The Portland daily press., 1892-08-29
EQUESTRlMANIA.
Opie Read Discovers a New and Dread.
full Malady.
Especial correspondence

people VINO OfuludIAy 60CAlCu Aot w
care for the excitement of criminal
court thronged into the room. Lem.
muck was well connected. His father
had been a town marshal and at one
time had been a prominent candidate fol
constable of the Eighteenth district.
Simpson county, KY, but was defeated
by Bill S. Marcus, who just before the
election shot mad dog and thus lifted
himself to secure place in the affec.
tions and gratitude of the people.
T. P. Lemmuck was arrested on the
charge of stealing horse, and the evi.
dence was so conclusive that the judge
offered to bet that a verdict of guilty
would be rendered. just before the
charge was delivered to the jury Lem.
muck asked permission to make state.
ment, and as no objections were offered
the young man arose and spoke as fol.
lows:
81 am prepared to interest if not
startle the scientific world. I acknowl.
edge that I stole the horse, and assert
that I could not help it. Gentlemen, ]
am the victim of disease which I shall
term equestrimania, and with your per-
mission will explain myself. Several
years ago, just after I was graduated
from the Pennyroyal university, dis
covered one evening that peculiar
weight had fallen upon my mind. So
far as ! could discover, there was nc
cause for such depression.
81 was well educated, was engaged
to marry lovely young woman and
had fair account with a well known
bank. And above all other reasons
why should feel ightness of heart, my
health was excellent. Yet my spirits
were heavy and was miserable. ]
consulted a physician and he dismissed
me with blue pill. l called on Chris
tian Scientist and was told to believe
that I was restored to gayety. But my
spirits were constantly growing heavier.
In the deepest despair I went to my room
one night, and as lay upon my uneasy
bed the thought that was suffering for
something suddenly came to me, and
then sought to discover what that some
thing was. It wasn't whisky loathed
the idea of getting drunk. 1t wasn't
gambling, for I hated the mere sugges-
ton Of chance. What could it be? I
got up and walked until I had worn
path in the carpet.
81 put my brain upon the rack and
tried to torture from it the secret Of my
distress, and failing placed it in the
cradle of my fancy and sought to soothe
it into compliance. lay down again
and suddenly light, glaring and hor-
rible, fell upon me. And in that light
I saw the diagnosis Of my disease
equestrimania. knew that relief lay
only in my stealing a horse. / had no
need of horse, and just at that mo-
ment would not have given ten cents
for Maud S, but would have risked
my life for the chance of stealing flea
bitten colt. Butt did not surrender with
out struggle; was resolved to battle
against the awful appetite. The next
day I called upon the young woman
who was to be my wife.
.'She complained of my indifference
toward her. Last week you were
knight to me- she said. But now,' I
broke in, 4 am day of commonplace
things Yes she replied, and whyf'
Because, I answered, giving her an i'm
ploring look, 4 must steal a horsep I
shall never forget her pleading. ooh, it
is but nightmare she cried, and I
could only gasp, 1T is any sort of a
starlight nag If you really feel that
you must steal a horse, love- she suppl
Gated, steal mine and no harm can
come. will swear that I gave it YOU
Nay replied, that would not be
theft, and this terrible thirst tells me
that must steal Then, if you must
she exclaimed, you no longer have
claim upon me- And so left her.
went over into Bracken county and
stole an old yellowish horse with har-
ness marks upon him. I rode him ff-
teen miles and sold him for ten dollars.
~ returned home perfectly relieved.
My mind was clear and my appetite was
appreciative. resumed work ON book
I had in progress, The Ethics of Moral
Philosophy and found it a keen pleas
ure. did not attempt to renew my OBJ
legations with the young woman, for al
though / was firmly resolved never to
steal again, yet I did not know but
the disease might come upon me at some
future time. Well, must have gone
for three months before felt the slight
est indication of a return of the malady,
but one night it seized me again. I Won
dered if could not cool myself off by
stealing something light. Why not
steal cats until this awful craving should
pass away? I would make the expert
ment.
II began to steal cats, and I confess
that my appetite was for a time ap-
peased, but after awhile I found that
cats were not strong enough, and then 1
stole a dog. This satisfied me some
what, and I went on stealing dogs for
several days, but at last the craving for
something stronger came upon me with
such force that | was compelled to steal
q horse. This time was arrested, and
here I am"
The judge in his charge to the jury
said that it was very peculiar case,
and the jurymen agreed with him to the
extent that Mr.. Lemmuck needed five
years. treatment at a well known insti-