Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-05-09
THE CRAZY STUDENT,
Snastiy Story of the Killing OF a Boy
by an Insane Brother.

otoTy OF the killing OF boy
by an Insane Brother.
The correspondent ofthe Rochester
Union and Advertiser, writing from
Alexander, n. Y, regarding u haunted
house in that locality, tells this blood
curdling story:
A little over twenty years ago there
lived in this village u gentleman, his
wife and two boys-James, aged eight
cen, and Henry, aged twenty. These
boys were bright, scholarly young gen.
tlemen, and were devotedly attached
to each other. A year before this
story opens they had begun the study
ofmedicine andIwere both enthusiastic
students. Henry was passionately
devoted to the study of the heart, es-
pecially its anatomy and physiology,
and frequently expressed desire to
witnessits beatings. Reclaimed that
II he could watch the movement of
that organ he would be able to cope
successfully with any of its diseases.
This thought haunted him night and
day; 1T soon became the sole object
OF his conversation, the one theme
upon which he expended every leisure
moment. At last it told upon his
health; his appetite became affected;
his nights were passed without sleep;
his friends began to notice strange
ness IN his manners, still no pre-
monition of the awful event about to
take place reached them.
One night the father and mother of
the boys left them at home and went
to visit a neighbor. They were seated
in their study room busily engaged
with their books when Henry sudden
ly sprang to his feet, and pacing back
and forth, began his usual harangue
on the subject OF the heart. Back and
forth he went. his manner growing
more wild and incoherent at every
turn. Suddenly he stopped in front
of his brother, and with the wild light
of insanity shining in his eyes, and
his fnce convulsed with maniacal rage,
shouted: "Your heart shall furnish
me with the knowledge l want!" and
then sprang like a tiger upon him.
The struggle was short but terrible
and ended by james being thrown
to the floor unconscious, his head
having struck the corner of table
in falling. Upon regaining his senses
q few moments after he found him
self bound upon n table, his chest
barred, and at his side the sponges.
knives and other instruments used
in bloody operations. He had scarce
ly noticed these CHASTITY prepar-
ations when his brother stepped to
his side, arrayed in the surgeons
long, white apron aud holding in his
hand bright, keen scalpel. The
sight of his brothers heart beating
against It's covering of flesh aroused
him to fury. Helaughed and snrieked
and waved his sharp knife above his
head in triumph.
"At last" he cried, 81 shall see it
beat and throb. shall learn the Sc
cret of its rhythm, and understand
the mystery of it's music" Thep
lad begged and pleaded for mercy,
but in vain. Slowly and with cool
precision the maniac placed the edge
of his knife upon the spot where he
wished to cut, and in spite of his
brothers pitiful cries drew the cold
steel through the quivering flesh.
Once, twice he cut through flesh and
muscle. and then there was the sudden
rush of feet, a crash, and through
the open doorrushed the boys ather,
accompanied by several neighbors.
In the struggle that followed the
maniac was fatally cut by his own
knife and died q few hours later.
The boy on the table was in n dying
condition when released, and only
lived long enough to give the details
of the scene just described. AS before
stated, strong efforts we're
made to keep the affair quiet, and a
few weeks after the parents left Alex
ander, never to return.