Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-08-21
40 se.rfu,,v ,acera,ed. But these p..s.

W "
frequently caught and rubbed his
hands and arms, complaining of dart
| ing pains that went from his hands up
his arms and met between mis- shout
ders. He also SAID he felt chilly and
remarked that he believed that he was
| going to have chill. Returning
home he went up stairs and laid down.
Some time passed and his wife, going
to the foot OF the stairs, called To him
several times without a response. She
assembled the stairs and entered the
| room. Toelle rose To a sitting posture
and turned his back on her. She cross
ed the room and found him crying Bit
terly with his face buried in his hands.
His only reply TO her question was:
81 feel that awful disease creeping
over me. know am going mad and
will die. Every ray of hope destroyed
and not "A wish to gild the gloom.
| Think of it, A picture of despair
The damp of he'll" The day dragged
on; the body was not in pain, but for
the mind the gloom of night was come
"a hopeless darkness had settled
! there. He retired with the others of
his household The coming of Tues
day morning, June ,, ushercd in the
twenty-seventh day, counting from
| the time of the fearful encounter with
| the dog. At ) o'clock OF that morning
the deceased awoke in struggle for
breath and called for a drink. When
his eyes fell on the water handed him
he instantly threw up his hands with
the exclamation. For Cod sake take
| it awayw He became composed i'm n
| g..
until he arose. He complained con-
siderably and vomited freely. The
physician was sent for and came in
the forenoon. He was puzzled. He
said but little of anything, and moth
ing that was teiinitc. He departed,
but in several hours returned, accom-
panied by another member of his pro-
fession. They viewed the patient,
said nothing, did nothing and depart
ed. The afternoon wore away and
the restlessness and changed appear
ance of the man became more per-
ceptible. And now we near the hour
when the dreadful poison in his sys-
tenn broke loose with horrible violence
How can / describe the deep agony of
that night, when every nerve of the
poor fellow seemed pulled asunder,
and the screams that accompanied
each death-struggle were heartrend-
ing and distressing beyond the power
of language. AT 8 o'clock he sent for
his nearest neighbor to come and pre-
pare his will. He was entirely ra-
tional; dictated and signed the docu-
merit disposing OF his property. He
gave directions about his matters with
NJ nla min
At o'clock he was sitting in the chair
in his yard with his family and several
neignbors around him. He COMPLAIN
ed of being cool. His wife took
small shawl and made the motion to
lay il over his shoulders. Then came
the nrst scream and the torturing
struggle that came at short intervals
until two hours before his last breath.
HE sPRANG FROM THE CHAIR
and jumped about violently, calling
to those present to tie him. Ropes
and straps were quickly procured. and
after seating him he was securely
fastened to tree. Every three or
five minutes came those terrible
screams. He was heard thrce-quarters
of mile away. At the same time he
would pant and struggle as though
suffocating. splitting and coughing in
cessantly. He was entirely rational
and conscious, calling those present
by name and describing his pains, ex-
cept during the paroXysms of torture.
In an hour it was decided TO take him
into the house. A storm was brewing,
and altogether the setting in of that
night was 10 the attendants of the dy-
ing man one the reader may never
wish to experience. We cut the ropes
that secured Toelle to the tree, but
were careful to provide against any
effort he might make to attack one of
our number. Once in the room, to
which he walked with some support,
we laid him on the bed and at once
securely fastened him down, leaving
him sufficiently free to sit up, use his
hands and change his position. The
room was somewhat close. nothing
being open but the door. He scream
ed as soon rs he laid down. struggled
for breath and complained of suiioca-
ton. took my hat, and, leaning over
the bed gently famed him. Oh, but
what a cry and what scene. There
was torture and agony in the extreme,
and scream of For Gods sake,
don'tn' The windows were thrown
open at his request. but the first touch
of the current of air threw him into a
paroXysm of torture. He called for
water, but as soon as he looked at it
his muscles contracted, his teeth
clenched and he presented the picture
of rigidity and terror. But water he
must have; his throat is parched, slime
and saliva are choking him, and the
painting, struggling. the wild cries of
anguish and the fearful tossing and
twisting of his body are calling for re-
lief. At the suggestion he closes his
eyes and opens his mouth; table
spoon of water is dashed in; but IN
stantlv he commences more violent
struggling.
MORE TERRIBLE COMMISSIONS FOLLOW,
and receiving the water seems more
agonizing than the want of it. At 10
o'clock the physician comes again.
At least an hour is consumed in the
attempt to put the sufferer under The
influence of chloroform Saturated
cloths are held rs best possible in the
struggling to his nose; large doses of
morphine are administered hypoder-
mically, but without the least effect.
The physician says nothing, goes away
without any Instructions and leaves