The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-09-24
THE DOCTORS TEST.
An Experiment Showing the Power
Of Imagination.

VI 4IuS1S LudtlOus
Although had known George Mar
Tin long time, he had only lately initi-
ated me into the mysteries of his life.
knew well that he had been guilty of
many kinds of excuses and indiscre-
tions in his youth, nevertheless l was
not a little astonished to hear that he
had once sunk so low as burglary. With
out further remark here relate the
chief episode out of the remarkable
career of this strange man:
"Yes," said he. II had hard time of
Il in those days, and finally became a
burglar. When Robert Schmiedlein
proposed to me that we should break
into the omewhat retired house of two
doctors, DIR. Engler and DIR. Langner, 1
thoughtlessly agreed. Both doctors
were well known on account of their
scientific researches, and one of them
especially for his eccentric manner.
well, the night fixed for the carry
ing out of our design arrived, and we
went to work with the greatest conf
dence, for all the circumstances were
favorable for a burglary. 1t was pitch
dark, neither moon nor stars visible,
and in addition strong west wind was
blowing, which was very welcome to us,
as it promised to drown every sound,
however slight.
ut was toward two in the morning
as we, assuming all was safe, began by
filing through chain which fastened a
ladder to the wall. The ladder we
placed under a window in the first
story on the left side of the house.
In less than five minutes we had opened
the window, and, hearing nothing,
Schmiedlein climbed through it and
followed him. After carefully reclos-
ing the venetians we ventured to light
a lantern, and then discovered that we
were in kind of lumber room, the
door of which was locked
AFTER picking the lock, we deter
mined first to explore the rooms on the
ground floor, thinking we should thus
run less risk of waking the inhabitants
of the house.
ITO our no little establishment we
perceived, ms we crept downstairs, a
light shining under the door of one of
the rooms at the back of the building.
AT first we were both for beating a
hastv retreat. Schmiedlein' soon re-
covered himself, and proposed that we
should force our way into the room,
bind and gag every occupant, and then
obtain by threats all desirable infor-
nation.
81 agreeing. we approached the door.
While carefully throwing the light
round, I noticed, about seven feet from
the floor, wire which appeared to
pass through the door we were ap-
preaching, and, on pointing it out to my
companion, he thought it would be con-
nected with some bell.
II replied in whisper that we
should try and avoid an alarm by cut
ting the wire, and as could just reach
1t with my hands / would hold it firm
while Schmiedlein cut it between my
hands and thus prevent it jerking back
and ringing the bell.
Setting the lantern on the floor,
seized the wire, while Schmiedlein
drew a pair of pincers out Of his
pocket But the moment touched it
felt frightful shock, which quivered
through and through me, SO that fell
all Of n heap, tearing the wire down
with me. ! remember hearing the
loud ringing Of a bell, while Schmied-
lein-whom, moreover, I have never
seen since-disappeared like lightning
into the darkness and escaped, very
likely by the way we had come.
''On falling down l struck my head
violently against the opposite wall and
became unconscious, while the electric
bell-at that time novelty-rang un-
ceasingly.
"Regaining my senses found myself
bound and helpless, which, after NIL,
did not surprise me, as had concluded
had been caught where ] had fell
1t soon struck me, however, that there
was some peculiar circumstance con-
nectcd with my captivity.
II was nearly undressed and lay on
. cold slab of slate which was about
the height of table from the ground,
and only piece Of linen protected my
body from immediate contact with the
stone. Straight over me hung a large
lamp, whose polished reflector spread a
light far around, and when !, as far as
possible, looked round l perceived
several shelves with bottles, TASKS and
chemical preparations Of all kinds upon
them. In one corner of the room stood
p complete human skeleton, and various
odds and ends Of human bodies hung