St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-03
A STRANGE Renaissance.


Ills room was filled with electrical
apparatus and all it's adiuncts. was
o1ten at a loss to know how he could
afford so much eXtravagant research. as
knew that his father was a broken
down merchant, who lived very plainly
LII small cottage some fifteen miles
from the city, originally porter's lodge
10 some gentlemanS seat in the neigh
borhood.
accepted Hoffman's invitation to the
hrst vacation we were together. and
spent part of the holiday at the cot
tage, where L became acquainted with
his family, consisting of his father.
| mother, and an only sister.
he rather was large, athletic man
OF apparently forty-five wears of age.
with bold but scornfuI look and a
treacherous eye. The mother and sister
were more like Hoffman. Still no
tlced that his mother had constant
naplt OF clasplng her hands as if in
prayer ana 1l turning her eyes heaven
ward. This surprised me very much. as
Hoffman had never protested any re-
llglon whatever; but, on the contrary,
ne would sometimes almost scott at ME
for being believer. He wanted me to
lend him certain sum to pay for the
making of an
ELECTRIC APPARATUS
OF great size, with which he intended to
restore life. | could not assist him, but
TWO days after our return to LeipSic he
called on me to say that his father
would furnish him with the requisite
amount in few days.
This was the acme of bliss for him.
and just three weeks after the evening
ne received the money from his father
he called on me to say that the machine
was finished and he would have an on
portu11ty of using it on the following
day, as a notorious murderer was to be
hanged and he had made arrangements
for his body.
Strange, is it not" said he. ssthat
this scoundrel will furnish the means
WHEREBY the scientific world will learn
to honor me?"
The hall at the college was a fine.
large, square room which you entered
from wide stair on the outside near
the ceiling. and on looking down YOU
would perceive semi-circular area.
Two stairs led down among the seats
on either side to this area, in
WHICH STOOD
tne electric apparatus and a long ma
nogany table bound with brass. with
number OF hinges and foldings, which
all directions by means of baIl-and-
socket joint in its pedestal.
On this table was a small box,
mounted in silver, which contained dis
Secting Instruments; there were also
several basins of water and bundle of
towels.
Soon after we had taken our seats
several elderly gentlemen entered the
area also, one of them completely coy-
cred with his black gown. This was
the demonstration OF ANATOMY. and he if
was who would to-day operate npon the
dead body of Scanned, the notorious
hlghWayman.
:, Inc OLD church bell had pealed out
Its twelve strokes some time before any
news reached us; but at 1915 a Young
man entered hastily, whispered some
thing In the ear of the doctor who was
enveloped in the black gown. and ev-
erythlng was excitement. The ma
chine was
PUT IN ACTION
and the table prepared, and in another
minute several men hurried into the
room bearing body, with a sheet
thrown loosely over it.
a LOUD murmur was heard throughout
the hall, and each one Sprang to his feet
to try and get look at the BODY, which
was placed on the table with it's face
downward.
The sheet was at once removed, and [
shuddered as | saw before me ali that
was mortal OF the highwayman Scam
mel. HOFFMAN clutched my arm as the
preparations were being made. Every
fiber III the body seemed to be in a state
OF rigid tension, which displayed the
strength and elegance of his muscular
frame to great advantage.
Or. Bremner, the anatomical lecturer.
stepped forward Immediately and com
menced to address the gentlemen pres
ent. He informed them that, very for
tunately for the experiment about to be
made now, the neck of the criminal did
not seem to have suffered any great per-
ceptible injury. He then explained
what he was going to do.
With his scalpel he made incisions
upon important nerves in various parts
OF the body and applied the wires. and
under their Influence the limbs were
contracted, the muscles seemed dubbed
up in knots, and the legs were drawn
up with great force. This elected re-
peated applause.
The excitement now was intense
The wires were applied in
DIFFERENT PORTIONS
Of the body with the same effect. and
the result was so fearfully strange that
many tainted in their seats.
The wires were now applied to the
phrenlc nerve, and now almost imme-
dlately respiration began; low at first,
them more natural, and in proportion
as the current kept up it became hur-
ried and at last gasping.
The wires were now affixed to the
nerves behind the thigh, and a power
full current from the huge voltaic pile
carried to them. The result was fear
full.
The body turned suddenly around and
sat up perfectly straight, every muscle
fixed with that terrible appearance of a
rigid spasm. Its neck was thrust for
ward, the hair seemed to stand ont.
each individual one in regular order.
Its eyelldS were drawn back, while the
eyeballs, with their dead, glazed pupils,
protruded i'll a hideous, CLASSY stare.
The nostrils were dilated, as if breath
ing heavily, and horrible greenish
foam ooZed out of the corner Of the rap
idly working lips.
l could not remove my eyes from it
for moment. Never was / so spell
bound, and never did / behold such a
terrifically hideous object. My whole
soul was bound up with feeling of un-
utterable horror. 1t turned suddenly
towards where Hoffman and myself
were sitting and cOnvulsively pointed
its finger in that direction, while every
fiber in its face seemed distorted by a
CHASTITY, diabolical, gibbering grin.
SWOONED.
The hall seemed to swim around me:
but still my ears seemed pierced by the
most agonizing cry | ever heard, and L
distinctly caught My fatherl"
l could not think, at once, whence ID
proceeded, but before l had any time
for reflection heavy body fell against
me. 1t was poor Hoffman. He had
sprung up into the air like stag when