St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-08
NIGHT WITH A MaDMAN.
Row an Attorneys Talent fOs
Story Telling Saved His Life.

pushed death to the wall and saved the
life of himself. of DIR. Hadden, and OF
Mrs. Henry Weibold on Friday night,
They were all in the power of a mad'
man-one with that most dangerous
mission, the Offering of his fellow man
on the sacrificial altar.
Mr.. Burris was attorney for Mrs. Wef
bold in her suit for divorce against her
husband. Cruelty and insanity were
the allegations, The lawyer, accom-
panied by DIR. MADDEN, went to Agnew's
station, the residence of his client, whers
he was destined to spend night of such
terror as few men would have lived
through.
When the visitors reached the house
they were informed by Mrs. Weibold
that her husband was in one of his dam
gerous moods and that her life was in
danger. The insane man had a re-
volver, which he had threatened to
shoot her if she left his presence. Even
as the woman spoke the lunatic en-.
tered the room, and in his hand was the
weapon his wife feared so much. He
appeared surprised to see two gentle.
men there, but recovered himself aud
spoke in quiet manner, asking them
how they were.
Mr.. Burrls answered him, saying he
hoped they would not disturb him by
their presence.
mo, you DON'T" said Weibold; sI
expected you. have to kill you, and
you came to be killed"
AS he spoke he advanced toward the
lawyer, with the pistol aimed at his
head. He seemed terribly in earnest,
and the story his wife had told and his
presence in the room so unnerved DIR.
or thot hn tn in
faint.
Mr.. Burris knew there was no time
or room for eXpoStulatiOn. In the mat
ter of strength the mailman lowered
over him like Hercules. Unarmed
the lawyer could not cope with Wei
bold, and even had he had weapon
there was no time to draw it.
BETTER hear this story before you kill
me- said Mr.. BurriS, as if getting
killed were matter of such ordinary,
everyday occurrence that five OF ten
minutes would not make much differ
ence to the parties to the tragedy.
what is it?'' asked Weibold, watch
ing his intended victim closely.
BurriS had no room for story in his
mind when he blurted out the remark.
ton of the desperate position he was in.
But the mans question aroused him,
and with what calmnesS he could CON-
mand he began the recital of funny
tale. The conditions were not favorable
to the happy telling of humorous
story. A man is not given to hilarity
Oh the edge of the grave. The nearer,
when ones audience IS mailman, may
fail to see the point, or he may have
heard the story before, and the flash Of
the pistol in his hand may light the en-
tertainer through the dark valley. AS
Mr.. BurriS continued Weibold retreated
to chair and sat down, but his eyes
followed every movement of the attor-
ney and his revolver never lost the point
blank aim at Burris' head. Embellish
the story as he might, tell it with what
skill for killing time he could, it had to
come to an end at last. But it was re-
ceived with commentator.
Good" said the lunatic; 'fine. I
have heard worse, and now have to
kill YOU"
g He again advanced on Burris, who saw
his arm bend with the tension of his
foretinger on the trigger.
LET me tell you of one of my advent
ures in the jungle after an elephant"
remarked Mir. Burris, quietly. 81 had
it printed, but it may be new to you"
Weibold said he would listen and
again took his seat. There was a scene
for painter. The lawyer, apparently
as cool as if in his office talking over
the trivial matters of the day, talking to
such purpose and for such an object as
had never before called out his power OF
eloqIence. 1t was plea for life; rather
demurrer against the taking of it, and
it was argued for hours. The mailman
sat with his eyes fixed on the speaker,
quiet, lmpaSSlVe, earnest, beguiled for
the moment from the accomplishment
of his work, but never losing sight of it;
his cooked revolver firmly grasped in
the hand that pointed it at his victims
head. On the floor lay DR.. MADDEN, I'M
conscious of the scene. Mrs. WeibOld
had fled.
So hour after hour passed, and Burris
passed with the time from place to
place, now hunting ''rogue" elephants
in the jungle of Africa, now Spearing
the Walrus in the frozen North, har-
pooning the whale as he slept on the
valleys of the waters, chasing the bull
buffalo across the plains, or encounter
ing the grizzly bear on the mountain
side.
The night passed away the madman's
comments were short: Good; go on;
another" The morning light shOne
through the trees now, although it was
only S O'Clock In the evening when this
queer duel of wit against pistol began.
Story after story was told, and Burris
was almost exhausted.
He began on tale he had told be-
fore; it flowed naturally, and it had its
effect. Weibold began to nod; his eyes
closed, but opened instantly, and were
fixed on Burris along the line of the re-
vOlver. But again he nodded; his head
sunk down; gradually the pistol arm
weakened, the fingers relaxed their
hold, and with bound the lawyer
jumped to his side and the weapon was
secured. Weibold did not stir, and
MADDEN, who had recovered conscious
ness, but dared not cause sound, arose
to his feet and helped his friend to the
open air, who, now that the agony was
over, seemed on the point of fainting.
They walked to the insane asylum, only
a short distance away, and reported
WeibOld'S condition to the authorities,
who secured the mailman.