The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-10-14
ALONE WITH A MANIAC.
Quick wit and seIf-Possession Save
the Intended Victims Life.

HGAtN1 sssSthshsN>es
Quick Wit and seIf-Possession Save
the Intended Victims Life.
1t was on the fifth day of our voyage,
as we were amusing ourselves on deck,
that message was brought me to say
that Mr.. A. would like to see me
in his cabin.
Ihad no difficulty in finding his room,
and was met at the door by Mr.. A.
himself He shook hands very cordially
and invited me to enter and take a
chair. No sooner had done so than he
carefully locked the door. Thinking
this rather strange, inquired as to his
illness. He did not reply for some
time, and then said:
"I am not i'll. sent for you" laying
his hand on large knife, ito cut your
| throat"
He was a man I had not before par
ticularly noticed, but now, as I looked
up, / fully made up my mind that he
was a maniac.
am not a coward, yet even now the
thought of that moment makes me
shudder. There l was, in remote
part of the ship, alone with madman
Of twice my strength, without a chance
to escape or means to give an alarm,
and being unarmed, quite at his mercy!
l had heard Of other somewhat SIM
liar cases, and, though a tyro in the
profession, had had some experience
among the insane. knew, therefore,
that resistance would be of the least
service to me, and that apparent ac-
quiesence would be best. All this quick
ly passed through my mind, and ac-
cordingly, feigning the utmost indiffer-
ence could, said;
"Ah, yes, Mr.. A., to be sure. It
won't take long, will itT'
"Oh, no." he said calmly, survey
ing the knife he now held In his hand.
"Oh, no; the job is quite light one. +"
Here he poured out glass Of wine
and begged me to drink 1T. AS I did
so an idea struck me, and I said:
"By-the-by. Mr.. A., your knife
doesn't look very sharp; the traehea is
tough, you know, and will want some
cutting"
He looked hard at me, as If to read
my thoughts, but after time, con-
vinced that my suggestion was good
one, and examining the knife more
closely, he said:
Eyes, doctor, I think you are right
A little grinding will do no harm, SO, II
you don't mind waiting, l will just run
to the carpenters shop"
This was exactly what wanted, as
feeling sure that he would not lock the
door after him, I thought my escape
would be easy. What was my dismay
then, on his departure, at finding thai
1t was locked as securely as before!
Ipassed up and down in despair, tore
1T the door, flung open the portfolio win
dow and shouted with all my might
but all without avail.
Time went on, minute after minute
and he could not be long now. In the
frenzy of despair 1 groped about from
corner to corner, in search of some
weapon of defense; but no, not ever
the merest stick, not the smallest thing
upon which to lay hands. And then
heard footsteps approaching in the dis
tance.
I felt my pulse quicken, my brow
grow hot. Impulsively flung of
my coat, got to the farthest end Of the
room, and, standing as defensively az
possible, resolved to fight to the last.
l remember then the door bursting
open, and the entry Of A., no
alone, as I thought, but securely pin
ioned, and attended by two of the ships
crew, in charge of the second officer.
The relief Of the moment was *
great that it completely prostrated me
and my nervous system was muci
shaken for some time, while the inten
sity and reality Of my situation Otter
now makes me feel something akin t.
:. what the condemned about to b,
hanged must experience.
learned afterward that the peculia,
and excited manner of the maniac, th'
large knife in his possession, and hi
anxiety to sharpen it, drew suspicion
on him, which, with the fact that hat
been called to see him, induced thu
officer to secure him and come to hi
cabin.