The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-02-16
B ~ ssessss s 49,.
|:k{8l | ] :
CHARMED BY A WALTZ,

NaVo III my COMPANY anu SIldu anu even
the captain thought him an excellent
trooper. During his confinement in the
post guardhouse, which lasted over a
month, his actions were those of acute
mania, so that the officer of the guard did
not enter his cell, and the cooks police fed
him by means of chute from above,
about the base of which the food had now
accumulated, for he would 90 for days with
out eating.
He was restless as hyena and placed his
cell with monotony Of movement almost
hypnotic to one watching him through the
iron bars of his cage. When sergeant OF
the guard, I would lie on my bunk and
look through the small iron latticed VIM
dow in the center Of the door that opened
into the prison room and see him in his
CELL where the view of his legs and feet
was cut off by the Intel of the window.
All through the sultry night the sentry
on No. |, could hear the sharp click of his
steps on the concrete floor of his cell, beat
ing regular accompaniment to the accented
notes of Mexican waltz Before trial
Davis, our surgeon, was ordered to examine
the prisoners sanity, and went with him.
He 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
"baile," that he had brutally butchered
Corporal jenkins with bowie knife, so it
struck me as appropriate that this same air
should now be a monomania in his mad
ness and control his brain. As he paced
his cell he was beating time to the swing o.
the waltz with 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 50 the prisoner
wheeled in his promenade and sprang
toward him. Davis stepped quickly aside
and struck him IA blow behind the ear
which felled him. Then we carried him
into the general prison room, where Davis
made examination, during which the prs-
oner wrenched for freedom with nervous,
weakening strength. as, assisted by a file
of the guard held him pinioned to the
floor.
speaking quietly to the officer of the guard.
"Does any one know the exact hour and
minute at which the stahbing of Corporal
jenkins occurred ~
at was exactly II O'Clock " replied the
officer of the guard. Sergeant Morrow
stated in examination before the Colonel
that taps was sounding at the post just as
he entered the danceroom, and at that
moment the stabbing occurred"
"Were they playing Sabre las Olas' at
the time?" Davis asked. | replied that
Sergeant Morrow had told me they Were
| had mentioned to Morrow that Hender
son raved constantly in this tune.
"Ah, them" said Davis, speaking in a
low tone to the officer of the guard, 'then
l understand his case. This is very pecu-
liar form of monomona. 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 monograph to receive the ruling
sound of the moment and will repeat it
necessarily until the brain wears itself out.
IL the madness he complete, there will be
but one break. That will occur ut exactly
II O'Clock, when the prisoner will cease
humming the waltz and re-enact the
tragedy. After a few moments the impress
sion of the murder will pass away, when
he will again resume the waltz
was impressed by the clear statement
Davis made on what seemed to me a most
difficult clse. lirtrnant -, officer of
the guard. was also struck by it, for he
asked if he should send the prisoner into
the hospital.
"No," replied Davis. keep him con
fined in his cell and without being observed
watch him closely about II o'clock for the
completing symptoms. You can report to
me at sick call in the morning" Then he
replaced Henderson in his cell, who at once
took up his musical promenade
was detailed that night to watch him
and did 50 from my bunk in the guard
room. had cautioned the trumpeter of
the guard to warn me quietly when he left
the guardhOuse to blow taps All
through the evening witnessed the same
monotorous movement and listened to the
same monotonous waltz, chanted slowly as
always before. At intervals would rouse
myself and step outside the squadroom and
stand in the cool sally port to assure my
self that | was awake and my vision unim
prired so drowsy would | become under
the effort of strained attention. | must
finally have fallen asleep, for the trumpeter
touched me on the shoulder and startled
me. did not see him enter, but could
have sworn was still viewing Henderson, s