Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-23

OF . Man Craxed by Notwithstanding
HIS .Chlldren.

VI - 100 A00ACVA W eOosoeVe-A - - - -
His Children.
The eastern part of Erie, Pa, is in
tensely excited over the blood curd-
ling freak of q man crazed by reli-
gion. Sylvester Knott, a well-to-do
farmer, living in compaI q lively iso-
lated spot on the banks of Lake Erie,
is the frantic whose deeds are the
theme of public conversation, Some
months ago he attended meeting OF
the Salvation Army. at Franklin,
where the first seeds of insanity were
sown. Since then his brain has, by
degrees, grown more and more in
famed, and now his frenzy knows NO
check. For two weeks past he has
wandered up and down the lake
shore, regardless of sunshine or
storm, declaiming on salvation
schemes, picturing the horrors of the
judgment day, and calling upon sim
ners to worship God or be eternallv
lost. Yesterday morning he planted
q large cross in the woods upon
which TO nail his cight-year-0ld son.
believing the boy would be tormented
in hell. fire forever unless he died the
death of mankind's RedeeMer. With
strength well-nigh superhuman Knott
held the lad firmly while driving q
nail through the little fellows hand.
unheeding his piteous plea for mercy.
The dreadful work was interrupted
by soma woOdcutters who CHANGED to
be passing. Leaving his son hang
ing the maniac fled, first striking
down one of the rescuers with ham
mer. then leaping into the lake. A
search for his hiding place proved
fruitless, and it was thought he had
been drowned, but such was not the
case. Before midnight the crazy
fiend returned, smashed the door of
his house in and knocked Mrs. Kpott
insensible at q single blow. Entering
the chamber where his only daugh.
ter, Minnie, a beautiful girl of seven
teen lay sleeping, he bound her
hand and foot and carried her to q
lonely place in the forest where hun
dreds of cords of wood were piled.
An alter was quickly built and upon
1t the mailman secured his child.
Even as Abraham did with Isaac.
will l offer you as burnt Offering
unto the Lord, "cllanted the mailman,
setting the funeral pyre on fire. The
climbing flames licked the exposed
limbs of the girl, whose shrieks of
agony and prayers for more merci-
full death were music to the ma6man's
ear. He implore6 the Almighty to
accept the sacrifice as an atOnement
for the sinful deeds committed by
him in years long gone, and added
fresh fuel TO the altar. But help ar.
rived in time to prevent the cOnsum-
nation of the fearful design. Two
young men crossing the woods on
their way home from party, saw q
bright light and heard the screams of
the young lady. One felled the de-
mented sire while the companion
scattered the blazing fagots and lifted
the almost nude maiden from her
fiery bed. when the cords that fetter.
ed her limbs were transferred to those
OF the unconscious maniac. Miss |
Knott is painfully burned about the |
lower extremities, and there are |
large blisters on her shoulders. arms |
and sides So awful was her expert.
ence that the doors of an asylum may |
open to the daughter as well as the |
father. She raves night and day,
and it Is feared her reason. is perma-
nently dethroned.