Telegram-herald., 1891-12-28
HIS nERITAce OF WOE.
The Tragic story 81 Chscago's Nysteri-
eas kuicide

eus Saiesde.
Chicago, Dec. 27.--Letters found
among the effects OF the man
WHO on Wednesday last com-
nlitted suicide by leaping from the
fifth story OF the MANHATTAN baiidlng.
on Dearborn street, go 20 snow That he
was = dangerous maniac. II he had
not killed hlmself the odds are he would
sooner or later have done some one .
serious injury.
1t is claimed that his real name Was
Peterson. He WAS the son Of wealthy
people who reside in Buffalo. where
Ills father has extensive shipping inter-
ests. At the age OF - he married =
Miss Belle Purtiy OF Beaufort City.
Ii 1888 Peterson first showed symp-
toms Of mental alteration. His craze
was religion. One day his wife returned
home and was Mortified 10 md their
younger child. y bright hoy OF 6, lying
OH the table in the kitchen. Peterson
was in the act of driving nails through
the little fellows hands and feet. lie
said he was "going TO cruelty the
child" He was ut once committed TO
an asylum. Two years ago he was dis
charged rs cured.
Bis Next Departure.
PetersJn's mania then took the form
Of sms.girnng that he must 60 into the
circus business, and that ne WAS the
tiness bareback rider in the United
States. He actually applied for an en-
gagemcnt with the Forepaugfl SHOW at
Syracuse, N. Y, and nearly broke his
neck while attempting impossible feats
in the sawdust r,ng. He did this un-
der the name OF Thomas Cannon.
For year after that he behaved in .
perfectly rational manner. lie had no
occasion to work, and lived quietly II
home studying painting and the orna-
men.atlon of fresco reliefs. Six months
ago be began To read Tolstoi's works.
His mind grew morbid. and he would
sit for hours devouring "Toil" and the
'skingiom OF Darkness" One day he
suddenly appeared at 3 friends house
in the garb Of iaborer, saying he had
been commsnded by God to earn his
tliving with his own hands. As he was
known to be wealthy man, be could
not obtain employment, his friends
Laughing at what they considered an
excellent piece of masquerading. Pc
serson became enraged ut this and alb
ruptly left Buffalo and came TO Chi
cago. Here, still disguised as y work.
man, he obtained employment as Z
decorator.
The Incubus Was Upon Him.
On Tuesday he did not put in an ap.
pearance 1T the store. Tue maniac was
wandering around the city. looking fol-
u "good high building to leap to heaven
from" A policeman noticed his pecu-
har actions. but supposlng hnf t. he
harmless crank, did nothing. Early on
| Wednesday evening he wss seen on
Dearborn street, gazing intently on the
huge towering front of the Manhattan
| building. He crossed the street and
entering the elevator, said:
"Top story"
| The conductor let him off at the tor
story and he was seen to pass succes
eively from windows in that story and
the lower stories; bat apparent.s the
distance from the ground intimidated
him. and he went down 10 the nth
| story.
TEen two gentlemen, who were in the
passage way, noticed a workman dash.
| ing at headIong fpeed down the hall
They stepped aside to let him pass
With his head down, and utterIng hor
| rible cries, the maniac dashed for the
window. He struck it with fuarfu
force and went clean through 1t, carry
ing the glass aud part of the sash with
hrm. When the men looked out, far
below them on the pavement was Q
mass of blood flesh and broken bone
with horror-stricken crowd gathered
| around IT.