Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-08-31
A Strange Reminiscence.


was a strange, erratie genius named
Hoffman, q philosophical enthusiast,
science mad.
His room was filed with electrical
apparatus and all its adiunets. I
was often at a loss. to know how he j
could afford go much extravaganza
research, as 1 knew that his father
was a broken down merchant, who
lived very plainly in a small cottage
some fifteen miles from the city,
originally a porter's lodge to some
gentleman's seat in theneigborhood
I accepted Hofman's invitation to
the first vacation we were together,
and spent a part of the holiday at
the cottage, where I became &C
painted with his family, consisting of.
his father, mother and an only sis
ter.
The father was a large, athletic
man Of apparently fOrty-fve years of
age, with a bold but scOrnful look
and a treacherous eye. The mother
and sister were more like Hoffman.
Still I noticed that his mother had a
constant habit of clasping her hands
as if in prayer and turning her eyes
heavenward. This surprised me very
much, as Hoffman had never pro
fessed any religion whatever; but on
the contrary, he would sometimes
almost scOf at efOr beings believer.
He wanted me to lend him q certain
sum tOpay for the making of an cleo
/ trio apparatus Of great size, with
which he intended to restore life I
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 even
/ ing he received the money from his
! father he called on me to say that
the machine was finished and he
would have an opportunity of using
| 1t on the following day, as a nOtOri-
/ Gus murderer was to be hanged and
he had made arrangements for his
body.
Strange, is it not, . said he, ''that
! this scOundrel viii furnish the means
whereby the scientific world viii learn
/ to honor me?"
The hall at the college was a fine,
large, square room which you entered
/ from a wide stair on the outside near
the ceiling, and on looking down you
/ would perceive q semi-circular area.
/ Two stairs led down among the
| seats on either side to this area, in
which stood the electric apparatus,
and long mahogany table, bound
/ with brass, with a number Of hinges
/ and fOldings, which was capable of
| being swung around in all directions
by means Of a ball and socket Joint
in its pedestal.
On this table was a small box,
/ mounted in silver, which contained
dissecting instruments; there were al
/ so several basins of water and q bun
die of towels.
Soon after we had taken our seats
several elderly gentlemen entered the
area also, one of them completely
covered with his black gown. This
/ was the demonstrators of anatomy,
and he it was whOwOuld to-day Oper-
ate upon the dead body Of Scanned,
the notorious highWayman.
The old church bell had pealed out
! it's twelve strokes some time before
any news reached US; but at a quar-
ter to one a young man entered hast
lily, whispered sOmethingrin the ear OF
the doctor who was enYelOped in the
black gown, and everything was ex-
element. The machine was put in
action and the table prepared, and
IN another minute several men hur-
ried into the room bearing a body,
with q sheet thrown loosely over it.
A loud murmur was heard through
out the hall, and each one sprang to
his feet to try and get look at the
body, which was placed on the table
with its face downward.
The sheet was at once removed,
and shuddered as I saw before me
all that was mortal Of the highway
man Scanned Hoffman clutched
my arm as the preparations were be
ing made. Every fibre in the body
seemed to be in q state of rigid ten
sion, which displayed the strength
and elegance Of his muscular frame
90 q great advantage.
DR.. Bremner, the anatomical lect-
urer, stepped forward Immediately
and commenced to address the gen
tlemen present. He informed them
that, very fortunately for the expert
ment about to be made now, the
neck Of the criminal did not seem to.
/ have suffered any very great percept-
ible injury. He then explained what
he was going to do.
With his scalpel he made missions
upon important nerves in various
parts Of the body and applied the
wires, and under their influence the
limbs we're contracted, the muscles
seemed dubbed up In knots, and the