The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-12
A VICTIM OF BOB-TAIL CARS.
The Hallucinations of One Who Acted as Con-
sductOr for the Street-Car Company.

His condition is truly pitiable," said an at
tendant at the Indiana Hospital for the Insane
to the reporter. who was being shown through
the wards. The person indicated was indeed a
most forlorn and dejected-appearing creature.
He was standing on one foot, with one arm ele-
waited.
He imagines he is in a crowded Massachu-
sets avenue street-car. holding on to strap y
explained the attendant. He will sometimes
stand in that uncomfortable position for hours.
How old q man do you think he ISL"
The reporter thought about sixty years old.
"Not more than half that age" continued the
attendant you ought to know him. That's
Mr. -, who, until short time ago, was 6
wellknown young business man. His halluci-
nation is that he is constantly travelling on the
Indianapolis streetcars. You know the cars
have no conductors, and everybody who travels
On them has to officiate more or less in that ca
pacity. He got the morbid idea into his head
that the company might, perhaps lose nickel,
which in some way would be bad for the city of
Cleveland, and he took upon himself the duty of
conductor. 1t became mania with him. and
now he is here. we fear. incurably insane"
docs he always stand in that uncomfortable
positionp inquired the reporter.
.Oh, no. He will often go up and down the
ward here about the length of street-car,
keeping it up for an holr at q time collecting
imaginary nickels and putting them into phan-
tom farebox. In doing this he frequently
makes great commotion in the ward, as he
will walk along where the other patients are
seated in chairs, stepping upon their feet and
scrunching their toes until they fairly howl
with pain
DO you know the actual beginning of this
strange lunacyW
ut is said that year or so ago he was on a
street-car which ran over and either killed or
terribly MANNED child that had wandered on
the track while the drivers attention was drawn
from his mules to the fare-box The accident
took place. / am told, just as the driver was
jingling the bell and bowling into the car, Here
you! six mors fares heren"
The reporter, thanking the attendant, was
about to pass from the ward when he heard a
piercing shrek. He turned in time to see one
OF the patients thrown by the street-car mad
man, fall heavily upon the floor, his head strk-
ing against q coil of steam pipe.
After the attendant had quoted the excited
patients and put restraints upon ''the conduc-
or" as he is called, he continued: you see him
now when be is at his worst He is under the
hallucination that he is the driver
of car. At such times, under
the pretext that the passengers haven't
paid their fare, he will turn aud sometimes hurl
four or FIVE of them as you have seen him throw
street car business that he isn't thoroughly ia
miliar with, and that he doesn't at some time,
employ He is much stronger than he looks, and
we keep close watch upon him. No; none of
the street-car company folks have ever been out
TO see him. / should think they would, for
though extremely sad, at is certainly very in
teresting case"