Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-30
a WILD YARN.
A Chicago Paper Rehearses Wierd Tale
of Local Interest

The Chicago Times rehearsed a
wierd tale the other day signed by
Archie Eggleston, who about 10 years
ago was a medical student. and for a
time hospital assistant to DR.. Pierce,
keeper of private insane asylum at
Monticello. Iowa. One patient was
jackson Boynton. a young man of %,
who had been telegraph operator
on the B., c. r. & n. and who in his
mania believed himself to be tele
graph perintendent for the road,
and was constantly sending MESA
ges, upon the promptness and cor
RICHNESS of which depended many
lives. He would send train orders
for hours until the attendant could
divert his mind and lead him off to
rest. From sleep after an hour or so
he would arise and perambulate the
room in a somnambulistic condition,
and thon would fail into deep leth-
argy. One night about II O'Clock he
threw himself on the bed and slept
for an hour, waking instantly and
completely. He came down the
room, his eyes fixed on vacancy.
"Hushr' he exclaimed in an awed
voice. '.Do you hear the winds wall
ing over the hills? God be with you,
mother; it is the last, last struggle.
They are kneeling by your couch,
father, brother, and sisters, all there
but James and /. and life quivers
family on your lips. 1t tlickers, it
is gone! Fold thy white-hands over
the snowy robes, press down the
eyelids! Cover the face! Goodbye,
precious mother"
His chest heaved convulsively and
his form shook with emotion. Il
placed my hand gently on his arm to
turn him toward his bed, As | often
did in these fits of sonambulism. but
he put me aside instantly, says Egg
gleson.
Listen! DO You hear that sum
mons? 1t is the death signal, %, for
the right of wire! Wait till catch
it"
He walked to the wire, dropped in.
to a seat, and, grasping a pencil, be-
gan to copy. with his ear turned
slightly toward the window and an
intent look on his face. as if he wa:
actually taking a message. l looked
over his shoulder and read the fol
lowing:
James Boynton. Rock Island, Ill.
Your mother died tonight of hear
failure. Come. LEROY BOYNToN.
He changed the position of his pen
ell and initiated the clicking of a tel
egraph instrument, as if sending ;
reply. and then fell back exhausted
EEgieson rubbed his hands, batheC
his face, and administered stimulant>
till he aroused. when he called for ;
delivery boy and urged Eggleson t.
forward the message to his brother
y Strange State of Affairs.
Eggleson told the mad man. t.
pacify him. that he would send it
He put il in his pocket, and was re
| lieved by another attendant, Al
hour later this second attendant wa
knocked down by Boynton, VIII,
made his escape. Eggleson went a
once to the depot. and found tina
Bovnton had already taken trail
for Favette, Iowa. He followed
him thither on the next train
The agent there said Mrs
Boynton had died very sudden
" the previous day of heart trouble
that he had sent message to hel
son in Rock Island, that he had ar
rived on the last train, and had Dor
rowed lantern and started for tn,
cemetery. The message was read t.
the astonished Eggleson, and it wa
an exact duplicate of the one he haC
in his poke. The man whom TIN
Favette agent had taken for Jane
Bovnton from Rock Island, Was TIL
insane man from Monticello. Hi
mothers body had been laid in tn
vault at the cemetery pending fulle
b funeral services later. Eggleson an'
} Others went to the cemetery, wher
they found that the insane man ha,
broken open the vault and easket
had taken the remains of his mothe
| in his arms. Soon the woman SHOWED
faint signs of life; liquor was forcet
into her mouth and she began t
breathe. Her son gathered her il
his arms and made wild rush wit
her. till he reached the Boyntol
home, where he kicked open tn
door, and laid his mother on bed
Then he sank exhausted, first havin;
heard her utter his name. She re
covered. Her son remained uncon
scious for y days. then awakened il
his right mind. His mother nurse,
him back to health.
| River Riplets.
The F. Weverhauser went up wit