Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-08-23
CLEARING UP A MYSTERY
Strange Story of Maniac Who Wa,
Supposed to Have Killed His Wife

John Darby, who has for many Yeas
been considered hopelessly insane L
once more in his right mind, and the
return OF reason GRABBED him to give
the solution of his wife's death which
has long remained mystery, says tie
Reno, New, correspondent of the Gin.
cinnati Enquirer She was supposed
to have been murdered, as her BODY
was found badly mutilated and partly
covered with earth, while her husband
was caught roaming through the for
est with an Ak on his shoulder, a raw.
ing maniac. The woman was killed
and the man crazed in a fight with a
bear. In detail 1t is perhaps the most
pathetic story of life ever known, and
would furnish theme for noyelists
pen John Darby came 10 California
when boy, 30 years ago, travelling
with his father and mother the
former an Invalid seeking a climate
He died suddenly in the little town
of Grass Valley His widow could not
survive the shock, and in a few days
she rested by the side of her husband
leaving the son, then but IA years Of
age, alone In the world without friends
or money, all of their means having
been exhausted in the expenses Of the
sickness and death of the parents
The boy worked at anything he could
do, drifting eventually into Nevada
Here he met a girl as poor as himself,
and they were married, going to house
keeping in small cabin with few
acres of cleared land around ii. They
prospered on the little place, and II
used TO be common expression
among the settlers of that community,
las happy as John and Mary Darby
One day young pig disappeared.
then another, and another, and bear
tracks We're seen. The husband and
wife started together to hunt me war
mint" he carrying the az and she til
rifle, with which she was IN expen
John in some way became separated
from his wife, and was some distance
ahead OF her when he was suddenly
confronted by bear. 1t was too close
quarters for a fight with nothing but
an AK as weapon, and he climbed
tree, calling to his wife to be care
full, that the bear was there. In some
way she misunderstood him and
thought that he wanted her, Not
suspecting that the bear was there
she was within few, feet of the ami
NAL before she saw him. Hastily
raising the rifle the woman fired, but
only succeeded in maddening the
brute, and moment later he was
crushing her in his ponderous paws
The husband, when he saw his wifes
fate, jumped from the tree to get bis
ak, but the animal had carried hls
victim into a thicket, and the man.
crazed with grief, could not find him
1t was noticed that the Darby house
was open, and yet no one appearea
to be there, and in few days a search
was made, resulted in finding the ma'
tilated body of the woman In the
thicket and the marks of the DEAN
struggle. The next day the husband
was seen roaming through the woo@
with an ak upon his shoulder alter
nately moaning and shrieking. he
was captured by strategy, several mel
appearing in front of him to attrac'
his attention, while others lassoed DIE
from behind. For five years he was
a raying maniac, but two years asO
he began to show signs of returning
reason, and is now cured, but Is :
broken-down old man at the age q
45 years, and will never again be ~
for work. His recollection is vivid W
to the moment that the bear seized Dc
wife. while beyond that he Remembers
nothing.