New-York tribune., 1896-11-22
THE STORY or 4 PRECIOUS ROGUE.
HIS DESPERATE EXPEDIENT TO MAINTAIN
HIS STANDING AS AN EPILEPTIC-THE
REWARD OF HIS TALENTS

DR.. Robert Stafford Newton tells interesting
story OF an impostor VINO SUCCESSFULLY fegned epi-
lepsy for a great number Of years. in spite Of the
fact that he watched by the most skilful
neurologsts
How to feign epileptc fits foims a necessary part
Of the education of many criminals in Europe and
America. In England whore it has been success
fully worked for great many years. and Is well
known the police the feigning of epilepsy Is
called throwing Of fits and dummy-chucking' 1t
is invariably worked in threes after this formula
Two men, evidently friends. walking along the
street when suddenly of them falls in epi-
Ieptic The friend OF the sick pretends to be
greatly worried and gives all of his attention to the
resuscltation Naturally enough crowd gathers
around. The third man lifts pocketbooks and
watches and makes off with them.
There IL one man whose feigner OF
epilepsy is most remarkable. This mans name
Craig and my first Knowledge Of him was when
was connected with the Whitechapel Road House
Hospital the biggest hospital in England. 1t had
been noticed that whenever Craig fell in nj In tho
streets of London reports wore sent in to the police
Of money and jewelry lost. He was more than sus-
pected. and was into the hospital. both to be
treated and watched This man was perfect fraud.
but he was so well up In his acting that, though he
was most carefully watched he escaped detection
lie was a valuable man. but perhaps his pals feared
that the London police had too close eye their
movements. AT all events. Craig next heard OF
IN America JDc ola lOflNult WIS lcpcdteu, Hc icit
IN fits and valuabcs stolen were reported to the
police He was shifted around from hospital to
hospital and careful watch was kept upon him.
both when ho was IN OF these fits and in the
time OF their intermission.
Craig began to think that a coup dc theatre was
necessary to save his reputation He was at this
time confined in a hospital. and was in one OF the
upper wards in the front part OF the building There
were doors that opened out on a balcony This bali
cony was thirty yeght feet from the ground. and at
its base there a solid stone pavement Epilep-
tics are usually dull. stupid sort Of people even
when not In and Craig feigned this stupidity as
we'll as the other symptoms OF the disease. He WAS
allowed to wander al Jut the hospital pretty much
as he pleased. and every once In while down ne
would fall in a ft The doctors had not discovered
his fraud hut Craig felt more than uneasy at the
way he was watched and suspected. One morning
he got up from his chair, and. with dazed sort OK
a look at the same time putting his hands up to his
head he staggered toward the balcony and tune
bled over backward-down. down. the fun thirty.
eight feet TO the stone pavement below Wheh no
was picked up 1t found that ono OF his wrists
was broken, and that he was otherwise huFts
though wonderful tell. not seriously or course.
this settled In the minds OF the doctors the doubt
,hat had previously existed as whether he was
fraud or not The thing worked exactly as Cray
had planned that 1t should and in course OF time
Once again the outside. ne WORKED sucvessiu"S
The old game OF f,s and pocket t-picking In threes
"Once more he was taken up and sent 10 the nos
n,tal Here a young doctor set for himself the task
nf watching this clever rogue. lie had every symp.
TOM. he would froth at the mouth; biood wouH
strcam from his tongue that he had bitten IN hiS
convulsions; there seemed nothing wanting III reA.
enilepsy Bat this young doctor kept his Visii and
patience had it's reward .., 49,
lone day Just as Craig was goirg through tne
nrelminaries before falling-the LOOKING dazeo tho
stowiv attempting TO fight OF the coming spasms.
tho ciinching OF the hands-the young doctor VINO
was watching him observed that. instead oil Closing
The hands with the fingers over the thumbs. as
would have been the case necessarily In true ept'
,snsv-for the thumb, having the shorter muscle
MIST feel the contracting force trst-Crag shut his
hands with the aingers the inside OF the thumbs
The doctor gave him a gentle kick In the side. ana
said: 'That'll do Craig. I've caught you. You are
a fraud. You've dcne your tricks well, ana Ior
long time but your time Is up: II you had been
tru9 epileptc just little better read In medi-
cine. you would have closed the fingers over me
thumbs Without a single protest, craig straigns.
ened up and said, Well knew IL WIS ooo'u ="
come some time " ~
What became Of the man.?
'Oh his talents found market lie was 80 ven
known had been written up for the meuicat
iournais OF both Europe and America, that the
doctors hired him go before medical students
md demonstrates to them how epilepsy could De
feicned and also to explain how these pretenders
were taught in England and elsewhere TO coun;
terfeit the frohng at the mouth they used stnasI
lion they could swallow both soap and froth. Wtn
tongue which would simulate the bitins OF soss