The evening times., 1896-08-22
HAS SIGHT LIKE An OWLS
Henry Lanner Blind as a Bat
in Daytime.
HAS BEEN so FOR TEN YEARS
While Working In a Foundry a
Shower of Molten Metal Was Flung
Into His Face and Eyes-Walked
All the Way From Denver to Phil
adeIphia to Be Treated.

Philadelphia, Aug GAN uneanny call
er CROPPED his way into the office OF the
Presbyterian Hospital yesterday afternoon
and asked for an .'eye doctor" He gave
his name as Henry c. Lanner, and the re-
porters haunting the hospital for news
christened him the human bat" He Is
blind in the daylight, at night his vision
Is clear and undinned, and he is seeking
treatment that may reverse this condition
of cyesight to the normal and infinitely
more convenient arrangement.
Lanuer said that he had walked from
Denver, Col. travelling by night and sleep
ing when daylight came to dazzle him.
He did not look like hobo" despite
his long sojouru ION the road" He was
a man OF more than sixty years, tall bent,
and gaunt, and burned by the sun as
brown as an Indian. His clothes were
well kept and neat. and be looked thor
oughly respectable. Small bundles of as
sorted sizes and dusty yalise We're tied
together and tucked urder one arm, Con-
stituting the baggage in toto of the "hn-
man bat"
HIS EYEsIGHT CHANGED.
There is no staff of oculists at tie Pres
byterian Hospital, and the office clerk gaze
Lanner a card to the Pol yclinic Hospital, at
1918 Lombard street.
The story OF the wanderer ran like this:
Hishome was in Denver, from which place
he had tramped his way. Ten years ago he
was working in a foundry, when a sho wer
OF molten iron struck his face and both
eyes. He was carried 10 a hospital. stone
blind, and when the wounds had healed
and the bandages could be removed both
eyes were sightIess- He tried to recoaciic
himself TO this awful affliction through the
first day after the wrappings had been
taken from b is eyes.
That night, however, happening to a wake
after the light had been put out In his
roorn, he found TO his anazement that he
could see every object about him distinctly,
chairs. books the figu on the wall paper
and carpet were seen; as plainly as he had
formerly beheld them in the daytime. He
lay awake until morning, over!oyed as a
man brought out of living grave. But as
the light OF dawn flooded through his win
dows the world became dark to him, md
he Could SEE nothing when the morning light
became strong.
READ PAPER IN THE DARK.
The next night he found that he could
read a newspaper In the darkness and
write letters, while in the day he could
only dinlly recognize the outlines Of peo-
pie and buildings.
For ten years his eyesight has remained
In this extraordinary condition He has
been employed as night watchman in
Danvar 10 ccyeral yo,rS IN which ocor
pation he found excellent opportunity for
his peculiar gift No darness or black
alleys could hide suspicious skulker from
his owl ike vision. and he never had any
use for a dark lantern
There are many vocations at which
Lanuer might have won great success
as a policeman. detective or sea cap
tain. for example. In time of war his
presence with an attacking fleet or army
would be worth his weight in gold Put
the old man is a religious fanatic, and
he feels that he is diviDely called to preacft
in tile streets and whereve there are listen
ers He is wandering over the country.
preaching and receiving contributions
enough to keep him in feed, clothes and
shelter.
LIKE AN OWL.
II am like an owl" he said, mourn
fully. 1T is great affliction- All the
way, In my months of trampinG from Den
yer. had to sleep In the da ytinIe and walk
at night. 1t was very lonely, for, althou IN
could see perfectly well, every one else
was asleep. and the roads and houses were
without signs nf life
"This affliction has been put on me as
punishment for my wrong-doing. 1t is
the hand of G cd. laid heavily upon ME for
my sins done long ago.
II am a warning to the thoughtlesS and
| wicked. I am cut off from the society OF
| men. like leper. They are asleep when
wander over the earth. branded for my
sins''
The mans eyes looked like those OF on,
| hopeIessly blind The lids of one wer,
J SCARED and reddened as il they had beer
scalded Over the other eye there was q
white film a from n cataract. He felt hi:
| way along the hospital corridor with hi;
stick. and started to find the Polytechnic
| Hospital.
OCCLIST UNABLE TO HELP.
He said that no oculist had been able t.
| help him, but that he h ad an idea that re
lief was waiting for him in Philadelphia
| He was seen standing on a street corner
| little while later talking TO crowd abou
salvation. He did rot go to the Polyclini
last night. and the doctors at that hospita
hope that he will turn up today that the.
may make tests to learn how much trutl
there is in the story. Such cases are r',
corded, but mostof them have been forms ol
| hysteria. Lanner was not examined by
doctor ut the Presbyterian Hospital. ant
they may have missed the opportunity t.
study u rare and interesting case in thi
! "human bat"
-r-ccrrv c.cr nENJES TT