Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-08-20

He went direct to the depot and got
on top the last car OF the midnight ex-
press. bound for Cincinnati. So thought
fnl was he that he inquired as to what
stations the train slapped at and when
1t left Hamilton he ran forward to the
first car. and when the conductor
passed through he clambered down on
the top while the train was running
thirty miles or more an hour. and took
a seat in the warm car. as independ-
emily as If he was the President of the
road. The conductor did not come
through the tran again. for Hamilton
was the last stop before reaching Gin
cinnati. and Charley. insane as he was.
seemed to understand that he was safe
inside the car after it left Hamilton, for
the train. making no stops. could. OF
course. not take on any passengers.
That he remained on top the car in the
bitter cold until the ira n reached this
point Is evidence conclusive that he
knew exactly what he was doing.
He reached Cincinnati without any
trouble went stra ght to the Gibson
House and registered. As luck would
have it. the next person to register. who
stepped up to the counter not ten
minutes after he left it. was an acaua mt
ance of his from his home. The name
met h $ eye. and after speak ng to the
clerk he managed to catch sight OF
Charley as he came from the bath
rooms. The friend at once telegraphed
his folks. and they the asylum author.
ties. The telegram they received was
the first intimation the officials Of the
institution had that any one had es-
capped.
Charley was busy playing Billiards
when, at ten o'clock the same morning
his keeper walked into the hall and
slapped him on the back.
Hello. Tomr' was Charley's greet
ing. i've got sucker here" Tn
same evening he was aga'n in the
asylum. but it amused him for weeks
to think how he event to Cincinnati
just to play game of billiards." as he
pat it.
II ever man had determined to de
come what may. that man was Franc 5
-. powerful farmer from Au
glaze County. He was one OF the few
farmers who take great interest in
pol tics. and the first symptoms Of in
sanity in his case were noticed after he
was defeated for an Office at the polls.
Then followed financ al reverses. and
finally his mind gave way to the ex-
tent that he was determ ned on self-de.
struction. He was sent to this asylum
and placed with the other unfortunates
su ltr,ng from suicidal man a. He was
not BY any means dangerous man.
but an eve had to be kept on him all
the time to keep him from destroying
his own life in one way or another.
Tom. young but powerful man. was
his keeper. Bees DIES Francis there were
iweDty-four other maniacs in the ward.
and one can cas- ly imagine what nice
time an attendant must have watching
and caring for these poor people. Every
keeper must shave his patients at stated
intervals. and one day when Tom had
one of his subjects in the chair he com
pla ned of the razor scratching him.
whereupon Tom laid it on the window
5 II and got out another one While he
was stropping it he noticed Francis
standing in the door. looking furt velv
into the room. Before he could think
the maniac bounded by him and had
the open razor which Tom had la d on
the window-sill in his hand. 1t was no
time for thought. bu: action was what
was needle |. Turning gu ckly, Tom
grasped the hand in which the maniac
held the razor. while he in turn. equally
on the alert. grasped Tom by the wrist
of the hand in which he held the open
razor with which he had been beating
the strOp.
Let go!" yelled Tom.
''l-et 60 YOURSELF retorted the
maniac. giaring savagely at the attend
ant.
The next instant began a battle for
life. The two men pushed. tugged and
twisted, but neither could be forced to
loosen his hold on the others wrist.
The third person sat quietly in his cha r
As unconcerned as if nothing unusual
was going on. FINALLY the insane man
got his feet entangled in an old co 1t
ly NC on the floor when the keeper
managed to throw him and wrench the
razor from him. Francis got up. gave
Tom terrible look and walked from
the room. In few minutes he returned
and explained that he did not wish to
injnre Tom and only fought for the
razor because he wanted to cut his own
throat. He said:
iolIi, an Iiidt al YOU. Dul wait
you TO know. once for all. that | am
go ng to cut my throat, and ri do it.
no mat er how much YOU watch me.
And, indeed, he kept his word.
The next day Tom was aroused by a
terrible crash of falling glass at the ex-
treme end of the ward where is To-
Gated the wash and bath rooms. He
ran to the place. and there stood Fran
els W tn his throat cut almost from ear
to ear. He laughed deris vely at Tom
as he entered the room. He had broken
the window with his fist. and with a
piece of the glass cut his throat. He
had severed the windp'pe and when
he attempt d to laugh a gutteral sound
was all that could be heard.
Tom grasped the gaping wound in
one hand and held it together as much
as possible to stop the flow of blood as
much as was in his power Two of the
asylum phi ans were on hand almost
ms antly. They took the pat ent in
hand. and by sheer force sewed up the
horr BILE wound. but as soon "a the ma
MAC was put to bed he tore out the
stitches. The wound was sewed up a
second time and the suicides hands
incased in pa of leather muis when
he managed to tear the st tches by jerk
ing head backward and forward,
and from side to side. He was then put
N a CRIB. and a box made to place his
head and shoulders in So that il was