The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-12-21
MUST WALK $4,000 MILES
TO CURE AN IMAGINARY TROUBLE
OF THE FEET.
strange Haliucination of an Indiana
hah-Nalking in Circle for "A
Year and a Half-Prophesying
the End of Time.

HARTFORD CITY, Ind, Dec Glover a
year ago John owen Snider, a farmer living
Sven miles southeast of this place was seized
WIN a mama for pedestriansm being I'M
iFes5ed with the strange hallucnation that
hree layers had suddenly appeared upon til ?
lotions OF his feet, and the only remedy for
1heif removal was to walk them off He at
once TOOK up the line of march, travelling in
a circle III the rear of his dwelling. about
twenty-five feet in diameter Around this
beaten path be has travelled now for over one
year, until within the last few days.
NO friend or relative could induce him to
'0pl', anu 1t was necessary to travel with
'ooi and give him drink as he Travelled on
uis tifeiess journey He was persuaded to
follow the pillow, but it the plow struck any
obJe:t he would let go the han Hes and
travel on from right to left in a circle about
n Held, In dropping corn he always
Hoped 1t in circle The family history
'@'ei.ls no insanity on either side and met,
IA men are at II loss to divine tn origin Of
th2 strange hallucination, nor can they devise
remedial agent that will give relief or re
move the strange malady that SO ai,licts
aim.
lie has been tramping now over one wear
ana a half, and the last twelve months al
most day ana night for at least sixteen
uouis OF every twenty-four. He alway3 sits
in 2l air while sleeping, and never re-
moves his clothing. He leaves off his pil
Sllmase about l in the morning, and i'm
msdlateiy falls asleep in the chair provided
Tor h!iH. AT ha again starts upon his tire
'ets round, he travels at the rate of five
miles an hour, or eighty in twenty four,
and IN the last twelve months has walked
70 900 miles, or once around the world This
Is no exagseration, but every statement is
founded upon facts they exist He seems
perfectly sane upon all subjects except the
imaginary one affecting him
Last summer he was pronounced insane
and sent to an asylum He walked to the
Tram, and continued his pilgrimage while on
the way At the asylum no means devised
could compel him to des;st and on he went
II compelled ty force to stop, his feet are
lli'ed alternately ana thus kept in motion
Ne authorities regarded him as harmless
'hl n was sent home. For few days past
ha has Ee2n forced to keen inside hi, dwell
ing IN room provided for him. and on he
-ots; and, considering himself prisoner, it
has aggravated him, and he has accelerat ID
MS pace until lie fairly flies about his apart
nent.
lie has taken to prophecy and remarka-
DE Stories are told OF his predictions 1t is |
Tanned that he foretold the death of Gen.
Grant, and that he observed after the fan |
election that poor Hendricks would not be |
awe one year from the time of his inaucur |
hon. Many other events that have o., I
uired he has forctold with marked prccis- |
'oh amt accuracy. And now he predicts |
That within the lett decade the greatest |
"al since the formation of the government |
VII he III progress. 1t will commence in |
'o,elsn lands, AMI America will b, com
arlled to engage in it before it is ended. He
'fedlctS the cad of time within
the next twenty years; says the
sun is cooling and plt Ing ready for
'1mbusti9n, etc, He il clear ard lucid on
All subjects except tn imaginary trouble
With his feet. In response to the inquiry
low long he expected to continue his pill
! Image before relief Is obtained, his reply
: That ~, OJU mil; of trnye! viii be neces-
tly to remove the Imaginary morbid
'iuWth, and that he must make haste to
'omra's that distance; and then away he
,oes with u hould that fairly startles his
nluslt"i. 1t certainly lisa most pc uliariy
charitable case and without parallel in
lie history of maladies that aict mankind,
imaginary or otherwise