The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-12
THE SKULL or THE LATE CHAs. BUTLER.
70 the Editor Of the Indianapolis Jou rnar.

VI LIE LA1 OlADs DUlIG
70 the Editor of the Indianapolis Jou rnar:
HAMLET-Has this fellow no feeling in his business
| that he sings at grave rnakingl
| HoRATIo-Custom hath made it in him a property OF
HAMLET-Iis cen SO: the hand of little employ
/ ment hath the daintier sense.
An interview with the late Charles Butler, or
might say an inter-cranial view, was one of
the objects of visit to Columbus, o. The last
time / saw Charley" as everybody called him,
was in the jail at Columbia City. Whitley coun-
ty, Indiana, in May, 1884 had been watching
him unobserved through peephole for long
time. He sat by little table in his cell and
had arranged on 1.-two small pine sticks, as large
as penholders, which were crossed in the center,
and one end attached by bit of rubber band to
the table. With these sticks he was making a
clicking noise in imitation of key of telegraph
| ing apparatus. He would look at the message be-
fore him, which he had written, and then gravely
proceed to tick tick the next sentence. After
watching him for a time was admitted by the
| turnkey, and Charley informed. me in modest
and rather musical voice, that he twas just send
ing message to his wife and child"
Charles Butler had rather pleasing face and
healthful look at first glance, huta careful study
of his countenance showed the whites Of his eyes
rather congested, and the lips, cheeks and eye
| lids puffy, the veins of the neck and temples
/ swollen Placing my hand upon his head, |
found near the back, and running along one side,
thickening and roughness, showing great in
equality of the skull could not get any con-
tinuous conversation from Charley, and he
answered all questions without manifestation of
interest or any facial expression / watched
Charley for five days, during his trial for life be-
fore a jury of twelve honest farmers of the
| county. l studied his expressionless face whilst
| the witnesses gave testimony, and when l heard
from reliable witnesses, that upon both his
fathers and mothers side epilepsy and insanity
was common-aunts, uncles and cousins had died
in hospitals and poor houses; that his cousins
| yet living were insane; that his mother died
when he was young; that his father. yet living
| and in the courtroom, was undoubtedly oe I'M
| sound mind, and had been so adjudged by proper
authorities; that Charley himself from the age CT
twelve had been vicious; that he would also have
-deusions shat he could send Atlantic cable
messages from bit of whalebone, which he
clicked by the hour that he had beer arrested
| for all sorts of misdemeanors-some eighty or
more times in the city Of Columbus, and that he
| had been twice adjudged insane. and once incar-
cerated in the hospital for insane; that he had
been beaten by policemen until he had lost con-
seriousness and had commissions; when heard
of his foolish journey from Ohio to Indiana to
| visit his wife, who had left him; how he muir
| dered her, how he was imprisoned and knew the
| people would have lynched him, he yet escaped
from Jail and instead of secretly going out of the
| country or hiding, or attempting disguise, he
starts on foot for Ohio following the railroad
| track; and when, by accident, is arrested does
| not seem to care, sings negro songs, dances,
| turns somersaults, and gives lectures temper
| ance (yet great drunkard at times) and anatomy
The studied medicine once)-when / heard all
| this, and had studied this young mans face and
action believed him to be the victim of heredi-
tary insanity, cultivated by weak minded persons,
| who
Should have kept short restrain and out of hurt
This mad young man.
Instead, however, hid his condition
But, like the owner of foul disease
| To keep it from divulging, let it feed
Even to the pith of life"
One year ago shook hands with Charley and
said, Good bye; I'll see you again" ] noticed
| i'll the papers a few days later that Butler was
| condemned to be hanged in October, and so it
| was, without regard to any evidence to the con-
trary, Charles Butler was taken from the JAIL
| the same dancing, singing irresponsible being
he had been for years, his neck was broken after
the approved method of Christianity Kosciusko
and Whitley counties rejoiced that they were
even with one Ohio man; the prosecution con-
| graduated itself having won it's case and
'downed" the biggest criminal lawyers in Ohio
the grave judge gravitated upon the wisdom and
gravity of his Judgment; and the Governor pat
| ted himself on the back and said What fine
Governor am l." and the jury those chosen
twelve with the wisdom of oysters, felt
good Lord it was hang him, or our
selves be hung" Thus everybody was
happy, and the world made better by the short
| shrift which removed one whose life always
had hnn md al ho I;c+,,ph -
ment in society, and the burden of his own kind
] believe the true, phianthropic view and true
charity would be to let all such persons out of
this life whose instincts are to crimes like that
of Charles Butler-Sane or insane.
One of the first rules to be observed in dealing
with the insane is 10 keep your word with them,
and | could not break my promise to see him
again, but it was long time before could find
out when | could make my visit. Now, there
are some things which, if you wish to know very
much, and will keep right quiet about it, will
occur or happen, or come to you III some curious
way; all you have to do is to wait long enough
/ was informed that in Ohio there dwelt an en-
| thusiastic student of anatomy and psychology
one whose devotion to the study had frequently
| brought him to the verge of the grave
and. at one time, to preserve him, the jury
recommended him, with consent of the court,
to take a vacation of one year in the county
JAIL and subsist on a fine of 81, 000 To this en-
thusiastic psychst applied me for reintroduc-
tion to Charles Butler, it had been revealed to
| me that he knew his whereabouts In short the
anatomical devotee locked the Office door, and
from a jar of pickle produced the half macera-
ted head of my whom acquaintance of the
| Whitley county jail There he was THAT
skull had tongue III it, and could sing once.
Why EN- so; and now my Lady Worms" / could
not refrain from addressing the anatomist in
the words of Hamlet, Il knew him, Horatio: a
fellow of infinite jest. of most excellent fancy;
and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is.
My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips. =
| ha 1hacn uo1,pf nho1c
| songs. your flashes of merrilnent2 Not
one now to mock your own grinning! Quite chap
fallenl Now get you to my ladys chamber, and
tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this