The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-11
STRANGE ALBERT DIEFFENDERFER.
He Can Initiate the Rightly of Death and
Endure Pain without WincinE.

He Can Initiate the Rightly of Death and
Endure Pain without WincinR.
READING. Pa. Dec. 10.-At Hinkletown. a
small village ten miles from here toward the
Ephrata hills. the police have Just recaptured
Albert Dieffenderfer. Dieffenderfer can throw
himself into a cataleptic state at will can imi-
tate a mesmeric subject perfectly: can appear
rs II dead can suffer needles to be thrust into
his body: can endure hot irons placed at his
feet. and can resist electric shocks. the sud-
den dash OF cold water. a plunge into ice water
and other rough and unusual treatment, all
without wincing or showing a sign OF life. He
deceived the Lancaster county officials for four
months so completely TINT he was transferred
from the Jail whore he was confined to the hos
pital. Finally one night recently his oppor-
tunity arrived. and when morning dawned tho
supposed unconscious cataleptic had disap-
peared.
Dieffenderfer comes from a good family. but
when still a lad q few years ago was sent to the
Huntingdon Reformatory. There he excited
unusual attention among the boys by his imi-
tations OF death. He could undergo about any
sort of punishment. and had such control OF his
nerves that he could endure pain and even tor
ture WITHOUT wincing, He was on his good
Ss shoIs and h sSnt Se;m sn to R Sis ps naal,iy IN 5G Ianssst on
county. He had not been home long before he
was suspected Of being concerned In a bur
him he wounded several constables.. Four
months ago be was placed in the jail at Martin
Sicciissiis By SSG spp petHi "a" as Il z dead IN his eel cell! ~ They
thought be et was las IN ho, 4 tr pnt o He , was seen TO
=m nre I what 3aa H Was s0 donc mo- % p %im aro WIth heat a@
or with cold. with needles or an electric
haiti aa ,ss yGiTns T THa l pIiso 1heFf phy aPpinT,
csatSIepsy., The attention OF the court was d.
physicians was, appointed to invest ggte it, The
GhysicLsns made q thorough and rigid inquiry,
| Of the report Of this COMMITTEES the court or
the hospital He remained there as a remarka-
s s1s Ta.G at 3 4, & &%n.;dfle seo Ser'' f that +; T hSd va ame
ished. With him went the clothing Of another
BLIZZARD F For a While i was iisa,rodi that h" had
p %hIia SS, III N IT. tEs m %iS@ant9 Pr d Ia a' p SaR iSssa Mss
heard from him. Then he was found At the
h EiSEIst g, h1s g TSa inS tafd me So aona MSGsr thnt S Ss
had walked all the way from Lancaster 10 his
grandfather; that, he Ind trndEed through
weakened condition that several times he felt
as i he must drob, and perish IN the cold but
pioyed in his game Of 'possnm in jail and hos.
pitaI had carried him through; in speaking OF
could not keep up tho deception any longer, as
IL was too hard on his, nerves, and that he was
Obliged to keep up the sem 6lanee 81 death SO
So closely. He Is thin and pinched. yet he
| looks fairly well in flesh. because he invariably
rallied 10 consciousness at long intervals wh"l'
driven lay hunger.
Those who know Diehenderfer best say he
was not playing 'pOssum all the time. His con-
/ dition ma not have been total unconscious
ness ut all times, and he may have heen con-
| scious at Intervals and still kent M his appear
ance TO deceive those about him.. all for a pur-
pose. they admit When ia a eataleptic con-
dition he IL insensible 10 pain. 1t was nothing
for his arms to remain outstretched Tor an hour
while In a standing posttion. Finally the
muscles would relax and the limbs would fall,
| The movement Of his heart and. lunRs is
normal, and the patient can be ied for weeks
through a tube leading into the stomach.