River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-07-02
TERRIBLE TORTURE.
A Graphic and Detailed Report of the
Death of John TOelle from Hydro
ph0bia.
His Desperate Struggle With Big New
fOundIand Dog-Apparent Recovery
from the Monnds.

ph0bla
His Desperate Struggle With a Big New
fOundIand Dog--Apparent Recovery
from the Wounds.
Hvdr0phnbia! SYNONYM Of torture,
agony and death 1t has baflled the
medical profession for ages, and the
most eminent physicians and surgeons
of the present day acknowledge death
as its only cure. 1t is the irreyocable,
the Irreparable, the Irretrievable. 1t
Is the most horrible of suflerings, the
most dreadful of pain, the most dis
tresslng of griefs.
Tie Times of the 4th inst. reported
the death Of poor John Toelle. | was
with him during most OF the time when
he was struggling with death, and
carefully noted the violent explosion
of the disease and the ebbing of life.
Whatever pertaining to the case | did
not see with my own eyes | have OBJ
tanned by studiouS examination and
inquiry. For a full understanding of
the case let me narrate in detail, from
the bite OF the rabid dog.
John Toelle was an honest, indus
trious and respected man of about 50
years 81 age, OF fine habits aud traits,
living on twenty acre tract of prop
erty Just east of Kansas City, from
which he derived Il support for him
self, wife and children. The family
which the most horrible of deaths in
vaded was an ailectionate and interest
ing one; and these things gild the
death of the father, husband and citi-
zen with Il sadness akin to melancholy.
For the pleasure of his children the
father, some three years ago. procured
a fine Newfoundland dog, the instru-
meut of his death, then but pup.
The animal was ALWAYS kind and alice
Tomato, and seemed never prouder
than when serving as Il pony for his
little masters. 1t was on May that
Mr.. Toelle had
TIE DISASTROUS STRUGGLE
with the net of his children. For sew
eral days prior tue dog had been
missed from the house for quite while
at a time, and when he returned no
was Indifferent, cross and snappish
On one occasion he took the babes
entire hand in his mouth, merely
leaving the print of his teeth but cauS-
ING no abrasion of the skin. Again he
seized an elder child by the arm, but
his teeth did not penetrate the skin
These freaks caused alarm, and the
animal was secured and tied. But Mr.
Tuelle accounted for the sudden saw
ageness of the dog on the theory that
the animal had been killing sheep
and fresh blood had affected
him. On the morning of the
fatal day the dog freed himself
and was seen jogging slowly across
the field. His victim ordered his en-
ploye to 90 after the dog, but that
party, whose apprehenSions had been
aroused, refused, and Toelie himself
deserted his work and went III pursuit
of the rabid animal. | had from his
own lips the details of his adventure.
He passed down into a light piece of
timber out of sight of the neighb0ring
houses and overlook the dog as the
animal paused at the edge of stream
Of flowing water. Toelle walked near
to HIM, and, his fears being now
aroused, though not the least sus-
picious of rabies, he stepped behind
large tree, and for a short interval was
impressed with the peculiar look and
behavior of the dog The latter turned
from the stream and walked leisurely
toward the tree behind which his mas
ter stood. Then Toelle spoke TO the
animal in Il tone of command, and,
not being noticed. took up stick and
advanced to where the dog had paused,
when the powerful brute made for his
throat There was at once a tenacious
closing OF the dogs jaws over the left
hand of the now terrified man, and the
terrible struggle began. After wrench
ing and choking the hand was eXtri-
Gated, lacerated and bleeding, but in
stantly the other hand was caught and
most fearfully torn before the efforts
to free it were successful. Toelle was
a man of great strength, which by des-
peration must have been increased, and
obtaining neck hold on the dog threw
him to the ground. No one had yet
appeared at the desperate fight. The
man was now ON top of tine dog vio-
lentlv endeavoring 10 keep him down.
Seconds must have been as minutes,
and | could not learn with any def
niteness how long the battle lasted.
But before the man was exhausted, and
while he was still on the dog, by
chance neighbor came near, and
cOmprehendinm the situation at once,
ran to his house, procured his gun, and
returning to the scene shot the dog to
death while Toelle still continued to
hold him.
FEARING HYDROPHOBL
Toelle was now apprehensive of
rabies. He hurried to his house and
gave orders for his horse. His work
man, misunderstanding him, himself
took the horse and rode rapidly to
town for physician. The wounded
man went at once to neighbours and
asked for a horse, recountihg his add
venture and insisting that he wanted
and must have medical aid at once.
This neighbor made light of the mans
fears of hydrophobia and absolutely
refused to loan his horse. Fearful
mistake Toelle was forced to remain
at home and await the coming of the
physician. When that gentleman
came, after much delay, he simply
cauterized the wounds of his patient,
and, though being informed fully as
to the changed nature of the dog, his
strange freaks and actions, persistonly
assured Toelle and his family that
there was no cause to fear hYdrOphobla.
A week passed away and the wounds
were rapidly healing, and at the end
of two weeks Toelie was as well as
ever and pursuing his labors as usual.
What was the condition of the mans
mind now? | believe from the mo-
ment he had the terrible struggle with
the dog he felt convinced that the an
imal was experiencing rabies. His
friends argued with him ut length, en-
deavoring to relieve him of the gnaw-
ing apprehension that possessed him.
He asked me on the evening of the 9th
what | thought as to the dog being
mad. | answered him encouragingly,
but, having known the dog for Il long
time, | was convinced that there had
been metamorphosis of his nature
and disposition and my fears of rabies
were very strong. | urged every rem
edy, every prevention, including the
mad stone: for if the story of super
stition, if you choose to term 1t, should
not be confirmed when the stone
should be applied, there might, at