The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1883-06-20
A STRANGE MALADY.
Mother and son Terribly Scared by al
AppsrItion--A NeighbOr Affected b.
Contact

Mother and son TERRIBLY Scared by al
AppsrItioD--A HeighbOr Affected b.
Contact
SNYDERTowN, Pa, June 1p.-Tbe mos
curious cases of insanity ever heard + 10
this region are reported from Brush Valley
some distance from here. About five years
ago q man named Moore was killed in the
mines near here. Te left a widow and q
son of eleven 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 soeiable. F"If 4"'a
Last night, about IL O'Clock, Mrs. Moore
was awakened by hearing terrible outcry
in the room adjoining hers, occupied by the
son, now l. boy OF IL years. In haste she
ran to the room and found the boy almost
paralyzed with fear, standing by the open
window with beads Of perspiration on his
brow With difficulty she calmed him, and
questioned him as to the cause of his trepI-
dation. Still quaking terribly, he told that
he had been aWakeLe ed b, some one open
ing the window, and, turning, saw the fig
ure of q man peering in. Horriied be gazed
at 1t, unable 10 move, and in a few mo-
ments discovered in the intruder the t ce OF
his dead father. Then he gave utterance to
the shrek which had SO startled his mother.
THE MOTHERS TERRIBLE FRIGHT.
After he had finished his tale the mother
turned toward the window and saw some
thing which caused her to lose her mind,
and, with wild yell, she sprang through
the window and fell 10 the ground below,
injuring herself fatally.
The shrieks OF the boy brought few
neighbors to the scene, and they carried the
injured woman into the 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 vio-
lent fit of laughter, and laid one hand upon
his shoulder. Instantly the young man be-
came seized with the laughing fit, and In a
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 dog and
frothed at the mouth, and the neghbors
were in despair as to what course to pursue.
1t was some miles to the nearest village
where physician could be found. One of
the number hastily saddled horse and set
off in search of doctor. Three men aHd
two women remained in the house.
The lad in the meanwhile had been laid
upon bed, and Henry Herrick, young
farmer, mounted guard over him. About Q
" ClOCh mOOIO was again BSlACu WIN
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. Horrified
and appalled, the four other watchers fed
from the room and left the three maniacs
alone. @.4.
NO HOPE OF RECOVERY.
One of the women went home and toon
returned 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 seiz-
ing 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. This
morning young Moore was unusually vio-
lent, and arrangements are being made to
convey him to an asylum. The entire farm
ing region is agog over the matter, as all the
parties are well known