davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

j have been to the city and it's full oil
darn lunatics." .,.,. l.
He is there to-day to prove that tins is
no lie. Yesterday they were turning up
the hay stubhie In the west heid, ahH tnis
~ s;Je he tells YOU: "When / say that
shev are darn mnatics in the city i spea (
adyisedlv. / lived there once, Dut j
dronped out. In fact, | am the man VINO
dropped out. My memory rs NOT very
good and ! don't remember Just what i
dropped out of. and j dare say II Is best
as IL Is. You may consider me merely
as the man who dropped out.
ssTbere Is q lot Of John Does here, one
of the keepers has told you and you I'M
derstand-you are rather quick at taAlhg
a suggestion--that the John OOes are
namcless unidentified madmen VINO are
picked now and again out OF the Diack
drift Of the city streets. John Zoe gone
mad in broadcloth: Richard Roe going
m and fro insane in his rags; Charlie OK
nod from crime. debauchery and I'M
nrisonment--here they all come together
and are tagged with names and put TO
work in the fields. Richard Roe and
Charlie OK were never so well oft for
Years AZ all events But what of John
Doc gone mad in broadcloth! For he
went about his business day by day, hau
friends and Nnsfolk. loved his neighbor-
or his neighbours wife-was church war
don or club man, until one day clot
of blood goes away in his brain and he
is drafted off to 1slip and becomes John
Doe. , 1,,,
1t is the tragedy of "The Man Who
Dropped Out"
He steadies the plough, sending its nose
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

lunatics. In fact, you have gone upon
tho nrinciple enunciated by baron ue
Rrissac. that a dinner for more than elght
people is not dinner, hut 1000.
1.-The worst patients, says the guaru'
of whom you have Judlclously ma naue
Guide. ARE in the east wing. WIZ you
go thereT o,. ara ,horo9 ,"
Won ask. having a Yankee trick OF ques-
tioning. a., o.,,4
one hundred and thirty eat IN each room
lie pushes open a door and you enter.
There is a long, blank looking room, WIN
yellow washed walls and uncurtalne1
windows. Right and left run long deal
tables, with supplementary wooden
benches. You see long lines OF Dent
shoulders and brown necks. On lhe
other side of the tables lines OF faces
harsh or foolish or wolfsh-for the smell
of the food brings out the animal. 1t is
not dinner-it is feeding-and Baron de
Brissac is right. The coarse clay bowls
steam with soup. There are great pieces
of overdone beef on the platters, huge
dishes of boiled potatoes.
Food and nothing more.
Perfectly sound and good and capable
of being ground into nutritious pup; from
the view point of the pmlanthroplst IN
absolutely impeaehable meal; Du, 10 yonr
northumberland is the saddest part
Of The whole business. Here is John Doe
who went mad in broadcloth working
eight hours a day at the tail end OF the
plough. All this John Doe may ind toll
erabIe but if he has ever dined these
flesh pots of Islip will darken bis days
and give him the 'hypo" by night
MESDING GARMENTS.
..vf -. ~oo, tho dav rom ?" tho
guide asks.
He leads you through a covered pas
sage way into another room as blank
and bare and depressing. There is no
one there save a restless old man psc'ng
TO and fro-not pacing, but shuftinS-
with the lunatic's indolent, sllpshod gait.
This is Bargains"
He was very respectable man, says
the guard.
But, bless You, every one is respecfa-
bic in these dsys-jockeys, actresses, bet
ting men and even politicians. That
tells very little. Bargains, 1t seems,
failed in business and went mad. Now,
like your friend of the field, he fancio'
that he owns the entire establishment.
So he goes muttering: 1T should be sold
in lots; it should be put on the bargain
counter; one million and seven potatoes
on the bargain counter; one red steer at
a bargain, at a bargain, at bargain al
q devil of bargain--Lord forgive me for
swearing"
And as you watch him a half score
men shuttle in, dragging in their slipperec
feet. You follow them into the little
shop in the rear. They group them
selves near a window and, sitting tailor
wise begin TO stitch away at rough, slop-
mae coats Of duffel gray.
"They amt strong enough to reap an
NOW an plow an SOW and be farmers
boys" says the guard with Il grin, 80
they have to hem and sew"
is there a regular tailor shop?"
"A mending shop, but these clothes
were cut out by the female convicts on
the Island"
BLACK welfsr
''Ay, Hsckwell's," says the guard.
The "wicksdest woman in New YORK"
10 there to-day cutting out coats Of dutfsl
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11
yENOMOUS CREATURES
ieorpions, Tafnn;uirf, Fpidsrs, fenlpedes
aud Snakes Thus Obtain FREQ
Bassnge to America.

,Workmen for wholesale banana dealers
never begin work that they do not take
their lives in their hands.
Scarcely wagon load Of the fruit is
taken from a ship that some sort OF dead
ly poisonous reptile, spider or insect Is
not hidden away beneath the layers.
The animal life which takes free pas
sage from foreign countries by storing IT.
self away ia punches of bananas would
furnish food for an interesting volume
OH natural history.
So accustomed have the handlers OF
THIS fruit become TO seeing big, hairy
tarantulas crawl out of the punches ana
I'D the legs of their trousers that tney
whisk them to the floor and step upon
them with no more concern than IL they
were harmless Croton bugs or caterpillers
instead of the venOmous insects that they
are. The bite of South American tar
antula is in all cases poisonous and IN
many instances deadly, yet their presence
among banana handlers creates no more
terror than if they were the most harm
less of spiders.
They are more frequently found in
bananas than any other reptiles, and they
come from every place from which ba-
nanas are shipped. They are black and
fuzzy, with long, hairy legs and little
beadlike eyes, which twinkle and snap
like electric sparks, and their very ap-
pearance would strike terror 10 the
hearts of those who are not accustomed
to seeing them. As a rule the bodies Of
these big spiders are about the size or
the end of mans thumb, but sometimes
a CULVER" orawls cut into daylight,
end he is Immediately captured and
Gagged. and the captor easily sells him for
from 81 TO 50.
Those of the tarantulas which are not
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

While services were being held in an
Orthodox Greek church az Warsaw We'd
nesday the worshipers were thrown into
a state Of the widest eXcitement by =
tremendous explosion that shook ms
church. The people made wild rush
for the doors, and gained the street ~
safety. After quiet was restored tie
police, who had pushed to the scene.
entered the church. On the floor ties
found the body of a man terribly man
was an attendant ut the church who
had been killed while in the act OF wor-
ship. but an examination showed that
a dynamite bomb had been exploded,
and that the man who was killed had
attempted To blow up the church. These
facts were learned from papers found
ON the body. which also revealed that
the man was Catholic and bitterly
opposed 20 the doctrines aud practices
OF the Orthodox Church.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

shouldered house, with gravel walks and
Snug lawns about it. You push open the
gate and big, deep-chested man, the
lower part of his face muf1ed in brown
beard, comes to meet you. de IS dressed
in worn. gray clothes, and swings ha-
eel stick in his hand
Hello he says. "How are you? How
dye dOY
health as indifferently as though you were
speaking Of some one else's Indigestion;
YOU want TO know if the high-shOuldered
house belongs TO DR.. Macdonald, the
superintendent. ,
Donalds house, but you don't want TO
see him. A good fellow, you know, but
you don't want to sac him. He has de-
iusions-calls himself superintendent, IN
sists on living in house with two draw
ing rooms and a tennis court. lie is
good fellow, and | humor him. He has
been here some years now. You see" the
big man adds confidentially, II myself
own this whole establishment. farm, nine
pavilions, kitchen, bakery O2 lunatlcs
and doctor with decisions. That's
nice property for a single man, amt it,
Then you meet DR.. Macdonald and he
saws: II see you have been talking with
Ferris. He is a good fellow, but you see
he has decisions. He calls himself SUI
perintendent He has been here some
wears now, and humor him.
You are quite sure the Doctor is right,
but you can't help feeling chat there is
no especial reason why this question of
ownership should be n delusion on Ferris
part any more than it is on the part of
Or. Macdonald. If it comes to that
there are 402 lunatics down there who
will vote that Ferris is as sane as they
are themselves, and that the superintend-
ent doesn't know a hawk from hand
saw. It's altogether an affair of view
point.
PRETTY GOOD FOR LUNATIcs.
You nut questions, and when you have
digested the answers find yourself in pos
session of these facts.
In 1884 the city purchased 1.0OO acres OF
wild land near Central 1slp and made
thereof a farm for the chronic insane
drafted from Harris Island, Blackwell S
Island and Wards Island. The estate
trends southwark toward Islip proper for
two and a half miles its width is nearly
one mile. Two hundred and fifty acres
are under cultivation. The 4O2 inmates
do all the work. In time it is expected
that the farm will supply all the city in
situations with farm produce. There is
one keeper for every fifteen patients.
The entire cost TO the city
per week for each patient is
IS. Each patients food costs six
teen cents per day. In 1891 the farm pro-
duced 1857 bushels of potatoes, at cost
of $31S.05, which was $710.90 less than
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

away then. as general thing, il msfs
to expatiate his crime by being crushed
beneath n large sized foot.
CenupedeS are not uncommon among
cargOes of bananas. They are not Of The
domestic order commonly known ~ "car.
wigs either. They are long fat fellows.
with two rows Of saffron colored legs AMI
brilliant purple bodies, aud their stinfs
are feared more than smallpox By thc
handlers Of bananas.
1t is said that these creatures are s.,
poisonous that when they walk upon tn
bare flesh their legs leave red trail
upon the skin az If pin had scratched
1t. IL Is also said that with such light
ming like quickness do they sink the ends
of their numerous legs into Whatever
they are crawling upon. when they be-
come alarmed, that it is impossible t.
knock them off. Should the legs Dene-
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

Frank Cornelius, Of Purcell, Ind Ter,
says: Il induced Mr.. Pinson, whose wife
had paralysis in the face, to buy bot
tie of Chamberlain Pain Balm. To
their great surprise before the bottle had
ali been used she WAS great deal bet
ter. Her face had been drawn to one
side, but the Pain Balm relieved all pain
and soreness and the mouth assumed It's
natural shape 1t is also certain cure
for rheumatism, lame back, spraIns.
swellings and lameness. 80 cent bottles
for sale by Owens h Minor Drug Co.
loot east Main etreet
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

the average market price The inmates
grade the roads, make the lawns and cul-
tvate the fields. They mend their own
clothes, do the laundry work and clean
ing. One of them has a small cobbler's
shop, and another acts as barber. OF all
things, mailman for barberl
MEMORIES oBLITERATKD.
Once there was a man who escaped
from the pavilion in the west wing. There
are no bars on the windows and no
guards patrol the halls. SO be might have
walked quietly away. But he used cum
ming and made his escape as dramatic
as possible. lie got out of the dormitory
window, climbed the roof and slid down
the lightning-rod. He fed away through
the night, and after much difficulty and
many dangers reached Brooklyn. He
would never tell what happened to him
there, but the third day he reappeared at
the farm.
"Dotor," he said. II was too homesick
TO stay away. Take me back, Doctor.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

start again, building up The game to the
sape point.
"F'ive!'
And double fver
The game is always wrecked on these
numbers.
"Quarrel?' the guard repeats. mo.
none of 'em quarrels. They aint fools
enough for that"
Are none of them violent?"
lat times an times some of 'em is
violent. You see that 'un over there.
him with the glasses an the red slippers?
lie goes off now an again. but mostly If
we let him go out an jump over fences
lie comes off ell right An you zoe that
'un by the window-fim with Ais shands
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11
A Postal Convenience.

Washington. d. c., Sept. 0-Postmas-
ter-General Wanamaker to-day issued an
order dcpuizing the postmasters of free
delivery cities to put up letter-Ooxes ut the
request of citizens for the collection and
delivery OF mail at house doors, subject
to the following rules:
]. The householder must, for his own
convenience and advantage, and at his
own expense, supply a suitable box (ac-
cOrding to one of two patented plans.)
.. The system of house collection can
only be introduced in cities when the
postmaster is notified that two-thris of
the residents of any one route desire it,
and agree TO erect boxes.
Practical tests it is said, have deter
mined the adoption of this plan. and has
resulted in a saving rather than loss Of
time to carriers, and it has been great
convenience 80 housebOlders.
The eighteenth annual convention of
the Railway Mail Service Employees
Benefit Association came 20 an end this
evening. Ii was decided that the next
annual convention meet in Baltimore.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

These. the feeble and old and disabled,
are employed in the kitchens, stables,
tailor shop or do the hOusework, wash
windows and make beds.
Ir is work, in ore way or anothef' lot
every lunatic on the farm.
This matter of keeping the insane may
be treated fippGntly, as one may make
puns on a tombstone. But 1t is sad
business Only in this case the best has
been made Of it, There is nothing Of the
grewsomeness Of barTed windows and
noisy cells. There is the keen wind blown
in from the Great South Bay; there are
wide fields and sunlight and open days
and nights-everything which man cannot
give and can take away-and the result
IN that these madmen live without CON
tent or discomfort. This is a great deal
In few years the farm will be self-sup
porting. This-for of course you are
tax-payer-is a great deal more.
All because William p. Litchw0rth
wrote book.
SELDOM VIOLENT.
In the evenings they gather in the three
main rooms The oil lamps smoke and
flicker and the rooms are filled with sha-
dows. They are never still, these mad
men. They shuttle up and down the
floor, passing and repassng, like Gagged
animals. They do not play cards. A
few of them play dominoes
There are two men who began a game
of dominoes two years ago; it is not fin
ished yet. One of them is an odd little
weakened man, old and bald; the other is
a feeble-fsced fat man of thirty.
Five" says the old man.
And double five" says the other
Then they laugh pleasantly and tumble
the dominoes. In a few minutes they
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

stick to the bananas none Is more feared
than a red one. which is 80 small tiAs
often it is not perceived until II tas
perched itself upon a mans hand and Las
injected It's sting The sting is not fatal,
but it causes no end of Inconvenience IS
the spot is penctrates becomes exceed
ingly painful and swcils up 10 a great
size
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

In This Land Of Freedom.
have TO get a license.
And then TO pay the fee,
Before / put coat on
In this land 50 free.
have TO get q license.
And pay the duty, TOO.
On the pail / put my grub ia
And the leather OF my shoe.
have TO get license,
And pay mp, cent for cent,
On the clothes ny baby's wearing
Tho its quite another rent.
And wherefore do do sol
Why, that's the curious fake!
To fatten manufacturers,
And not to serve the State
Jack Plain.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

For many years Mr.. Il. +. Thompson
Of Des Moines, Iowa, was severely al
nicted with chronic diarrhoea. lie says:
"At times it was very severe; 50 much
40 that j feared il would end my life.
About seven years ago CHANGED 70 pro
cure bottle of Chamberlain Soho,
Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy. IL gave
me prompt relief, and believe cured me
permanently, as l now eat or drink with
out harm anything please. ! have also
used il In my family with the bes. re-
suits" For sale by Owens x Minor
Drug Co., 1907 east Main street
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11
INSANE HUSBANDMEN.
Whey DO All the work on the City and
Ceunsy's Farm At Centre step L. L.
unrecorded Tragedies.

- sPPY villagers. sang
the Gloomy Stranger
lNT in the old burlesque OF
III Kotzebue's play
@~x~S Happy villagers, dance
frRASS<>& away
III K$M Fits may follow
trXyT1 But dance away
@'n Inb p And when you come
- NJ upon the farm Colony
GASAt Eaeyk I'm the scrub oaks 10y
k--- Islip town, you feel
az the Cloomv Stranger must have feit
YOU are in a world where the dancing 10
over and the fits have. come. ,,,. r.
The Farm Colony for the Chrome IN
sane Of the City and County OF New 1o ~
was established because William J.
Iitchworth. ex-president OF the Slate
Hoard of Charities. had written DOCK
lie iourpeyed abroad and when he came
back put 10 press description OF al
sfnsane farm" he had seen IN ShNohy'
The commissioners OF charities anu Coi
rection took the book in good part anu
founded this institution. -. A.
Modern men, who know oil about the
,biftinrs of the brain, have ampliiied MI.
Dryfus' verse and allied little wits. as
well as great wits TO madness. Anu
since you have learned that you diiier
from Tom O. Bedam only IN degree, you
feel a new and personal interest IN TINS
experimental home for those who, nave
crossed the dividing line-or should, az
ELL events. Another dance or two and
fits may follow.
WHY'RE THE LuNATIcs DWELL.
Central Islip station is forty-four miles
from New York From the station ut
lie gray road founders away through
scrub oak. dwarf pine and wild mustard.
II you follow this road for a quarter OF
mile you come to the Farm Colony. The
great tripartite wooden building squats
In the green field like a toucan. 1t is
straight sided building with sloaplng
roofs. absolutely plain, without the slight
est attempt at decoration or embellish-
ment.
In the first place. it is made M. Of pavil-
ions. There are nine pavilions in groups
of three. shoul6ering down on each other
like the old fashioned wedge rush in
football. 1t might be taken for anything
but mad-house.
At one side there is handsome high
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

inches it is marked with small yellow
stripes which look something like gold
collar
The workmen say that its bite is in
varably fatal a statement which is some
what robbed of its terrOrs by the fact
that diligent search failed to discover
anybody who would assume the response
billty OF making an affidavit that he ever
knew anybody who died in this way.
These snakes are generally found in the
consignment Of bananas from Baracoa, al
though OccasiOnly they are discovered in
shipments from Jamaica and Costa Rica.
The most frequent visitor 20 our shores
in the snake kingdom. on banana vessels
il what the wCrkmen call diamond snakes.
There is nothing ~ the appearance 10
Indicate the origin of the name. Mr.
Genaro, an Italian wholesale dealer Of
Washington street suggested that at one
time several rough gems were found III
the stomach of one of these snakes, hence
the name. In lcrgth they are about two
feet. The head is fiat and sharp, and
those who profess to have knowledge on
the subject say that its bite IL poison
Gus, though not necessarily fatal.
SCORPIONS NOT BARE.
Scorpions Of the real zodiac order ARE
also among these unwelcOme banana
stowaways, and while their stings are
not considered actually dangerous. they
are usually extremely painful. and work
men when they are stung by them gen
orally stop work for few hours and re-
duce the swelling which follows and al
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11
SNAKES OFTEN FOUND.

Snakes are not infrequently found cooled
around the stalk Of a bunch of bananas,
and they are seldom killed. As rule
the variety is peculiar, and a ready mar
ket is always found where they can be
disposed of ut reasonable price
They rarely escape after the bananas
have been lifted from the hold of yes
sci. If the snfke becomes curious when
the air and light strike him and sticks
his head out for "A survey of the surround
ings he is Immediately pounced upon and
imprisoned. If he remains to be slowed
away in the ripening room the heat IN
variably wakes him mp and he uncoils
himself and crawls out.
Ameng the most feared of the reptiles
is black snake with brown tinge near
its under part 1t usually measures about
eighteen inches in length. Its head is
rateh hater than is usual with snakes
and just back of its head for about two
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11

aroused by the jolting of the punches in
handling and keep IN hiding are slowed
away in the hot cellars OF the dealers,
wbt re they become warmed mp and then
crawl ont and spend the remainder of
their DAYS in the cracks of the ripening
rooms. with the domestic rats and other
snail animals with which these cellars
abound.
The evening world., 1892-02-13

nervous system might cause hcart-.ailure.
1 would rather not say anything further on
the matter, as ! know little or nothing about
young Fairs case"
DR.. d. Il. st. John Roosa said: ~ regard
the Kce!ey cure as 4 sort OF n faith cure, but
have very little faith In 1t myself. l do not
know DR.. Keeley's secret, and, therefore, can
not say whether the treatment was Injurious
to young Fair or not"
Dr. Robert +. Weir, OF "a West Thirty
third street, said: "Gold cure. eh1 Well, l
do not believe that Dr. kceley can ACCOM-
plish lasting cure with his preparation. |
haven't given the matter any great study,
Ior II is out OF my line. However, don't be-
lieve in the so-callcd euro anyhow. think it
may produce n mental impression upon the
patients which might do them some good,
but the impression would not continue very
long. AS to the danger attending the treat.
ment know nothing"
Dr. Daniel Lewis, OF Madison avenue and
Thirty-eighth street, said: 81 do not believe
that there Is ything that Will cure ineDriety.
Keelcy has not given the medical fraternity
he formula OF his cure, and so IT is difficUlt
TO say just what the effects OF the treatment
might be. All these preparations md their
proper level IN time"
Dr.. j. T.. Janvrin, OF l9l Madison avenue,
said: "wbiie not having given much study
TO the Keeley cure, the knowledge | have
gained cOnvinces ire that II isn't TN eGca-
cious remedy. I haven't any fa!' h IN II. AS
to young Fairs case, ! nin not prepared TO
give an opinion"
DR.. j. i. weeks, OF l54 Madison avenue,
said ~ think the whole thing is hunbug.
do not believe keeley's so-called bi-chloride
OF gold is introduced into the system as a
chloride at all, but then he has not revealed
his formula, and whether 1t would produce
fatal results Is hard to say"