Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-10-02
A QUEER STORY,
The Turmoils Of Niagara Rapids an In
centive to Insanity.

least doubt" said an eminent Ameri-
can physician ut "A recent medical con-
%vention. that ut least one out of every
ten OF the people in this country live
under some form of insanity. In som
it becomes violent; in others noticeable;
IN others never known or suspected. ex-
cept there is what might DO termed u
collision of circumstances"
There has been some curious eases
OF this last species of insanity. Some
seven or eight years ago a well-known
public official Of the state Of Ohio Wis
tied Niagara Falls with his family for Il
months rest. He was nervous and
worn out, and there were certain bust
ness and political matters which fol-
lowed him there and could not be
shaken of, The gentleman did not
realize that his nerves were at all
shaken; on the contrary, he prided
himself in believing that he could en-
dure more mental worry than three
ordinary men. He had been ut the
falls three or -four days when he was
joined by II Chicago capitalist. The
two had a speculation together, and
the details were to be settled here.
One day after dinner the pair went
into Prospect Park and sat down on "A
bench facing the rapids, and not over
five fleet from the water. When they
had talked for an hour or so the Ohio
gentleman seemed to be somew hat cX-
cited in his speech aud movements.
he threw several sticks into the water.
talked in loud tones, and soon attract
ed attention, The capitalist thought IT
"A bit queer, but felt no uneasiness until
the other suddenly seized him in Il tire
mendous grip and said:
BLANK, YOU are n ID scoundrel,
and I'm going to send YOU over the
falls
The capitalist was the smaller and
weaker man. and he felt the helpless
ness of the situation. He was gripped
~ lh' FlioAii'l -. DNl ht u9tb MS Dlii'AS
To clench the seat behind him, and re-
piled to the ~lunatic:
Il know I'm II bad man, but you
must give me time TO pray
"All right; all right said the
Ohioan; "you shall nave two minutes
for prayers, and then wen 20 over the
falls together. Say, Blank, you are a
ID good fellow, after all, and Wen
90 together.
The idea with the Chicago man was,
of course, to gain time. The people
who had been attracted by the loud
talk had passed on, and it SO happened
that no one else came that way. He
hoped the ~lunatic might change his
mind after two or three minutes. but
instead of that he grew more impa-
tent, declaring that they must hurry
up or they would be too late. Despair
ing of aid from others, the capitalist
said:
"See here, Mr.. Blank, let's 90 up
and Jump off the Goat Island bridge.
Wen have further to swim, and | want
TO leave my wallet with some one"
''By George. Good idea; come on
exclaimed the other, and they walked
az the path and out of the park arm in
arm. They Were no o out of sight
Of the rapids than the Ohioan began to
grow calmer, and as they bore of to-
ward the hotels he removed his hat,
scratched his head in a thoughtful way,
and picked up he point be dropped a
quarter of an hour before. and went on
debating the transaction as if nothirg
unusual had occurred. An hour later,
when asked if he was in earnest in
threatening his friend, ne was com
pletcly d~umbfonnded. nor could he be
made to believe that anything of the
sort had occurred. However, a dim
suspicion that he might have been un-
duly excited by the roar and clash of
the waters crcpt into his mind. He
went down to the park alone. but re-
turned almost at once, his face very
pale, his eyes betraying wildness. and
his whole manner showing that he had
passed through a severe struggle.
al shall keep away from the water
hereafter he said to the capitalist.
Il couldn't stay there five minutes
without committing suicide or muir
der
The matter was of course kept quiet,
even from the wife, but two years later.
while the gentleman was making u trip
on the Ohio river he was suddenly
missed. and he has never been heard
of since. The boat was racing with
another and the probabilities are that
the excitement brought back his pas
sion for self-destrnction, and he went
overheard.