The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-20
THE DEAD HAND.
The Secret Of Man Who Had Been
Guilty of Blasphemy.
from tte DsnreT Aelos.

From the Dsnrer Neios.
"There are strange things IN this word,
said an old newspaper man whose hair was
gray twenty years ago. ''I'm not much OF
a believer in supernatural occurrences, but
when a plain fact comes into my experience
| am willing to admit IL. What am going
70 tell you / know and am satisfied about
You nay or may not be, just as suits
you.
you remember he began, ''the time
President Cleveland visited Minneapolis
and what a crowd was therea The state
fair and one or two other things attracted
people enough, but the Presidents presence
drew every one in the state, IL seemed to me.
was on a Chicago paper at the time. and
got an assignment 10 90 up and take in the
combined show. When | stepped up TO the
counter Of the leading hotel TO register
noticed that the man in front of me, who
had Just laid down the pen, was also news
paper man from Chicago. There wasn't
anything special about his appearance ex-
ce pit that he was unusually tall and
thin, andEdiin't look very well Natu-
rally, when l had put down my name
turned to him and introduced myself. We
shook hands and began to chat. While we
were doing this the old nah who was pro-
prietor of the hotel was inspecting his room
rack. Turning to US, he said that there was
only one empty room in the house, and thot
we were welcome to it if we would double
up. That suited me- all right, but the tall
man objected vigorously. l was a little
huffed over it, anu said that he could have
the room if he was so selfish over it. | could
sleep in a chair or walk the streets all night.
had often done SO before.
80, no. said the tall man, it isn't that.
I snore so badly that no one else could sleep
in the room. was thinking of you
81 laughed at the idea and assured him
that | would sleep as soon as l struck the
bed. Finally he gave in and we agreed TO
take the room together. 1t was little bit
Of a cubbyhole at the top of the house, and
the only furniture in it was common bed
and two wooden chairs. Another Chicago
newspaper man who heard we were there
came up to see us, and the three of us sat
there and talked until 1 supposed it was 2
o'clock in the morning. Neither myself
nor the visitor could recolect anything
unusual about the behavior of the tall man
when we compared notes afterward. At
last we said good night and went to bed.
"I don't know how long L slept, and, in
| fact, have never been able to bring up a
| perfectly clear recollection of what hap
| pened in that room. 1t seemed to me that
| woke up in about five minutes, but it
must have been longer. My first feeling was
one of fearful dread. There was not a sound
from the man at my side. A huge lump Of
| ice seemed to be on my chest and to be
pressing me down. was suffocating. l tried
| to shout, but could not emit a syllable. 1t
was only after a long struggle, that
| brought sweat pouring out all over me,
that l could raise my hand to the inert
| freezing mass on my chest.
at was a pulseless hand, the hand of a
corpse that / clasped. dropped it in bor-
ror, and climbed nervously out of bed. The
Nl,al
covered window and played across the pale
face sunk in the pillows. The feel o. the
hand was still on my chest. l could not
overcome the frightful sensation of helpless
ness. l lit the gas and proceeded to call for
help. Then it was, in the better light, that
l saw he was not dead. l went to his side
to look at his hand, but some movement Of
mine awoke him, and he softly pulled il
under the counterpane. l could not go tC
bed and remained up all night
''In the morning, when l spoke of the
affair the tall man laughed and said must
have been dreaming, as did the landlord
so did my newspaper friend. l could not
answer them, but l felt that some strange
mystery was hidden that night in the little
room.
''Shortly afterward the news came over
the wires shat my companion of that night
! had committed suicide under circumstances
of almost inconceivable horror. A few
days afterward letter came to me from
him. He had written it and left it on his
table the night he took his life. 1t solved
the mystery.
1.-The Christmas night before met him
in Minneapolis he was drinking III saloon
In Chicago with several friends. He made
the remark: 4 suppose we have to again
celebrate the birth of humbug.' One of
his companions asked him to not speak thai
way, upon the ground that it would be
personal favor. This led to argument The
blasphemer said: Prove to me that there
is God His friend said: Prove to me
that there is not a Cod
1.-THE tall man raised himself erect anC
raised his arm on high. 4 will call upor
God, if he is God,' said he, to strike NE
dead right here where l stand
"Those around drew back, but no mira
Gle followed. The tall man laughed at hi
young friend. They parted for the night
perhaps a little solemnly, but not much wa
thought of the matter.
Zone week later strange pain developer
in that arm, and in less than a month it wa
useless. IN his letter to me he said: 'Yo
are the only man who ever suspected m,
secret. 1 am a leper.'"