The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1895-01-23
BY A WALTZ

CHARMED BY A WALTZ
He was the most interesting murderer
| ever met Before the crime he was
private in mS company and squad, and
even the captain thought him an excel
lent trooper. During his confinement in
the post guardhouse, which lasted over
month, his actions were those of acute
mania, SO 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 go
for days at time without eating
He was restless as hyena and paced
his cell with 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 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
try on No l could hear the sharp click
of his steps on the concrete floor of his
cell, beating regular accompaniment to
the accented notes of Mexican waltz.
Before trial Davis, our surgeon, was
ordered to examine the prisoners SAM
ty, and l 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 butch
cred Corporal jenkins with bowie
knife, SO it struck me as appropriate
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 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 1t
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
half blow 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
wrenohed for freedom with nervous.
bon inc CT 10Th nc hU a
file of the guard, ! held him pinioned
to the floor.
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 oceurred?"
1T was exactly IL 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 Olas'
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
a low tone to the officer of the guard,
"then understand his case. This is
very peculiar form Of monomania- The
waltz, tho 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 monograph to receive the ruling
sound of the moment and will repeat it
necessarily until the brain wears itself
out II 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 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
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
NO." replied Davis. Keep him
confined 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 mu-
steal promenade.
was detailed that night 70 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
"taps 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
self and step outside the squadroom and
stand in the cool sally port to assure my.
self that was awake and my vision
unimpaired, 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 en-
ter, but could have sworn was still
viewing Henderson's movements in the
cage
Iplaced my face against the latticed
window, looking into his cage. which
he was still mechanically pacing Then,
as the first note of "taps" sounded, he
stopped and reared as quickly as stag
is startled when he first hears hostile
shot that has struck wide and knows
not whence it came. The waltz ceased,
and in moment had all but seen the
stabbing Of Jenkins Then, as always
before, the waltz again.
In the morning / reported. 1t was
clearly case of acute madness, or no
one who ever performed tour Of guard
duty with Henderson had ever seen
Madness but to our establishment and
horror the post surgeon thought other
wise and SO officially reported.
The colonel was furious He had in