The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-03-28
CHARMED BY AWALTZ

CHARMED BY AWALTZ
He was the most interesting murderer
! ever met Before the crime he was q
private in my company and squad, and
even the captain thought him an excel
lent trooper. During his confinement in
the post guardhouse, which lasted over
q month, his actions were those Of acute
mania, 80 that the officer of the guard
did not enter his cell, and the cook 's po-
lice fed him by means Of q chute from
above, about the base Of which the food
had now accumulated, for he would 60
for days at time without eating.
He was restless as hyena and paced
his cell with monotopy off, movement
almost hypnotic to one watching him
through the iron bars Of his cage.
When sergeant Of the guard, would
lie on my bunk and look through the
small iron latticed window in the CEN
ter Of the door that opened into the pris-
on 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 SEN
t:y IN No. ] could hear the sharp click
of his steps on the concrete floor of his
cell. beating regular accompaniment to
the accented notes of a Mexican waltz.
Before trial Davis, our surgeon, was
ordered to examine the prisoners sani-
ty. 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 brutality butch
cred Corporal Jenkins with a bowie
knife, 50 it struck me as appropriate
that this same air should now be q
monomania in his madness and control
his brain. As he paced his cell he was
beating time to the swing of 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 SO the prisoner wheeled in his prom
enade and sprang toward him. Davis
stepped quickly aside and struck him a
half bloY behind the ear which felled
him. Then we carried him into the gen.
eral prison room, where Davis made ex-
animation, during which the prisoner
wrenched for freedom with nervous,
weakening strength, as, assisted by a
file Of the guard, held him pinioned
to the floor
1.-The man seems insane, said Davis,
speaking quietly to the officer of the
guard. docs any one know the exact
hour and minute at which the stabbing
of Corporal Jenkins occurred?'
1T was exactly II o'clock" replied
the officer of the guard. Sergeant Nor
row stated in examination before the
colonel that taps was sounding at the
post just as he entered the danceroom,
and that at that moment the stabbing
occurred.
Were they playing Sabre las Oias'
at the timer" Davis asked. | replied
that Sergeant Morrow had told me they
were. had mentioned to Morrow that
Henderson raved constantly in this tune.
'Ah, then," said Davis, speaking in
low tone to the officer Of the guard,
''then understand his case. This is a
very peculiar form Of nonomania. 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 insani-
ty 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 If the madness be complete, there
will be but one break. That will occur
at exactly IL O'Clock, when the prisoner
will cease humming the waltz and re-
enact the tragedy. After a few moments
the impression of the murder will pass
away, when he will again resume the
waltz
was impressed by the clear state
ment Davis made on what seemed to me
a most difficult case Lieutenant --,
officer Of the guard, was also struck by
it, for he asked if he should send the
prisoner into the hospital
mo-" replied Davis Keep him
confined in his cell and without being
observed watch him closely about IL
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 mu-
steal promenade.
was detailed that night 10 watch
him and did so from my bunk in the
guardroom. had cautioned the trum-
peter Of the guard to warn me quietly
when he left the guardhouse to blow
"tapa" All through the evening !
witnessed the same monotonous move
ment and listened to the same monoto-
nous waltz, chanted slowly as always
before At intervals would rouse my
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