent symp-
toms of insanity. He barked like a dog and
frothed at the mouth, and the neighbors were
in despair as to what course to pursue. 1t
was some miles to the nearest village where q
physician could be found. One of the number
hastily saddled horse and set off in search
of q doctor. Three men and two women re-
mained in the house.
The lad in the meanwhile had been laid
upon bed, and Henry Herrick, a young
farmer mounted guard over him. About
o'clock Moore was again seized with violent
spasms, and Herrick, in trying to quiet him,
took hold Of his hand. No sooner had he
done so than he was attacked with spasms
and fell to the floor and showed all the symp-
toms that Moore had manifested. Horrifed
and appalled, the four other watchers fled
| from the room and left the three maniacs alone
One of the women went home and soon re-
turned with her father, Josiah Bellheimer, q
stout, gray haired old man, who had been an
attendant in an hospital during the war. Mr..
Bellheimer entered the room, and, seizing
young Moore, bound him to the bed. He
then secured Mrs. Moore and the young
farmer, Herrick, An hour later physician
arrived and conveyed Herrick to his home
| Another physician arrived soon after and at
tended to Mrs. Moore and her son.
He said this morning that but little hope
could be entertained of Mrs. Moore's re
| covery. He also states that the woman and
her son have broken down their systems by
hard work. 1t seems insanity is hereditary
in the case of Herrick, having manifested
itself in many of the family in the past. Thi;
morning young Moore was unusually violent
| and arrangements are being made to convey
him to an asylum. The entire farming region
is agog over the matter, as all the parties ar,
| well known.