The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-25
GORBY'S WILD .GYRATIONS
State Gpologist Has the Inhabitants of
the Capitol in a State OF Terror.
Seized with One of His Attacks Of Delirium on
Sunday-Skirt Dance Under the Dome
Queer Relationship.

The occupants of the Statehouse. officers
and deputies, are seriously considering the
advisability of taking steps to protect
themselves against the insane outbreaks OF
Sylvester Gorby. State Geologist. Gorby
is affi ieted with attacks. which have lately
grown in frequency and violence. Sunday
hs YVES the victim of the most serious at
tack o. which his friends have as yet had
any knowledge He came in on the train
from Southport. and went direct to the
S~tatehouse. where his dementia broke out
in violent and grotesque manifestations.
Under the dome of the Capitol he executed
q skirt dance. going through all the gyra-
tions OF a premiere kicker of q variety show.
Tim CIR fins array of helpers gathered to
witness the performance. and Gorby sud-
denly topped from burlesque TO tragedy
and started in TO demolish his audience.
He CHASED sweepers and assistant engineers
out of the building and for a time had the
Statebouse pretty much to himself. Elias
Boice took refuge in the custodian's ofice
and locked the door. Failing to break In
here Gorby went to his room on the Sec
ond floor. Here he saturated his carpet
from o gasoline can and threw some
article through the window. The crash of
glass sounded like q pistol shot, and John
Head, who had arrived. went to see the re-
sult. He found Gorby about TO throw
himself from the window and pulled him
in. The fury of Gorby's attack
appeared to have spent itself,
i saa H Hssd bs took Va. him VERY to r%e. kSSa
and ten grains of morDhine Quoted him.
bnt did not put him to sleep. A short time
ago Gorby threw a heavy chair from the
first balcony to the first floor. The same
day he threatened to shoot a reporter. and
mazda a m0Ya IN the diraafIeQ Of hIa hin
pocket. but, being searched. he was found
TO be unarmed. The State officers and
Custodian Griffin have borne with Gorby
for a long time. but the fear Is that. IN one
OF his mad moods. his mania may assume O
murderous form.
Yesterday Mr.. Gorby had apparently re.
covered. He said he was subject to fits of
delirium. brought on by an attack of the
never fully recovered. Mr.. Gorby said
when In one of his spells he was seized
with a mania to destroy. tearing newspa-
pers. his linen, clothes or furniture TO
pieces. He does not think he would lniure
any one, but was not sure of il. There
would be no trouble in controlling him. he
AYERS. If he were properly approached. tie
states that he has no recollection of any
thing that occurred Sunday. He expects
In q short time to go away on a short trip
to the mountains, and he hopes to secure
relief through o few weeks of rest.
These occasional races" are not the
only scandal Gorby has brought upon his
office. In 1889 o real-estate dealer djsap-
peared with the typewriting glfl in his
Office. After Q while the girl. who. when
here. resided with her grandmother. re-
turned with the story that she had been
married to Q Mr.. Andrews, In Colorado.
After her return she again went West. and
came back with the story that Andrews
was dead. In time Mrs. Andrews" was
taken into Gorby's office in the Statehouse
as his deputy. introduced as his daughter.
and carried on the pay rolls as Miss
Gorby." Since then the two rave been In
s%eparable. residing for the most part at
Southport. but occasionally registering ut
Indianapolis hotels as father and daugh-
ter. The young woman came originally
from Dearborn county. where Gorby's fam
lily has resided. but just what the relation
chip existing between them Is has never
been satisfactorily explained.
This state of affairs was brought to the
attention of members of the Legislature
last winter. and an investigation asked,
but nothing was done. The occasion of
shis request was tse discovery OF the
strange state OF affairs by the ladies In the
State Library. on one occasion when Gorby
was indulging in one of his drunken
"raZees." CustodIanG Griffin was called into
the Geologist's Office while they were try
ing to quiet him, ana when iJ was suggest
ed that his daughter be sent for Griffin
denounced the woman openly. and said
what he thought of her. to the great horror
of the ladies assembled.