The Penn's Grove record., 1896-11-06
JAMES INCH'S DOWNFALL.

Mr.. Inch crouched low In his seat and
was passed by. Mr.. Blank. notebook In
hand, sang out. 'Forty-nine," just as
the keeper escorted a man to the plat
form and called. That's all"
There must be another" said the
doctor, neryously.
You counted wrong" said the keep
eF.
NO, I'm sure I'm right, but I'll count
them again" said DIR. Blank, and he
did so, with the result that his first hg-
uring vas correct.
One man was missing. There could
be no doubt about that. The a had
only yielded forty-nine men.
search the car" called out the doc
tor, and the keeper proceeded to do SO.
The first man he encountered was Mr.
Inch, who, having made up his mind
that sufficient time had elapsed to rem
der 1t safe for him to leave the car. had
risen and was making for the door.
Hello" exclaimed the keeper, "how
did you get hereT"
II Just walked In from the other
ear" replied Mr.. Inch. with dignity.
Didn't see a man hide himself
around this car anywhere, did your"
Now it happened that some minutes
before the train reached Parlor City
the red-beaded man who sat next to
Mr.. Inch had slid to the floor, and cud.
died himself up under the seat. Mr..
Inch had seen him do 1t, and had mar
veled at the mans ability to stay in one
position so long. To tell OF this Incl
dent, however, was to admit that he had
been In the car for some time, which
would scarcely do, 30 he simply said in
a one Of mild astonsihment:
"See a man hide himself? How ridic-
uIous," and the keeper. impressed by
his tone, passed by and started search
Ing at the upper end of the car.
Mr.. Inch continued toward the door,
reached the platform, and stepped
slowly down. Mr.. Inch's personal ap-
pearance was not what 1t usually was.
A night In a country hotel, with neither
hair brush nor comb in the morning,
showed on him. Contact with the
elbow of e lunatic behind him had put
n most disreputable looking dent In his
derby. His appearance was altogether
bad enough to Justify DR.. Blanks ex-
ciamation of:
"Ah, here he Is. This way, my
friend" which he made when he saw
Mr.. Inch descending to the platform.
Mr.. Inch heard the remark, but paid
no attention to 1t. Instead of obeying,
he quickened his pace toward the other
end of the platform, but before he had
gone a dozen yards DR.. Blank was
alongside.
This way, my friend" said DIR.
Blank, swinging Mr.. Inch around by
the arm,
What do you mean, STRIP said Mr..
Inch.
Keep quiet, now, keep very quiet"
said the doctor, ~soothingiy. "Itu be
all right II you keep quiet"
why should l keep quiet when q
%loafer grabs me by the arm ana swings
me around as though l were a log Of
] woodF' cried Mr.. Inch, Indignantly.
"Get back into line" said DR.. Blank.
"Get back into line, and let's end this
nonsense" and he grabbed Mr.. Inch
by the collar and proceeded to drag
him down the platform.
Mr.. Inch lost his temper then, and
swung his right around toward his
captor's Jaw with vicious violence.
The blow landed. and so did a second
and third, sent in with equal precision.
DR.. Blank hung on, though slightly
dazed. He couldn't hit tha man back.
There is a State rule forbidding keep
| ers or doctors to strike an insane per-
son, no matter what the provocation.
The doctors have but n mode Of de
, Tense. 1t is the hypodermic injection.
and each doctor carries a syringe load
ed with a special preparation which
will take all the life out Of a man In
FIVE minutes. cause him to sleep for
several hours, and bring him around
after his slumber in a decidedly weak
mental condition.
While DR.. Inch was banging DR..
Blank on the nose and Jaw, the doc
tor was maneuvering with his free
hand for his syringe. While the strug-
gle went on the keepers kept their eyes
on the other insane men. They couldn't
leave them to go to the DOCTORS assist.
nee. The struggle was apt to excite
them, and a general outbreak was to be
prevented above all things.
DIR. Blank vas vas getting played out
when he managed to reach his syringe,
haul 1t out, and jab 1t into Mr.. Inch's
neck. The effect Of the injection was
instantaneous.
! Pm stabbed" yelled Mr.. Inch, slap
, ping both hands TO his neck and drop
ping.
Pm d-n glad of it." remarked Dr.
Blank. You're the toughest one l ever
tackled" and he motioned to a keeper,
who was coming toward him on a run
to come faster.
We've found the other man." said
the keeper. when he came up.
"Of course we have" said the doc
tor, with sarcastic emphasis on the
we"
HE was under a seat in the car"
went on the keeper. You've made g
bad break here" he went on in q low
tone. Come up here, and let's get
away"
"Great Scottp' reared the doctor,
Isn't this n Of u menT"
NO" said the keeper. Hes a cit.
zen who wandered into the car"
Lets cut this quick" said the doc
tor. Tell the boys to march around to
the north of the depot and III join you
there" and away went the doctor In
n direction. while the keeper went
down the platform.
So much Interest had been manifsst-
ed in the crowd of insane men that few