Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-10-18
A MUSICAL MURDERER.
"a Physlolan's Bright Idoaior Prov
ing His Sanity.

nd LIS Sanity.
lie was the most interostiny mur.
aerer ever met. Before tho crimc bo
was private in my conponv and
squad, and even the captain t6ouoht
him an excellent trooper. DURING his
connheinent IN the post guardhousc,
winch lasted over month, his actions
were those Of acute mania, so that the
ohieer OF the guard did not enter his
cen ana The cooks police fed him bv
means of chute from above nbout |
the base of which the food had now
accumulated. for he would 20 for DAVIS |
at a time without eating.
lie was as restless as a hvcna and
paced his cell with n monotony of
movement almost hypnotic to one
watching him through the iron bars of
his cage. When sergeant of the guard
would lie on my bunl, and looI,
through the small, iron latticcd win
dow in the center Of the door that
opened into the prison room and sec
MN III his cell, where the view of his
legs and ieet was cut of bv the Intel
OF the window. Dimlv through its
IRON meshes | would watch the slow.
regular movements of his body MS It
passed from end to end of his cage,
ike huge pendulum, beating in death
strokes the time which elapsed until
IL must swing into eternity In spite
OF the horrors which it suggested, this
vision fascinated my attention, and if
watched for long seldom failed TO pro-
duce sleep, for the prisoner kept con.
stantly grooming the insistent meas
ures OF Mexican waltz.
All through the sultry night the SEN
try on number one could hear the sharp
click OF his steps on the concrete floor
OF his cell, beating regular accompani-
ment to the accented notes of this re-.
current strain. Before trial Davis, orr
surgeon, was ordered to examine the
prisoners sanity, and went with him.
lie was still pacing his cell and slowly
humming Sabre las olas."
1t was during this very waltz, played
by the Mexican orchestra the night of
the "bailc,' that he had brutally
butchered Corporal Jenkins with a
bowie knife, SO it struck me rs appro-
pirate that this same air should now
be monomania in his madness and
control his brain. As he paced his cell
he was beating time to the swing of
the waltz with a pencil by way of
baton. Davis asked the officer of the
guard to have the prisoner brought
into the general prison room, but the
latter replied that the man was raving
mad and that it was folly to think of
letting him from his cell or Of sending
men to enter IT, Davis then asked for
the key, quietly unlocked the cage and
opened it. AS he did so the prisoner
wheeled in his promenade and sprang
toward him. Davis stepped quickly
aside and struck him half blow be-
hind the ear which felled him. Then
we carried him into the general prison
room, where Davis made examination,
during which the prisoner wrcnched
for freedom with nervous, weaken
ing strength, as, assisted by file of
the guard, held him pinioned to the
floor. "Thc man seems insane" said
Davis, speaking quietly to the officer
of the guard "Does anyone know the
exact hour and minute at which the
stabbing of Corporal jenkins oc-
currcd?"
ut was exactly eleven o'clock" re-
piled the officer of the guard, "Sergt.
Morrow stated in examination before
the colonel that taps was sounding at
the post just as he entered the dance
room and that at that moment the
stabbing occurred"
"Werc they playing sabre las olas'
at the time?" Davis asked lreplied
that Sergt. Morrow had told me they
were. had mentioned to Morrow
that Henderson raved constantly in
this tune. "Ah, thenr' said Davis,
speaking in low tone to the officer
of the guard, 'thcn understand his
case. This is very peculiar case OF
monomania. The waltz, the dominant
sound during the act of murder, will
rule his waking hours day and night,
for it was then the madness struck in
and photographed it on the brain. In
this form of insanity the brain acts
like the sensitive plate of a phono
graph to receive the ruling sound OF
the moment and will repeat it inces
sanity until the brain wears itself out
If the madness be complete there will
be but one break; that will occur al
exactly eleven o'clock, when the pris
oner will cease humming the walt
and reenact the tragedy. After few
moments the impression Of the muir
der will pass away, when he vii
again resume the waltz
Twas impressed with the clear state
ment Davis made on what seemed tt
bo a critical case. Lient, -, Officer
of the guard was also struck by 1t
for he asked if he should send The
prisoner into hospital. NO" replied
Davis, keep him confined in his cell
and without being observed water
him closely about eleven o'clock 10
the completing symptoms. You cal
renort to me at sick call in the morn
ing" Then he replaced Henderson II
his cell, who at once took up III
musical pIVhiSh"
was detailed that night to watcl
him. and did so from my bunk IN Tn
guardroom. had cautioned tn
trumpeter of the guard to warn m
quietly when he left the guaruhous
to blow "taps." All through the even
ing witnessed the same monotonou
movement and listened to the sam
monotonous waltz, chanted slowly a
always before. At intervals ! won ~
rouse myself and step outside tn
souadroom and stand in the cool sally
Dor. to assure myself that was awak
and my vision unimpaired' so drows
would become under the EFFORT
strained attention. must finally hay
fallen asleep, for The trumpete
touched me on the shoulder an
startled me. did not see HIM enter