St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-02-04
IN The Interests Of Science.
THE STORY OF A BURGLARY.

well that he had been guilty of man
kinds of excuses and indiscretions in hi
youth; nevertheless, | was not littl
astonished to hear that he had once sum
so low as burglary. Without further re
mark here relate the chief episode GU
OF the remarkable career of this strang
man:
yes" said he, 81 had hard time O
1t In those days, and finally became
burglar. When Robert Schmiedlei,
proposed to me that we should break in
to the somewhat 7etired house of tw,
doctors, DR.. Engler and DR.. Langner.
thoughtlessly agreed. Both doctors wer,
Wen known on account of their scienti
nc researches, and one of them especial,
for his eccentric manner.
"Well, the night fixed for the carry
ing out OF our design arrived and W.
went to work with the greatest conf.
oence,. for all the circumstances were
' favorable for 2 burglary. 1t was pitch
Dark, neither moon nor stars visible. and
IN aooltlon strong west wind. was blow.
ing, which was very welcome to US. as it
promised to drown every sound, however
slight
ut was toward 2 o'clock in the morn.
ing as we, assuming all was safe, began
by ding through chain which fastened
a ladder to the wall. The ladder we
placed under window in the first story
on the left side of the house, In less
thaa i've minutes we had opened the
window, and hearing nothing Schmicd-
lem climbed through it and I followed
him. After carefully reclosing the yene-
tlans We ventured to light lantern and
then discovered that we were in n kind
OF lumber room, the door of which was
locked. "'
"After picking the lock we determined
nFst to explore the rooms on the ground
foor, thinking we should run less risk of
waking the inhabitants of the house.
10 our no little establishment we per-
ceiVed, as we crept down stairs, light
SHINING under the door of one of the
rooms ct the back of the building,
AT first we were both for BEATING n
nasty retreat. SchmiedIein soon rec0v-
cred himself and proposed that we should
force our way into the room. bind and
gag every occupant and then obtain bv
W., II agreeing, we approached tie ..oor.
while carefully throwing the light
around l noticed, seven feet from the
hloor, a wire which appeared to pass
through the door we were approachiny
and on pointing it out to my comnanion
ne thought it would be connected with
some bell.
II replied in whisper that we should
Try ana avoid any alarm by cutting the
wire, and as could just reach it with
my hands | would hold it firm while
Schmledlein cut it between nv hands
Ing u !. rs prevent it joking back and
Setting the lantern on tnc-m,,,
elzed the wire, while Schmiedlcin draw
palr OF plnccrs out of his pocket. Rut
4 Ne moment touched it felt friehtful J
mock, which quivered throuo5 and
hrough me, SO that / fell of a hean tearl
ng the wire down with me. rememher
lcarlng the loud ringing of a bell while ,
'chmledlein-whom, moreover 7 hane
Ever seen slnce-disappcared like light ,
n; Ing & into the darkness and escaped, very
KEY oy the way we had come, :
On falling down I struck nv head :
lolentiy against the opposite wall s,nd ,
unconscious, whilst the electric !
easingly. '"s I'LL :
Hegal1ning my senses found myself .
ound and helpless, which, after all did =
OF surprise me, as concluded had heon =
'usht where fell. 1t soon struck mo =,
o"eVer, that there were some necnliar ~
connected I'LL q
witty. WILL Ivy cap
~ was nearly undressed and Law m ~ ~,
'!u sup OF slate, which was about the n.
s,ght OF a table from the ground. and o,
ny a piece of linen protected nv BODY nj
oM immediate contact with the stone, v
ralsht above me hung a large lamn 4,
nose polished reflector spread a brioht h,
'ht Tar around, and when AZ far &C v
sslole looked round 7 perceived several ",
ewes with bottles, TASKS and chemical '"
paratus Of all kinds upon them. In r.
corner of the room stood a comn1ete ~, -.
man skeleton, and various odds and r.
Us OF human bodies hung here and ~ ~
sie upon the walls: / then knew was
ng on the operating-or dissectipg- in,
ne OF doctor, discovery which natu- sts
~ troubled me greatly; at the same Ev
~ perceived that my mouth also was IN
My gagged. O " 80 on
What did it all mean =? Had some l
ldent befallen me so that a SURGICAL ~
ration was necessary for my rccovery2 he,
l remembered nothing Of the kind ant
also felt no pain nevertheless here I
stripped and helpless, on this terrible +io,
e gagged and bound, which Indicated e e,u'
ething extraordinary. s snG
1t astonished me not q l;tt,e +ho+ S sa''
'e should be such an operation-room a uud
ach house until remembered that o,t
Langner, as the district physician. q
TO carry out the post mortem exam 90 y
Ions for the circuit and that in the The
II provincial town no other room wac , .ne
la6le for such purpose. felt too sc s
'1aole, however, to think more about l;ns
ogt L soon noticed, after another cdlo
e!oft TO free myself, that was not lev,
IN the room, for heard the rust oil :
OF paper, and then some one said IN all q, I
t, measured tones: 0'''~' 40
Yes, Langner, am quite conv;noea t YVES
this man is particularly suited for , w ~,
ARRIVING out of my highly important w way
How long have been wish hle
TO make the attempt-at last, to- doct
!, l shall be able to produce the g,
OF my theory snei
That would, indeed, be a high some
Jpn OF human skill, heard second vas
reply; but consider, dear doctor. doct,