The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-09-26
VOLUME XVI.

road. The conductor did not come
through the train again. for Hamilton
was the last stop before reaching Gin
cinnati, and Charley, insane as he was
seemed to understand that he was saft
inside the car after it left Hamilton, fol
the train, making no stops. could, o.
course, not take on any passengers
That he remained on top the car in the
bitter cold until the train reached thi.
point is evidence conclusive that he
knew exactly what he was doing
He reached Cincinnati without any
trouble, went straight to the Gibson
House and registered. As luck would
have it. the next person to register. who
stepped up to the counter not ter
minutes after he left it, was an acquaint.
ance of his from bis home. The name
met his eye, and after speaking to the
clerk he managed to catch sight Of
Charley as he came from the bath
rooms. The friend at once telegraphed
his folks, and they the asylum authori
ties. The telegram they received was
the first intimation the officials Of the
institution had that any one had es.
capped.
Charley was busy playing billiards
when, at ten o'clock the same morning
his keeper walked into the hall anG
slapped him on the back.
"Hello. Toni was Charley's greet
ing. 1--WE got sucker here" The
same evening he was again in the
asylum, but it amused him for weeks
to think how he went to Cincinnati
just to play a game of billiards, as hi
put it.
If ever a man had determined to die
come what may. that man was Francis
-, a powerful farmer from Au
glaize County. He was one Of the few
farmers who take great interest ir
politics, and the first symptoms Of in.
sanity in his case were noticed after ht
was defeated for an Office al the polls.
Then followed financial reverses, and
finally his mind gave way to the ex-
tent that he was determined on self-de-
struction. lie was sent to this asylum
and placed with the other unfortunates
suffering from suicidal mania. He was
not by any means dangerous man,
but an eye had to be kept on him all
the time to keep him from destroying
his own life in one way or another.
Tom. a young but powerful man, was
his keeper. Besides Francis there were
twenty-four other maniacs in the ward,
and one can easily imagine what a nice
time an attendant must have watching
and caring for these poor people. Every
keeper must shave his patients at stated
intervals, and one day when Tom had
one OF his subjects in the chair he com.
planned of the razor scratching him,
whereupon Tom laid it on the window
sill and got out another one. While be
was stropping it he noticed Francis
standing in the door. looking furtively
into the room. Before he could think
the maniac bounded by him and had
the open razor which Tom had laid on
the window-sill in his hand. 1t was nc
time for thought, bu. action was what
was needed. Turning quickly, Tom
grasped the hand in which the maniac
held the razor, while he in turn. equally
on the alert, grasped Tom by the wrist
of the hand in which he held the open
razor with which he had been beating
the strop.
Let go!" yelled Tom.
'Let go yourself!' retorted the
maniac, glazing savagely at the attend
ant.
The next instant began a battle for
life. The two men pushed, tugged and
twisted, but neither could be forced to
loosen his hold on the others wrist.
The third person sat quietly in his chair
as unconcerned as if nothing unusual
was going on. Finally the insane man
got his feet entangled in an old coat
lying on the floor, when the keeper
to throw him and wrench the
razor from him. Francis got up, gave
Tom terrible look and walked from
the room. In few minutes he returned
and explained that he did not wish to
injure Tom. and only fought for the
razor because he wanted to cut his own
throat. He said:
Tom, amt mad at YOU, but want
you to know, once for all, that I am
going to cut my throat and I'll do it,
no matter how much you watch me"
And, indeed, he kept his word
The next day Tom was aroused by a
terrible crash of falling glass at the ex-
RENE end of the ward, where is To-
Gated the wash and bathrooms. He
IAN to the place, and there stood Fran
els with his throat cut almost from ear
20 ear. He laughed derisively at Tom
rs he entered the room. He had broken
he window with his fist, and with
piece of the glass cut his throat. He
lad severed the windpipe. and when
lie attempted to laugh gutteral sound
vas all that could be heard.
Tom grasped the gaping wound in
,ne hand and held it together as much
rs possible to stop the flow of blood as
much as was in his power. Two of the
lsylum physicians were on hand almost
They took the patient in
land, and by sheer force sewed up the
horrible wound, but as soon as the ma
liac was put to bed he tore out the
titches. The wound was sewed up
econd time, and the suicides hands
ncased in pair of leather muffs, when
lie managed to tear the stitches by jerk
ng his head backward and forward,
md from side to side He was then put
n crib, and box made to place his
lead and shoulders in, so that it was
Utterly impossible for him to move the
east bit. He was kept in this contri-
'ance for nearly seven weeks, much of
which time it was very doubtful wheth-
II he would recover or not. After being
AIKEN from the crib he was transferred
o ward 10. His hands for long
ime afterward were kept in the leather
nuffs, but he finally induced the at
endant, on promise to not again at
empt suicide, to take them of. Tom,
lis old attendant, upon learning of this
act, called on the new keeper and told
i'm he would regret taking off the muffs
'efore the week was over, and sure
nough he did. The third day after the
nuffs were taken off the attendant was
n his room cutting small piece of to-
'acco off Of a large plug with small
when Francis sprang into
he room. grasped the knife out Of his
and, and before the keeper could in
erfere, drew it across his own throat.
1t then became necessary to put him
a the crib again, where he was kept
mother spell of several weeks, but the
octors again pulled him through. He
ever after that attempted suicide. One
feature about this mans
ase was that he never attempted or
eemed to contemplate ending his life
ny other way than by cutting his
hroat After recovering from his
econd terrible experience he seemed
0 improve. He continued growing
etter, until finally his folks, upon their
wn responsibility, took him home.
here he continued doing well until
ONE time in May last, when he again