The Monticellonian., 1894-09-28


 but could have sworn was still view ing Hendersons movements in the cage
 placed my face against the lat ticed window, looking into hi- cage, which he was still mechanically pacing. Then, as the first nots of taps sounded, he stopped and reared as quickly as stag is startled when he first hears a hostile shot that has struck wide and knows not whence it came. The waltz ceased, and in 8 mo ment had all but seen the stabbing of Jenkins-then, as always before, the waltz again.
 In the morning l reported. It was clearly case of acute madness. or no one who ever performed tour of 1 guard duty with Henderson had ever l seen madness, but to our astonish- ment and horror the post surgeon 1 thought otherwise. and 50 officially re- 1 ported
 The colonel was furious He had in- spected the man--thc man was mad! He called mp Davis and informed him of these facts. Davis replied. firmly: ''The man is sane, colonel; and so re- ported" 'He's not sane" the com mander retorted. Why influence me l to stir up a civil murder trlal, which l disintcgrates a command and disturbs 1 discipline? He should be sent to an asylum!s Ten years ago Davis would have explained patiently and at length why he thought Henderson sane, but since those callow days he had once offered gratuitous informa- tion to a superior in command, so he said, simply: eH m not influencing you to anything, colonel, unless it is per hitting you to do your duty by doing mine. " Davis spoke with the gentle 1 firmness of one struggling to be respect ful, and showed the effect of severe staff training in duty by the despotism of absolute command. The word permitting" had been delicate ly chosen and passed below the colonel's guard. That will do, doe tor,' said the colonel, st fiiy, his color rising as Davis left the office Even after Arizona service has killed your respect for man his opinions are still entitled to it, for they are the result of experiences that have cost the man. Yet my faith i'll Davis weakened. It takes more than five years confidence in d human being to outweigh our own faIIible deductions, even on sub jcet of which we are vafiouslv igno- rant The egotism of being rational is So pleasingly pleasant! Still the the colonel sent Henderson to civil trial and bullied Davis in the hope that he would stop it.
 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. l was witness in that mans ease today and the man is mad and the court and everyone knows it except you, who of all per sons should know it. From the te5ti- mony the jury must convict, which means the man shall be hung. l 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 tion before the verdict Would you have crazy man hung?'
 .fhe mans as sane as you are. col oneI; and even granting he is not which don't-the class of insanity which he affects if real, would be sub- seauent to the act. so he would be punishable whenever reason or lucid interval reappeared. Itwould be only a little too kind to hang him now, that is all, replied the surgeon So the trial concluded and Henderson was sentenced to be hanged. On petition of tlYe jury the judge granted a stay of e%echtion until medical experts could "i ,ummoned from San Francisco. )slttGe, after consultation with Davis, I en,ouneed the prisoner sane.
 { ring the week lefore the day set III lis execution Henderson confessed Ichmeigned insanity to me while l was of eyg him some tobacco and said that
 1t kindly toward everyone for his 10 tment in trial except that post I spieon, who had played it on him that
 light hang. If l only had my ''"i ty long enough to kill Davis, he 'ieanlo me one day, I'd die happy. that had been good to him;
 etched him some clean clothes |, as obacco, and that he would re- me Then he outlined how he ss hasnled a Mexican miner near Las id avs, three years before, hut that he
 :. obbed him of but half of his lts gold and that he bad intended proturn for the balance and had ,,,oo done so. Then he gave minute
 tons as to place and exact locality Meh'nount of the buried treasure. m th.nderson, l asked, when he had ..; ed, are you still crazy, or are '''N ' nly lying?'
 ltry ither," he said, simply. As self the scaffold I'll incline my head
 td you, which is to affirm, in the Sefi'n nee of eternity, that speak the ime,
 on3 : day before the execution he ''. ne that he had forgiven everyone, .cM T Davis who had only done his M and to tell him that now he in SCHGim to come and see him hanged. - my discharge actually went D. )eming mp to Las Cruces and u oy 'ed the rascars directions, but mt Me no buried money, though old rorn+ had been murdered, as stated.
 @ 1y afterward met Dr. Davis and lnstltnim of my ease. He laughed pleasantly and then asked him, "Doctor, would you mind telling me how you could be so certain that Hen derson was not really insane?"