Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-10-18

came. The waltz ceased, and in mo-
mcnt had all but seen the stabbing
OF Jenkins-then, as always before,
the waltz again.
In the morning. reported. IL was
clearly case of acute Madness or no
one who ever performed tour of
guard duty with Henderson had ever
socn madness, but to our astonish-
inent and horror the post surgeon
thought otherwise, and so officially ro-
ported.
The colonel was furiousl lie had in
spcotcd the mantle man was madl
He called up Davis and informed him
of these facts, Davis replied, firmly:
THE man is sane, colonel; and SO re-
ported" Hes not sanel' the COM
mandcr retorted. "Why influence me
to stir up civil murder trial, which
disintegrates command and disturbs
discipline? lie should be sent to an
nsylum!" Ten years ago Davis would
have explained patiently and at
length why he Thought Henderson
sane, but since those callow days no
had once offered gratuitous informa-
ton to superior in command, SO he
said, simply: "Tm not influencing yoato
anything, colonel, unless it is per-
hitting you to do your duty by doing
mime" Davis spoke with the gentle
firmncss of one struggling to be respect
full, and showed the effect of severe
staff training in duty.untainted by the
despotism of absolute command. The
word permitting" had been delicate
ly chosen and passed below the
coloncfs guard. That will do, doc.
tor" said the colonel, stiflly, his color
rising as Davis left the Office. Even
after Arizona service has killed your
respect for u man his opinions arc still
entitled to it, for they are the result
of experiences that have cost the man.
Yet my faith in Davis weakened. 1t
takes more than five years confidence
in human being to outweigh our
own falliblc deductions, even on sub.
ject of which we are variously igno
rant. The egotism of being rational
is so pleasingly pleasant! Still the
the colonel sent Henderson to civil
trial and 6ullied Davis in the hope
that he would stop i.
The trial was held near the post and
many attended it. Before it proceeded
to the arraignment the court sum
moned Davis for an opinion. Again
the same reports he had made so con-
fidently to the colonel, Every one was
dissatisfied and the court proceeded to
trial. The colonel again called Davis
up "Davis," said he, bluntly, "this
has gone far enough. was witness
in that mans case to-day and the man
is mad and the court and everyone
knows it except you, who of all per-
sons should know it, From the testi-
mony the jury must convict, which
means the man shall be hung. don't
want man of my regiment hung un.
less I'm convinced that he deserves it,
Now stop your professional stubborn
ness and request some one in consulta
ton before the verdict. Would you
have q crazy man hungP"
1.-THE mans as sane as you are, col
onel; and even granting he is not
which don't-the class Of insanity
which he affects, if real, would be sub
sequcnt to the act, so he would bC
punishable whenever reason or lucit
interval reappeared. 1t would be only
little too kind to hang him now, tina
is ALL" replied the surgeon. So tn,
trial concluded and Henderson wa
sentenced to be hanged. On petition
of the jury the judge granted stay o
execution until medical experts coul(
be summoned from San Francisco
These, after consultation with Davis
pronounced the prisoner sane.
During the week before the day Sc
for his execution Henderson confessed
his feigned insanity to me while l wa
taking him some tobacco, and said tina
he felt kindly toward everyone for hi
treatment in trial except that pos
surgeon, who had played it on him tina
he might hang. ''If l only had m.
liberty long enough to kill Davis" h
said to me one day, I'D die happy.
He said that l had been good to him;
had fetched him some clean clothe
and tobacco, and that he would re
ward me. Then he outlined how h
had killed Mexican miner near La
Cruces, three years before, but that h
had robbed him of but half of hi
buried gold and that he had intende
to return for the balance and ha
never done so. Then he gave minut
directionsas to place and exact localit
and amount of the buried treasure,
"Henderson," asked, when he ha
finished, are you still crazy, or ar
you only lying?"
Neither" he said, simply. "As
mount the scaffold I'll incline my hea
toward you, which is to affirm, in til
presence of eternity, that | speak tn
truth"
The day before the execution h
told me that he had forgiven everyon
even Davis, who had only done h
duty, and to tell him that now he il
vited him to come and see him hange'
After my discharge | actually wei
from Deming up to Las Cruces an
followed the rascal's directions, bl
found no buried money, though o.
Perez had been murdered, as state
Shortly afterward met DR.. Davis al
told him of my case. He laughC
pleasantly and then ! asked hir
Doctor, would you mind telling n
how you could be SO certain that He
derson was not really insane?"
"Why, you should know that"
said, with a slight twinkle. "TC
helped me establish the fact. Do W
; recall that gave you a diagnosis
his case before his cell and had "
placed on guard to observe the col
: pleting symptoms?'
YES, but he really showed them"
!. $50 would you had you been feigniI
insanity, as he was doing, and owe
heard me and believed, as until nc
T you evidently did believe, that spol
4 the truth"
:, now understood Henderson's e